Fantastic stuff, YR. I agree with you, top to bottom, and I'd love to hear your take (and anyone else's) on what I think is actually Garrett's biggest downfall: the entire design of his offense.
I just don't think his schemes do anything to help the players. For the sake of illustration: IMHO, RG3 and Albert Morris are exceptional rookies, but their success this season has had at least as much to do with the schemes in which they operate as it has their talent. Put the Dallas personnel in Shanahan's offense and I think you'll see just how good Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray and Tyron Smith can be. And it's not just about using a "better" scheme. It's about tailoring what you do on the field to the strengths of the guys doing it.
I'm not saying this because of Washington's success, either. C Lab and I have been discussing off and on the past coupla years our belief that Romo would thrive in Shanahan's zone-running boot-action offense. Romo is not Troy Aikman. Sitting in the pocket and throwing 20-yard outs is not his forte. Romo is a mobile player who handles the ball well and throws well on the move. The Broncos offered Romo more money than Jerry did for a reason. There's a reason Shanahan wanted Romo in Denver. There's a reason RG3 is having success--running an option offense that experts have said for years won't work in the NFL. Why Garrett has steadfastly refused to tailor the Cowboys playbook to the stuff Romo does best is, BY FAR, the biggest question in my mind.
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