Is Garrett is simply too predictable in his playcalling. There’s been a fair amount of discussion of his run/pass ratio, but that doesn’t tell the complete story. I remember far too many times him sending Barber up the middle on a first down when the the score is close, then wanting to throw it downfield on second- and third-and-long. If my impression is true, that kind of playcalling plays to the strengths of the defense (and fact on two occasions players on opposing defenses claimed they knew exactly what Dallas was going to do offensively—not the sort of comment one reads every day, and given my impression, not one that should be lightly dismissed). So I think the DMN exerpt has it backwards: Garrett’s mind-numbing predictability on first downs led to an ineffective running game, which created the impression, somehow, with five of the heaviest offensive linemen in the game, that we have trouble running the ball.

The Dallas offensive line has also become many people’s favorite whipping boy. Romo was only sacked 20 times last year in 13 games, which is outstanding, considering how much Garrett wants to throw the ball 30 yards downfield. The reality is a good offensive coordinator can cover for poor offensive line play. Tampa Bay moved the ball effectively in 2002 and won the Super Bowl with a below-average line, and neither Super Bowl team last year had a good line. Good coordinators know how to mix up runs and passes (and if the line is really that bad, go exclusively to short passes) to move the ball. But if the coordinator keeps blindly sending the starting running back up the middle on every first down, and wants his line to protect for an obscenely long time to throw those 30-yard passes, the line is always going to appear suspect.

One other note: Given the age of our line, I would not bet the five starters make it all the way through the season without injury. It’s an older line, and does not appear to have good conditioning in any event. Garrett will simply have to learn to use the full range of tools at his disposal to succeed.

Personally, I think a lot of it has to do with Garrett was the typical creature of habit last year. Early in the 07 season and up until the Packers game on Thanksgiving, the Dallas offense was unstoppable, when suddenly Garrett was figured out by a lot of the better D coordinators in the league. Since then Dallas has had such a hot and cold offense. When the offense is on, it is all but unstoppable, but when they suffer, it is usually by a high margin. Garrett does need to focus more on the running game this season, but could you blame him with the players we had? With Owens, Crayton, Witten, Barber, and then the addition of Roy E, there is no reason to imagine why the offense shouldn’t succeed through the air.

Everyone wants to say this will be Wades last year barring a deep playoff run, but I also think Jason needs to be on the hot seat. The dude has to mix it up a little better if he wants to remain an O coordinator in this league.

is that Garrett was simply playing to the strengths of his players. Theyre good pass blockers but below average run blockers. Being pass heavy worked for the Pats pretty well. However, I do believe he could have mixed in more short passing. Maybe Owens had more leverage than we think.

If the line is so bad, how did TChoice average 5.1 yards per carry?

Granted this includes a pedestrian 3.8 against the Steelers, but Garrett stuck with him and he amassed 88 yards total in that game against a pretty good defense.

He gained 90 plus yards against both the Giants and Ravens?

Bottom line: Great coaches develop their scheme around their player’s abilities. I think we’ll be able to tell early on if Garrett has learned this lesson. I think he has. In other words, I predict Barber will return to his role as closer where he is a star.

And I agree with most of the sentiments already raised. However one thing I believe, our frequent use of shotgun draw plays near the opposing goalline was not mere coincidence. Nor do I see that as Garrett repeatedly making a mistake, to mee that shows that our o-line has a fundamental weakness when run blocking, as he didnt have faith in our large linemen to win the battle at the line of scrimmage.

Maybe the reason our offense was so awesome in ‘07 was due to Sparano & Garrett? I do have faith in Garrett, but it seems kinda strange that after he left our offense became too predictable and generic. Maybe Sparano helped Garrett mix it up and the Cowboys had a hard time in "08 of filling that void? I think people are discounting what Sparano did while he was here with our offensive playcalling AND our OL. I know there were injuries and such last year, but it can’t be a coincidence.

Will Garrett step up this year? I think he will.

does this team have an identity ? If so, what is it?

I think we are closer on D to having an established persona, if you will – we are a Pressure First defense, which was saddled with secondary limitations. Hard to imagine we’re only a little more than 2 years removed from starting R WIlliams(I) and J Reeves in a playoff game.

On O, I am not sure what our identity is – smash-mouth? Not so much. Veritical ? Hard to say now with our speed moreso at RB than WR. And even that is limited to a part-time player. Makes sense we are a Right Running dominant team – could argue Bigg/Columbo are our better drive blockers, especially last year.

My concern with the O is we seemed impatient, tending to give up on plays, gameplanning if they didn’t yield immediate results. Sometimes the play(s) you are running are to set something up later on. But if you give up on that early on, then there is no cohesive strategy you’re trying to implement

Agree it appears we are an average run blocking team and the best we can hope for with the returning RG is to be above average, unless someone breaks out to a degree we haven’t seen. Offense in general and Running specifically is about imposing will on the opposition. I haven’t seen that, except for the 2nd WAS game last year.

Period.

I have since the day Wade was announced the new HC and I still do today. I really do hope that they are taking a different approach this year and that more than anything they will bring some fresh and innovative game plans to each game this year.

On offense I almost never saw anyone in motion (which at the very least can help the QB get a pre-snap read on what type of coverage he’s facing); they never tried crazy ideas like lining up Owens or Williams in the slot. It seemed to me like Garrett never really looked for mismatches to exploit. In the Ravens game they routinely played their safeties a good 20 yards off the line of scrimmage and yet the Cowboys never ran any sort of patterns underneath the coverage.

The defense did seem to play better once Wade took over the play-calling and maybe that’s been what he’s needed all along; to focus more heavily on defense rather than play this more passive GM type of role. I hope so and if nothing else I do feel better about this approach for 2009 (but damn it if I have to watch another season where these CBs line up 20 years off the ball and give the opponents WOs a clean release off the snap, I’m going to smash my TV).

“Romo-friendly”, to me, should not just be about the running game, but should incorporate a more QB-friendly passing offense. I thought Garrett would try to adjust his game last year when Brad was in, but I didn’t see the passing game become more ball control. He was still asking Brad to throw sideline outs, and loft out-and-ups. DBs are always all up on those. Pi$$ed me the F off last year!

My hope is that Garrett helps to control the ball by using more options out of the backfield, as well as screens to the WRs and TEs. Watching what NE does with Welker and what the Colts do with Wayne makes me jealous. JG should be feeding certain players even if its just a 4-5 yard pickup. Guys like Felix and Miles will have more opps to break big plays and 1st-downs will be more easily attainable for Romo. Cutting 3rd-downs to 4 yards or less will allow Romo more options, including picking up the firsts with his feet.

Whatever keeps the chains moving is beneficial to ST and the D as well. We don’t need to score on every possession, but just keep the tempo on offense wearing down the opposing Ds so that they will eventually break down.

1. Cowboys have one of the best QBs in the league so obviously the ball should be in his hands as much as possible.

2. Garrett was a former QB and believes you score points through the passing game.

3. Our OL cannot run block as well as it pass blocks.

Personally, I think our RBs will do more damage to opposing defenses this season by catching and running the ball as opposed to gaining yards from the LOS.