FISH on FOOTBALL: No Question, Cowboys Offense Has 'Power' To Put On Thinking Caps
by Mike Fisher on Nov 17, 2009 2:00 AM CST
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PrintYou are the Cowboys in Green Bay. You are wearing stocking caps on the sideline. It feels like winter.
There are reasons to play what we might call "power football'' ... and in what turns out to be a 17-7 loss to the Packers, you fail to do that.
Are there reasons why the Cowboys seemed to shift away from a power offense that almost certainly was part of the pregame plan? Are the reasons justified? Do those reasons serve as an explanation for why this otherwise-accomplished offense just ended up in a 3-0 game after three quarters for the first time in the Cowboys franchise's 50-year history? Let's raise some questions ... as we remove our stocking caps and put on our thinking caps:
Question: What do the Steelers, Broncos and Packers have in common? In addition to all of them in recent memory taking on a visiting Cowboys team and winning, all of them play a 3-4 defense. Is there something about the Cowboys' offensive approach against a 3-4 that doesn't fly? Is that reasonable, considering the fact that the Dallas offense has ample opportunity to practice against its own Wade Phillips 3-4?
Question: How to explain the disappearance of Marion Barber? MB3 was allowed just one carry after the first quarter. Now, some of that is due to what happened in the final quarter, when the Cowboys were in hurry-up/catch-up mode. (Down 17-0, leaving Tony Romo and the starters in? Questions for another column.) So Tashard Choice was on the field and remained on the field. But there was a time before Marion Barber became "the primary back'' when he was "the grind-it-out back.'' Here, he was neither. Why?
Question: Can we attribute Dallas leaning away from the power game to the offensive-line injuries? Marc Colombo broke his fibula. Flozell Adams exited for a moment. Guys were flip-flopping positions, this fine and durable O-line suddenly in scramble mode and praying that the depth beyond Doug Free wouldn't require testing. Is there a coordination along the line in the power running game that is made more difficult when a group of blockers is just trying to make sure five of them are upright?
Question: Isn't one way to keep a QB upright in a close game to focus on the run and sometimes even concede that you will have to punt? I am quite certain that the Cowboys didn't come in fearing the Green Bay pass rush; the Packers have injury issues there, and maybe put good people in odd positions. In total, they entered yesterday with 13 sacks all season. (The Vikings have that many sacks against the Packers in just two games!) But here, they sometimes brought extra people, sacking Romo five times and roughing him up a lot. Did this offense forget that in a 3-0 game, there is nothing wrong with trying to run, trying to grind, and conceding with a punt? Did GB surprise Dallas with its success in this department?
Question: If these Cowboys lean away from the power running game, shouldn't they do it because something else seems easier to accomplish? Getting the ball to Miles Austin wasn't easy; he'd probably like a do-over. Getting the ball to Jason Witten wasn't easy; his numbers all came in garbage time. And getting the ball to Roy Williams was a clown show of fumbles and losing sight of the ball in the clouds or the lights or the sky or something. I think Dallas found a way to match up Williams with a safety by moving him inside, and that was smart. But otherwise, where was the edge, the advantage, in morphing into a throw-first offense?
Question: Isn't there a give-and-take/risk-reward formula on using the Shotgun formation that in high-risk situations simply isn't worth the reward? We've certainly seen this in Denver and now in Green Bay: Dallas offensive coordinator Jason Garrett plays The Riverboat Gambler and backpedals into the Shotgun ... and the defense plays The Dealer by answering with an overwhelming blitz. And really, is this Jason being "gutsy'' or Jason being "impatient''?
Question: Can three turnovers, 10 penalties, drops, a missed field goal and a minivan full of injured players be blamed on the absence of power football? Maybe not, but I do have an answer here: Those woes can be overcome by a team that now in a five-day span faces have-nots in the Redskins and the Raiders with the chance to enter December with an 8-3 record.
I say Dallas would increase its chances of accomplishing this by playing power football. But no matter what, if they rebound from what ailed ‘em in the frost of Wisconsin, being 8-3 would be a powerfully good record.
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Since nobody else is awake. Good post Mike and I hate to agree but the Boys (or Ginger) needs to rediscover the magic of running the ball a little bit more than the 2-3 attempts we saw Sunday. Why would you have a “three headed monster” and not use it?
Garrett
Seems like he was trying to put up points early to get a comfortable lead and put the Packers away. I think he didn’t want it to be a close 3-7 point game where the Packers would still be in it late. The plan just backfired.
"I’m ready to go here, all right? It’s like R. Kelly at recess."
"You will come back stronger then ever. Like Lance Armstrong. But with two balls."
-Ari Gold
Why is Felix Jones running as if he is in shackles? Protracted injury or another
JJ #1 draft bust?
Wharter
All of those questions fit into the mold of what I thought
There are times when the Cowboys coaching staff has been brilliant this year, and then there is last Sunday. The latest example of Jason Garrett being outcoached. The defense gave up 17 points. That’s the magic number teams shoot for to be winning teams. If you only give up 17, the thought is you can win those games. The defense played hard, and hit like they always do. We missed Rat, but other than that and the injuries we were ourselves.
But Jason Garrett did abandon the run. I assume Barber must have gotten dinged. Felix is not right, so by the third quarter I was screaming for Choice. He’s a gritty back that will try to run when it’s not working. Green Bay has a great run defense. They’ve been really good all year. Garrett knew this and thought he could beat their pass defense. He played into their hand because they really created pressure in the pocket, and when Romo is under fire like that he’s a 50/50 to not win the game. Beyond that, the offense really had no fire all day. I hate to say it because I’m not a nay sayer, but this team lacks the coaching to make sure they are fired up every week. This was a classic example of what happens to the Cowboys when they begin to unravel every year. They are beaten by lesser teams that have more intensity.
I don’t think it’s over. I still have hope, but the Cowboys are going to get their chance to prove what they are this year. The only question for me is if they will be ready when that chance comes.
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, "where the heck is the ceiling?"
I don't think this was necessarily Garrett getting out-coached.
The offensive line routinely let defenders into the backfield on both passing and rushing plays. Every offensive coordinator in the league would struggle calling plays with the sorry execution we sure from multiple players (OLine, WR even TE).
I don’t think Dallas got out-coached in Green Bay, the players simply got out-played on the field.
Garrett got out coached, no points untill the end of the game, 14 carrys by the strength of
your offense, that’s being out coached
are you sure...
you can’t attribute those to the o-line’s failings?
So: what is Garrett supposed to do if his team (specifically his o-line) looks slow and confused on almost every play, and fails to execute, often multiple times on each play? what do you call that will solve this? A power run? The RB would get stopped for no gain. Then what?
by rabblerousr on Nov 17, 2009 11:57 AM CST up reply actions
Call for a new OC?
“if his team (specifically his o-line) looks slow and confused on almost every play, and fails to execute, often multiple times on each play” doesn’t that mean the coach is not getting hte job done?
Lifetime Cowboys Fan from the Swamps of Jersey
Or call for new players?
Bill Parcells and crew also had games like this with players like Gurode, Flo and Colombo. You can only lay so luch of execution on the coaches.
FREE THE OGLETREE!!!
The 'abandoned the run' argument is a no go.
Raf had an excellent analysis on the run game vs the Packers here.
Dallas could not get first downs, and when you’re taking sacks and penalties and not converting, you have no chances to build a running rhythm.
by One.Cool.Customer on Nov 17, 2009 6:42 AM CST up reply actions
they wouldn't have to "take sacks"...
…if they’re running the ball.
MBIII had 27 yards on just 4 carries in the 1st half. Where is the evidence that the run wasn’t working? No excuse for Garrett to abandon it like he did.
The 2009 Dallas Cowboys: Talk to me in December.
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
This offense can run against anyone.
They need to buckle up their chin straps and take it to the opposing team. As soon as you sell out to the passing game, teams pin their ears back and come after Romo. Dick LeBeau schemed beautifully to create pressure on Romo. Where were the adjustments?
The Cowboys went into the hurry up offense at one point to negate the pass rush, (which I predicted they would) but don’t tell me this team can’t run the ball if they don’t even try.
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, "where the heck is the ceiling?"
Dom Capers. Sorry.
Always get those two mixed up.
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, "where the heck is the ceiling?"
when you have one play drives
I’m looking at you Roy Williams,
it’s hard to get any rhythm.
You have to pass sometime. Go back and look at the play sheets. They were running and not getting much on it. When you’re in 2nd and 8, what do you call? And when you get sacked, what can you call then?
Something about Roy Williams just ain't right.
But when you run on 2nd and 8, at least you don’t get sacked and have 3rd and 13 or more. The Cowboys were in 3rd and long all day. Even another 2 yard run, and you’re in 3rd and 6. At least you can make half of those. We did’nt have a 3rd down conversion until the 4th quarter.
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, "where the heck is the ceiling?"
I wouldn't mind running on 2nd and 8
and getting 3-4 yards at least. makes for a much more manageable 3rd down.
I wonder how often Garrett calls consecutive running plays when the game is still in question.
Garrett definitely caught "andy reid" disease
There where several drives where one of our running backs would run for 4-7 yards and then the next two plays were passes. Sometimes, when your offense is in a rut, you just have to line up, and run the ball. Power the ball all the way down the field. If your offensive line is in flux and having trouble picking up the blitz run the ball. Garrett was too temped by there blitz and tried to much for the big play. This kind of play calling won’t get it done in December. He needs to learn from his old coordinator……Norv Turner. Everywhere he coordinates, he is not afraid to run the ball 10-11 times in a row if he has to, just to break the will of the defense. Hopefully, Garrett will learn from this game. This loss is more his fault than anyone elses.
14 carrys for the big three is rediculous. The talented part this offense is the runningbacks
not the receivers. This loss is definitely on garrett. and it wasn’t because they were “trying to play catch up”
11 carries for the big three...
Romo scrambled three times.
Felix was the only one ineffective (3 carries, 6 yards) in this game. Barber ran for 26 yards on his 5 carries. Choice gained 13 yards on 3 carries.
The run game will never be effective if your #1 back gets the ball only 5 times. I don’t care if it’s 2nd and 20, you can still run the ball and have a more managable third down, or at least get some yards to help your punter out. The game was not out of reach until the fumble folly in the fourth. The running game was abandoned long before that.
Disagree with the general premise
As I watched the game, I thought Garrett tried the run to no avail. The line got no push. You can only run, run, run, punt so many times before you are out of the game. It’s called taking what they give you.
Where I think they should have perhaps made adjustments were in these places:
- Choice instead of MBIII and Jones. Those cats just are not right yet.
- More max protect on pass plays. That would have made passing more like running plays.
- More plays to off-side of the blitzes. Clearly GB was using the Eagles’ strategy of backfilling behind their blitzes, taking away the normal hot reads.
FREE THE OGLETREE!!!
Barber average 5.2 ypc, Choice 4.2 ypc. No push? that's a pretty good push to me.
Garrett got stubborn, he likes to pass too much. He has to learn from this, this loss is mainly on him. If the run is working…. run the &(*^% Ball
HA! YOU LIED!
Just kidding, you are completely right.
WHy pass on the one yard line when you have one of the best short yardage backs in the league? And if Barber is dinged up and not right, why is he in pads on game day?
Lifetime Cowboys Fan from the Swamps of Jersey
Look at the down and distance
Runs were called. Some of them worked, some of them don’t.
But before you look at the “they only ran x times” consider something.
They only ran 21 first down plays; 9 of them were runs.
I don’t see anything extreme about that run-pass ratio.
They only ran 8 plays in the third. Several were huge calls — the Williams drop, the Witten penalty, which were wiped out by stupid plays by your big money players.
Dallas normally runs 60 plays a game. They had run 29 through three quarters.
In the 4th, they’re down 17-0.
I anticipated this, which is why I wrote the piece on Sunday. It’s a lazy knee-jerk argument. This team couldn’t convert a 3rd down, because it gave up four sacks on its first 16 pass attempts. That means Romo is getting bagged every fourth time he attempts a pass.
THAT’S why this offense couldn’t move. The line couldn’t pass protect.
Why does the Dallas O
have so much trouble with the 3/4. You would think after seeing it every day they would know how to block it and what to expect.
How bout dem Frogs!!!!
In the days before the game I was thinking
1. Green Bay is desperate. They’re going to play very hard. We have to be ready.
2. Green Bay hasn’t produced much pressure on the QB, and they’ll be without Kampman. Capers is going to have to be creative to get pressure. They came with delayed LB blitzes, and a corner blitz on the fumble. I felt going into the game we needed to use several methods to counter the blitzes. Hurry up offense, short drops, screen passes, heavy dose of runs. None of it really worked.
3. They are heavily penalized, they’ll have to play smarter. Fortunately, they didn’t, but we negated that with our own pile of penalties. Not to mention the bad calls, and dropped balls.
We just couldn’t catch a break last Sunday. I have in no way given up on this team, but we have to be equally ready for the opposing team as they are for us. Just sayin.
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, "where the heck is the ceiling?"
i'm not talking stretchly numbers, the passing game was not working, romo was getting killed
a good way to counter that is to line up with two tightends and run it down their throat. I’m not talking runs out of the shotgun where your relying on trickery. we have a huge offensive line and a power running back, some games you need to run more than you pass.
Sure, there were one on one match ups outside, but this offense doesn’t have the receivers to match up with their defensive backs. They singled up because they didn’t have to double.
+1
I’m not talking runs out of the shotgun where your relying on trickery. we have a huge offensive line and a power running back, some games you need to run more than you pass.
’^This^
The 2009 Dallas Cowboys: Talk to me in December.
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
I would have preferred less (a lot less, at least until we were down 17-0) of shotgun 3-WRs
and more of Romo under center in 2 TE sets, like Bob Sturm. If the OL can’t protect on a passing play, or open holes on a running play then, then there’s no hope to win on offense. This is our best formation, from what I can tell.
Im not an "Eagle-Like" homer...
But I tend to disagree with the auspice of we got “outplayed, and they won fair and square”…when you have officials allowing obvious(not subjective, or PPOV) calls to change the course, and results of the game, then I say we got “gyped”…I have watched, and re-watched the fumble that was caused by McBriar, and there is no way your going to convince me that it was a “down by contact ruling” that got over-turned because there WAS enough evidence to support the over-turning…what others saw as his knee touching the ground was A) The shadow of his knee that appeared to be touching the ground, B) immaterial because he was “attempting” to rise from the knee touch, because at that moment, NOONE had touched him…The second fumble recovery by Jones in the Dallas backfield should not have been allowed to stand, because you cannot convince me that the ball was not stripped from Jones hands after he had established possession of the ball…this lack of an official review, and a overturning of the ruling on the field by the referee(who if you asked me didnt have a clue as to what the rules were on challenges from the get-go) was a serious lack of “professional workmanship” standards, and sub-par at best…Not to mention, the lack of a ruling against the GreenBay coach for delay of game when he challenged for a 5th time in one game..
.Lot of things went against us in this game that in my opinion would have and were game-changing actions…I wish some one would look into the “idea” that why are the rulings on the field, when a team is playing the Cowboys more frequently challenged?…In the last 2 games alone, the game against the Eagles, and the Packers, there have been 8 challenges…why are teams so desperate to beat the Cowboys?…and are we being the most challenged team in the NFL????…FEAR THE STAR
by Hawgz, Bugz, and FilthyFowl Hater on Nov 17, 2009 7:20 AM CST reply actions
That holding call was not missed
It was right in front of the play and more eye catching than the runner. They simply chose not to call a penalty on what they obviously saw as one. Dallas was held constantly all game long and received 5 holding calls. They just don’t/won’t call them every play.
I forgot about that play...
The knee came back up before Mcbriar made contact, then the ball came out before the knee hit again. It was ruled a fumble, it indeed was a fumble, but somehow the call was reversed. I am all for getting the call right through replay, I just don’t see what the guy was looking at.
Jason Garrett…
Reverted back to the throw every down, have nothing new, predictable play caller from last year that I hated so much on Sunday. I really hope that this was just a one off and that he’ll be back on track going forward.
The issue is has been that Garrett almost never seems to turn to the run if the pass isn’t working. His answer to if the pass isn’t working is to throw some more. If he continues to design and scheme like this team will have another abrupt downfall to close out the season and we’ll see massive turnover at season’s end. What about these 3 running backs and offensive line is he just not comfortable with when it comes to the run?
The 2009 Dallas Cowboys: Talk to me in December.
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
"Reverted back to the throw every down, have nothing new, predictable play caller from last year that I hated so much on Sunday."
Dude, do a little research before you mouth off: Here are Garrett’s calls for quarters 1-3, while the game is still in play:
Play calls, 1st down, quarters 1-3:
Runs — 6
Passes — 6
2nd down calls, quarters 1-3:
Runs -4 6
Passes -
But he passes on every down! But he never calls passes on 2nd down!
It’s the EXECUTION people. The line sucked at it. Could not block anybody. But hey, if you would rather pick up your pitchforks and take to the streets, go ahead.
by Rafael Vela on Nov 17, 2009 10:05 AM CST up reply actions
Expect Dallas to see this sort of heavy blitz strategy the rest of the season…
Some teams don’t have the personnel to pull it off but the majority of the teams remaining on the Cowboys schedule do and it will be up to Garrett to develop a counter strategy that makes them pay.
My issue with Garrett the past couple of seasons has been his unwillingness and/or inability to adapt a new scheme or two as the season wears on. By season’s end the Cowboy offense has (in’07 & ’08) become predictable and easy to get a read on.
This year I have seen formations and play calls I have not seen from Garrett in the past and have been very encouraged. I even supposed that he might be saving a few things for later in the season in a piece I wrote last week. I thought that the bubble screen to Olgetree and the use of Razorback seemed to be, "set aside" for the Eagles game (I realize the Razorback had been used a few times earlier in the season but it had been shelved for a few weeks prior to the Eagles game).
I honestly did not think Garrett would dare call that screen to Olgetree again so soon for he had to know that the Packers would be looking at lots of film of that play and see it coming from a mile away. If anything I thought he was calling for some sort of fake off of that screen, in an attempt to sneak someone behind the Packers coverage that was overly ready to jump on Olgetree. I was astonished when the Cowboys in fact ran the exact same play they ran in Philly and not surprised in the least when it was destroyed by the Packer D.
I personally don’t feel like Garrett did his best job developing a game plan and preparing his offense for the Packers. That’s fine. These things happen and the better coaches and teams move on, throw a few wrinkles into their game plan, and bounce back. My concern is that in the past Garrett has proven to have difficulty adjusting late in the year. I’m hoping and actually believe that this year may be different. Let’s hope so.
The 2009 Dallas Cowboys: Talk to me in December.
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
BTW Raf…
Of the 6 runs called on first down that you’ve mentioned from Qtrs 1-3; 4 of them came in the 1st Quarter. This means they only ran the ball 2 times on first down for the rest of the game, including a significant period of time when the score was simply 0-3. The line had seemingly lost all ability to pass protect and it was putting the Cowboys in, "must pass" situation on 2nd and 3rd because of the sacks or incompletes.
The 2009 Dallas Cowboys: Talk to me in December.
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
Is it just me...
Or does Raf seem to act like a little baby sometimes if anyone says something against his psuedo knowledge and situational statistics?
You don’t seem to get it, man. Use all the statistics you want, but the fact of the matter is that the running game was effective but it was abandoned way too early. A delay handoff from shotgun on 2nd and 15 is not the type of runninig we are talking.
I honestly think Raf has some great insight most of the time…
…and usually has some nugget info I was not aware of. I don’t think he means for it to sound personal. I know I’ve gotten in trouble before by assuming someone’s tone in an email or blog before. I think we all tend to get cranky on here after the ‘boys lose. :-/
I know I could have been less belligerent when I posted this:
Jason Garrett… Reverted back to the throw every down, have nothing new, predictable play caller from last year that I hated so much on Sunday. I really hope that this was just a one off and that he’ll be back on track going forward.
This was posted by me more from a place of emotional response, and not as thought out as it could have been.
I think that you and I may have to simply agree to disagree with Raf on this particular issue. While his points are valid that a lot of the circumstances they faced on Sunday forced them into a passing situations; I’m in agreement with you that a little more patience with the running game would have netted better results by the 4th qtr and kept them out of those 2nd and 3rd and longs.
The 2009 Dallas Cowboys: Talk to me in December.
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
It may not be just you but you are overwhelmingly in the minority
Most of us prefer evidence ot unsupported theories
Well you can call it an unsupported theory all you want...
But the fact remains that Barber was averaging 5+ yards per carry and Choice was averaging 4+
Seems a lot of the unsupported theory lies with those that are expressing the run game was not working… because most coaches are going to be happy with 4-5 yards per carry against a top 5 defense.
The problem to me...
Is that on 1st and 10, Garrett likes to run. If the back doesn’t get more than 4 yards, the next two plays are almost guaranteed to be pass plays.
2nd and 8 can turn into 3rd and 4 instead of 3rd and 8, but apparently Garrett doesn’t realize that.
I know that penalties can hurt you, but the game was at 3-0, so you don’t HAVE to pass the ball on 2nd and 15. Someone give the red headed idiot this memo, please.
11 rushes for 61 yards means you are RUNNING EFFECIENTLY. Don’t abandon it, ya moron!
Also..
Does he just hate Tashard Choice? Or does he really think that he is incapable of playing at the same level as a busted up Felix Jones?
TC goes out and performs everytime he is asked to, but for some reason they feel that they don’t need him out there if Felix and MB3 are suited up. It’s a three headed monster, not a one (MB) and a half (Felix) headed monster!
as much as boring it may be and I am sure we've wrote tons of comments on the issue
unless there is something we dont know, I think that JG is misusing his RBs. Felix should not be in the game, not even dressed up, he looks slower than Crayton. I know MB is in on a lot of plays because he is very good blocker, but clearly Choice needs more touches and early in the game.
As I've stated a million times
the Cowboys are a passing team so long as Garrett is the OC and Romo is the qb, this is their personality, plain and simple.
Fans mistakenly think just because our OL is huge and we have 3 very talented RBs, we should automatically become a power running team. Got news for you, it doesn’t work that way.
Garrett is a former qb and wants to throw and attack defenses downfield, that’s his personality and the fact that he has a really qb who can get the ball down field, only fuels that fire more. I think he tries to find a balance with attempting to use our three headed monster as a change of pace, but that’s not who we ar as an offense.
Fans can bitch and moan all they want about not running a lot more, but as long as Garrett is the OC, we’re going to primarily pass the ball, especially when the game is on the line.
I for one really like what Garrett does because you want the ball in the hands of your best player as much as possible.
In Romo we Trust
Well, we can agree to disagree...
When the passing game is working, it’s one thing, but when the passing game is not working it’s a good idea to switch up the gameplan and run… especially when you are running effeciently. Look at the Giants game, the Cowboys were having tremendous success with the run, so they utilized it properly. Obviously if the run is shut down, you have to look at different options, like they did against the Eagles, but when the run is averaging 5.5 yards per attempt, there is no reason to run the ball only a couple times in an entire half!
I don’t even have a problem with the Cowboys passing more than running…
But it should never be 90% of the time; that’s just not going to keep any defense off guard. A smart coordinator (or one that isn’t stubborn) will take whatever the defense gives him and/or go with whatever is working. If the Cowboys bludgeon some with the run to the tune of 4 to 5 yards plus per carry then I can guarantee it will open up the pass big time later in the game. I know Garrett prefers to set up the run with the pass but sometimes the opponent will not allow him to work it that way and he should be flexible enough to do the reverse.
As much as I love Romo as our QB I still think there is tremendous value in having these 3 backs. Imagine if the late 70’s Cowboys never used Dorsett just because Staubach was the QB or if the 90’s teams never really utilized Emmitt because Aikman was the QB? As good as Romo is he is not the only player on this offense than brings something of value. The lack of touches coming Choice’s way (considering that neither Barber nor Felix are 100%) completely bamboozles me.
If what you say is true and Garrett simply refuses to except the value that a solid running attack brings not only to the team efforts but to the very passing game he so covets, then he should not be here next year in any capacity. If he truly doesn’t understand what it means to draw the safeties in and make them susceptible to the play action then he shouldn’t be here next year in any capacity; IMHO.
The 2009 Dallas Cowboys: Talk to me in December.
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
We all understand that, we just think that Garrett is an idiot for not using all of the tools in his shed
Lifetime Cowboys Fan from the Swamps of Jersey
Bad Game Plan
I am not sure of running the ball against GB is the answer..They did hold Adrian Peterson to less than 100 on two different ocassions..Plus in his news conference Monday, Wade said MBIII agrivated his thumb injury and had trouble running holding the ball..Felix looks slowed wearing that brace..
The problem for me is the routes called..Put Romo in the shotgun and call a slow developing pass play..seems curious to me and stupid..How bout some short passes to the backs. They are like had offs..and don’t even get me started on the tight ends..
Another play that works sometimes... (like twice against the Eagles)
Is a WR screen. Ogletree did that twice on 3rd and long, but we never even saw him on Sunday.
It baffles me. They ask guys like Choice and Ogletree to step up and help out when they need them and they perform and do everything they are asked to do, but then are on the bench for 95% of the next game. Why?
They tried that play to Ogletree against GB
He got pancaked behind the LOS. But I agree with your premise. Do SOMETHING!
Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, "where the heck is the ceiling?"
Did they?
I must have missed it. Oh well, I think the game plan was horrible. The defense kept them in the game for a long time, and the offense could not execute. Some of that blame lies with the OC, but obviously the offense failed as a whole.
They called this play at least twice, maybe three times
Green Bay stuffed it.
Choice has a role. He’s the 3rd down back and he runs the Razorback. His role in Philly and in Green Bay didn’t change.
by Rafael Vela on Nov 17, 2009 10:13 AM CST up reply actions
I think many of us believe that his role should be expanded...
…if Felix is not 100%; which he truly does not appear to be.
The 2009 Dallas Cowboys: Talk to me in December.
The NFC East has won 11 Super Bowls; oddly none of those have come courtesy of the Eagles.
I blame Roy E Williams
Drops, fumbles, balls off the facemask. Change a couple of those plays and the offense is in much more of a rhythm.
Dallas had the ball like
8 or 9 plays in the 3rd Q. then they were playing catchup.
How bout dem Frogs!!!!
Here's my theory on why Garrett doesn't call a good running game
Bob Sturm, the longtime blogger and Cowboys/Packers analyst, made the point in breaking down Garrett’s offense that Garrett never calls the same personnel grouping on consecutive plays!! Think about that for a minute. One play it’s 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE), next its 12 (1 RB, 2 TE), next it’s 22, then shotgun 11, shotgun 12, 13, etc.
Well, if you are always changing personnel, you are also not likely to get into a rhythm of calling running plays consecutively to move the ball down the field. And if you watch the Cowboys, it is very rare for them to run the ball even 2 plays in a row, much less several times in a row. I think this kills the “power football” that FISH is talking about.
I support FISH 100% on his comments above. Unless this team, with our massive offensive line, and our highly skilled trio of blocking TEs, plus Deon Anderson, and a power runner extraordinaire like MBIII, develops its identity as a power running football team that throws the ball once teams are forced to stack the box to stop the run, we aren’t going to win in December and beyond.
Wade Phillips should read Jason Garrett the riot act and make him run the ball 50% of the time, if only to help protect Wade’s D, which played an inspired game Sunday, but was on the field twice as long as the Packers were by the end of the 3rd Q.
Frankly, if Garrett doesn’t adapt and get this offense moving again, I think I’d send him packing after the season. Because Wade is doing his job on the defensive side.
running the ball 50% of the time
when we haven’t effectively run the ball in weeks seems like you’re asking for a loss to me.
We need to run the ball more effectively, thats for sure.
What about Adams hearing loss?
If Flozell Adams were a first baseman, he would be a guy who hits like Pujols at home and Mario Mendoza on the road. I don’t think it’s just the 3-4. Mike Lombardi at the NFP wrote yesterday that Adams is a half step “off” due to his hearing loss issue being affected by crowd noise. Is it legal for him to wear a hearing aid? If so, why isn’t he being forced to do so?
Any ideas, Raf?
i do see this as a one game hiccup
you can’t be up and all out emotionally for everygame, and green bay was disparate. Garrett had a bad game, but he’s been good this year. This team is different and is saying the right things. I’d expect to see a thrashing of redskins this weekend
mb3
Marion Barber had four carries for 27 yards in the first quarter and then had just one carry the rest of the game.
We’ll get into Jason Garrett’s playcalling later in this post, but Wade Phillips said Barber’s fractured thumb was giving him problems in pass protection, which is why he was not on the field much in the second half.
"No matter where you go, you are what you are playa"-Jay Z
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You guys really need to look at these game logs.
First quarter drives:
Drive #1 (only drive we didn’t try to run it, but we moved the ball the best) we passed the ball on 3rd and 3, didnt get it
Drive #2:Ran on 1st and 10, second and 11 and ended in 3rd and 9.
1st/2nd quarter
Drive #3:Ran on 1st and 10, passed on 2nd and 8, Romo sacked.
2nd quarter drives
Drive #4: 2nd and four run for no gain. 3rd and 4 choice run for 3 yards. punt.
Drive #5: Romo huge pass to Roy, he fumbles on first play. Lets blame Garrett!!!
Drive #6: 1:50 left, first play is a sack which meant we weren’t running again.
That 2 quarters of the run game failing us. The lack of an effective run game played a CRUCIAL part in those 3 and outs.
3rd quarter:
drive #7: barber run for -1, 2nd and 11 Romo is sacked.
drive #8: one solid run, but on resulting first and 10 Romo fumbles the ball (I think that was going to be a handoff? maybe im wrong), we’re left in 2nd and 13 and we pass.
After this point, we were down 17-0.
This criticism of garrett is totally ridiculous. Seriously, read this! I know Raf made a very similar post earlie, but apparently quite a few people didn’t read it. He actually did an ok job sticking with the run game given its general ineffectiveness.
Give the Packers some credit.Their constant pressure on Romo and ability to shut down our run game on first down forced us into constant long yardage situations.
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