[Abhishek R]

There's not a lot of space in the neutral zone. A single robot can effectively lock up an opposing team that is trying to breach defenses or make it to your courtyard if they play it correctly. If you can trade one of your less offensively equipped robots for one of theirs, why not?

Very rarely, if ever, is there a situation where the decision to play or not play defense is so black and white. The closest thing to that ever happening is when FIRST stuck a wall in the middle of the field separating the alliances and literally said you cannot cross it.