What Should Have Happened

by DavidH22 on Dec 12, 2011 3:16 PM CST

We all remember the circumstances. It seems like it was only about 16 hours ago. Down and distance – 3rd and 5 on their own 25 yard-line. Just over two minutes left. And like a horror film that we’ve seen before, we all know what happened next but we can’t stop it – Romo and Austin miss a crucial connection down the sideline. Cowboy fans the world over exhale in utter disappointment and start sweating profusely as Matt McBriar trots onto the field…

But wait! McBriar and the special teams are suddenly ordered back to the sidelines. There’s someone beckoning them back, and he’s wearing a silver and blue hoodie. Why, it looks like RHG has been taken over by the Spirit of Bill Belichik. He’s finally admitted to himself that his defense hasn’t stopped the Giants except on one freak play for an interception; why would they start now? He’s already seen leads evaporate several times over the course of the season to know better than to hope players like Newman, Ball, Spencer and yes, Ware, will suddenly man up to stop a team they haven’t stopped at Jerry World since, well…ever! He knows that the team’s only chance is to keep the ball in the hands of one Antonio Ramiro Romo, who to this point is 27-18-271-4-0. He knows that if McBriar gets off his usual 50 yard punt, it’s just a matter of time before the Giants march 75 yards for the game-winning TD. And he realizes that if, by some chance, the Giants take over at the Cowboys 25-yard line with 2:20 left in the game, that New York will surely score anyway, but with probably much more time left on the clock. More time left for Romo and the offense to retake the lead.

So Garrett decides to go for it on 4th down and 5 on his own 25 yard-line. Romo completes a pass for a first down, and the Cowboys run out the clock. OR Romo throws incomplete and the Giants take over on downs. Within three plays the Giants score the go-ahead TD, and the Cowboys get the ball back with two timeouts and 1:25 left on the clock. Romo then leads the Cowboys downfield to set up a 25 yard FG attempt by Dan Bailey, which he makes easily because it’s a chipshot and JPP is tired from running around for 1:20.

Then the Cowboys lose the OT coin toss and Garrett, still firm in his belief that the Rob Ryan-led defense will not stop an opposing offense until sometime during the 2013 season, kicks onside – the first onside OT kick in NFL history. The Cowboys recover, score a TD on a pass from Romo to Austin (who is now wearing sunglasses) to win 43-37. Garrett wins accolades as the gutsiest, smartest coach in the NFL and the Cowboys ride the momentum to win the NFC East and two playoff games before running into a buzzsaw in Green Bay, setting the table for a magical Super Bowl run next year.

And then we wake up, covered in navy blue glitter.

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Comments

Yea Garrett doesn't have hoody credibility.

So if he didn’t get the first he would of been fired this morning.

Realist.

by DCyanks21 on Dec 12, 2011 4:48 PM CST reply actions

That's a very good point.

But Mike Smith doesn’t have hoody credibility either and he took a similar gamble.

"Confidence doesn't come out of nowhere. It's a result of something... hours and days and weeks and years of constant work and dedication." --Roger Staubach

by dave33 on Dec 12, 2011 7:05 PM CST up reply actions

Smith's gamble was worse

he went for it deep in his own territory with the game tied…in other words, he pulled a Switzer

by DavidH22 on Dec 12, 2011 7:39 PM CST up reply actions

Smith's gamble was a yard away.

This was 5 yards. With a lead.

Giving up a lead hurts more than getting a tie broken.

Too many rough games...

by DCyanks21 on Dec 12, 2011 9:05 PM CST up reply actions

Hoodie Credibility.

Noice. We need some of that,
SB’s for us to enjoy.

by bloodyhanded on Dec 12, 2011 10:16 PM CST up reply actions

A great post

I don’t know if you were kidding or being serious, but so much in the way of game management is governed by conventional and cautious decision-making which actually increases a team’s chances of losing. If Eli’s chances of scoring a touchdown are very good, say, 60%, then maybe we should have gone for it on fourth and five, because the odds of converting were probably greater.

The problem is, coaches are on the hottest of seats, and no coach wants to explain an (apparently) risky decision if it fails…even if that decision gave him the best chance of winning. In this sense, football is still stuck in the overly-emotional intellectual dark ages.

You have fully captured my thoughts with your post. Bravo.

If I had a nickel for every Super Bowl the Eagles have won, I would have zero nickels.

by Creasy729 on Dec 12, 2011 7:21 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah...

I’ve thought exactly the same thing for years. Coaches too often make “cautious” decisions that are actually riskier in terms of winning or losing than the “bold” move would be.

by krl97a on Dec 12, 2011 10:22 PM CST up reply actions

Awesom Post

Rec’d.

"Confidence doesn't come out of nowhere. It's a result of something... hours and days and weeks and years of constant work and dedication." --Roger Staubach

by dave33 on Dec 12, 2011 7:01 PM CST reply actions

Fantastic Antidote to Yesterday

Kudos!

by the_hat on Dec 12, 2011 9:12 PM CST reply actions

(who is now wearing sunglasses)

LOL!!

by the_hat on Dec 12, 2011 9:13 PM CST reply actions

What should have happened is Cruz catches that pass from Eli and the Cowboys have plenty of time to score a TD of their own

"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"

by 5Blings on Dec 12, 2011 9:27 PM CST reply actions

It was manningham who dropped the gimme, not cruz

by Trey Kimbell on Dec 12, 2011 9:35 PM CST up reply actions

My bad

Same outcome.

"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"

by 5Blings on Dec 12, 2011 11:29 PM CST up reply actions

Rec

by bloodyhanded on Dec 12, 2011 10:17 PM CST reply actions

Ugh. I'm having a hard time with a sense of humor about this loss. I'm tired of these 2 coaches putting their players in a position to lose rather than to succeed.

The post is funy but no way that happens.
BUT here’s what really could have happened-how’s about a pass on 2nd down you moron Garrett!
Yeah, that’s right, desperately needing a 1st down, he runs on one play, doesn’t pick up much, and then, on a down when the other team is going to sell out to stop the run, he runs again. And picks up nothing, surprise.

What should have really happened is that Romo should have been given 2 downs to pick up the 7 yards or whatever and get a 1st, instead of being put in the position of 3rd down or nothing.

Of course, If Ryan pulls his head out and stops blitzing every down, that’d help too.

Never have I witnessed so many NFL games lost by coaches in one year for one team. Half or more of the losses are straight on the coaches. Unbelieveable.

Pessimists say the cup is half-empty, while optimists say it's half-full. Well, the real question is, is it a good beer? Realist Larry, 2011

by Realist Larry on Dec 12, 2011 11:38 PM CST reply actions

Felix gained 5 yards on the first down

so that leaves 2 downs to pick up 5 yards…

my problem with Garrett was the run up the gut on 2nd down – i think a screen to Felix or a bubble screen or another high percentage pass on that down would have been a way better alternative as the Giants were 100% ready for that run…

the pass to Austin on 3rd down was gutsy but a way lower percentage play

Tony Romo - Mr. November

by McLovin9 on Dec 13, 2011 1:05 PM CST up reply actions

Felix was supposed to cutback on that run to the left (I think)

It got stopped up the gut because JPP did not go for the misdirection the second time. He stayed home, gave Fiametta no angle on the block, and stuffed Jones. Calling the same play twice? In what game from last year, did that also not work? JG’s PROCESS is letting him down.

"[Sean] Lee has more value now...than our entire 2010 draft"--- An Eagles' fan.

by LDVFootball on Dec 13, 2011 2:40 PM CST up reply actions

that's exactly what I was saying. A high % pass, not another run at that point.

Pessimists say the cup is half-empty, while optimists say it's half-full. Well, the real question is, is it a good beer? Realist Larry, 2011

by Realist Larry on Dec 13, 2011 4:39 PM CST up reply actions

This is the problem with having a terrible defense in the 4th quarter..

With a decent 4th quarter defense, this isn’t even a question.

Unfortunately, the ineptitude of the D late in games has made this a reasonable monday morning quarterback type post.

RHG did the only thing he could, cross his fingers with the rest of us after the punt.

Fear the Star

by SDTrueblue on Dec 13, 2011 12:33 AM CST reply actions

Everyone wants to hang Ryan

the biggest loss after the season started was being unable to secure a new Secondary coach to teach new techniques that would compliment Rob’s heavy blitz defense…..Dave Campo has been the single constant teaching our cb’s their current inability to cover these past two coaching tours…..I do think next year we need to let Campo have his walking papers, bring in a fresh new coach to teach an aggressive cover scheme instead of having TNew line up 9 yards or more off a WR, and bring in a couple of new bodies to increase competition in the ranks of the secondary…..The next draft I think we can all agree on will be defense heavy…A OLB to help bring the pressure opposite Ware, a solid cover corner, and maybe some more youth on the DL tho the first two would seem to be the biggest needs to me….the pass rush while seemingly nonexistent these past few weeks has been stymied by the secondary’s inability to cover wideouts for those first few precious seconds after the snap. …No rush can get to the QB in the time that Eli got the ball off to his WR’s with them being so passive in coverage….The technique being taught to them is destroying the ability of the pass rush to bring the appropriate pressure and showing the QB the turf…

Good Luck to the 53. Stand with Honor, Play With Pride. Bring It Home

by TruBluToTheCore on Dec 13, 2011 4:56 AM CST reply actions

oh how I wish

This were not mere fantasy. I agree that going for it on 4th might have produced the outcome you suggest. But, you’ve got to have some big cajones to pull it off. Hoody cred comes with Lombardi trophies. If RHG had one, he could have made the call to go for it. Even if it doesn’t work he doesn’t get lynched like he is now. Nice post! Let’s win the next 3 and see how it shakes out!

Invincibility lies in the defence; the possibility of victory in the attack.
~Sun Tzu

by CDMac24 on Dec 13, 2011 4:30 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions