There is a belief among most sports fans that when a team is down, coaches and managers rally the troops with pep talks. They might even make changes at half-time to help get the team over the line. Hence, while coaches might get lauded for pulling off a win, they are berated for not doing enough in the case of a loss.
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However, Peyton Manning, who isn’t shy to speak his mind, believes that the notion of half-time adjustments is a myth. When an Instagram handle by the name of Coach Dan Casey posted a question as to whether the coaches actually make halftime adjustments, Peyton claimed they generally do not. The former quarterback revealed that he doesn’t recall any such changes during his NFL career. Instead, all players do is brace themselves, use facilities, refill themselves with some fruit, and then just go out to perform
” I don’t know if I ever made a Halftime Adjustments in my entire 18-year career. I think that’s the biggest myth in football- the Halftime Adjustments. You go in, you use the restroom, you eat a couple of oranges, then the Head coach says- Alright, let’s go!”
Surprisingly, Manning is not the only one who rejects the notion of half-time adjustments as the former Eagles Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson holds a similar thought.
Doug Pederson Voices A Similar Opinion About Halftime Adjustments
Although fans may ask for adjustments during half-time when their team is down, the coach might not make any. Doug Pederson, the former Eagles Super Bowl-winning coach endorsed this notion and insisted that when the team starts to play better in the second half it is because the coach is using the play he didn’t use earlier. If that play works, the team continues using it, and if not, the coach implements another one.
” Halftime Adjustments are a myth. Halftime Adjustments are the plays you didn’t use in the first half … try them in the second half and see if they work.”
Even Eli Manning echoed the same sentiment as his brother and stated that there wasn’t much time to do anything at half-time other than pee, eat, and get back out there. The best coaches respond to new information before relying on the game plan they made before the match. So players, especially the QBs are judged on how fast they can process new information and change things without the help of the play-caller.
The game is like chess, and the coach tries to anticipate what the opponent will do instead of reacting to past plays. This is how Belichick anticipated that Pete Carroll would make Wilson throw the ball at the 1-yard line rather than using Lynch to run it.
