Zeke only got 23 touches

[bsbellomy]

You're right, but the Packers were probably thinking run Zeke on 3rd and 2 as well. Can't be too predictable; though I also question the playcalling early in the game.

They couldn't stop it even if they were ready. Also Daks int play should have been a run.

 

[tyke1doe]

What Romo would have done versus what Dak did is just a hypothetical. No one knows what Romo would have done in this game.

But what we do know is that we got damn good QB play and lost. Just like our last playoff game. Two playoff games where 2 different QBs played well enough that usually it would end in a victory, but, Dallas gotta Dallas.

At least we have another run of a decade of good QB play ahead of us and we can always look forward to next year when we inevitable fall a bit short (again).

My comments were in response to posters speculating on what Romo would have done. You're right. We don't know.

 

[BigStar]

Professional football is the ultimate "hindsight is 20/20" game.

Yesterday afternoon it truly was a game of inches. And we were a few inches away from getting the W.

I know it sucks but I'll choose not to nitpick.

We will be back in 9 months, and our superstar rookies won't be rookies anymore, and our defense will be better because I TRUST that this organization will upgrade the right positions with the right players.

Agree we have a great foundation on one side with Martin being the next resigning (just by how we have been doing things) but we need to go after "some" FAs. Drafting is #1, but you need FA to plug in your deficiencies.

In terms of trusting the org to improve the D; not so much. We've made no attempt to do this in years (Hardy boom or bust on 1 yr deal; no scouting needed) since Carr and still aren't willing to admit defeat there (paycut to 8M for that; move on already). Obviously don't just sign "names" but do some scouting in FA and improve this defense and maybe even a #2WR to help Dez. Resigning your own players is great, but it isn't the equivalent of bringing on FAs to improve the team. You have to be willing to be wrong sometimes and the bottom of the barrel defenders are there for a reason aka our FA signings.

 

[TheCoolFan]

Gotta use him...no point in holding back in the playoffs. The Steelers gave Bell 29 rushes and 2 targets last week and 30 rushes and 5 targets last night. I know the Packers secondary is bad but if you're trying to dominant time of possession and keep Rodgers off the field as much as possible, your RB is the best way to do it.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Dak threw about 4 to GB, they dropped most of them. I explicitly said Dak ayed well. But Romo would have shredded that garbage defense from the get go.

Dak would've too, but for penalties, mistakes and made up stuff by the officials. They would've called the same crap with Romo in there.

 

[percyhoward]

Running the ball was not the answer when down 18 but I felt that Zeke was wide open in space on several plays where he was not thrown to.

And we were moving the ball better on the pass-heavy drives in this game anyway, but I don't understand why Zeke only had one target, or why he only averaged two targets per game in the regular season, for that matter.

 

[Kevinicus]

The defense - or not having a good one - has CONSISTENTLY been given as an excuse for why Tony Romo doesn't advance in the playoffs. I've seen that excuse given incessantly. So it stands to reason that Romo wouldn't have done anything to get us to the NFC Championship game because we didn't have the defense to get there.



Did we advance to the NFC Championship game?



But would he have done enough to win the game and take us to a level we haven't been in 21 years? That's the issue. He may have "carved" the Packers defense up, but with this defense, it wouldn't have mattered. I'm using the same line of reasoning so many posters here do when they make excuses for why Romo couldn't get us to the next level.

How many strawman arguments can you make?

Whatever people have said in the past about Romo means ZERO to anything that was said. That is you bringing that in and nothing more. The discussion is about the game yesterday and only that game. It's not about people's criticisms or defenses of Romo over the years.

But yes, it COULD have mattered. If Romo did better, it could have been enough to make the difference. We can never know. Do you think the game could have gone and ended differently if they scored more early on, and finished with 35+ points?

 

[Boyzmamacita]

It's not Linehan's fault. We got into a shootout with Aaron Rodgers. That's why we lost. You don't get into shootouts with Aaron Rodgers. You impose your will on the Packers and make them play to your tone. We played catch up the entire game because Garrett was settling for FGs early and our defense couldn't stop anything.

That's partly true. We had chances to run Zeke before the score got out of hand. 3rd and 2 comes to mind. Linehan was pass happy from the start. We also should've ran on that last drive where we messed up clock management. We saved the timeout, but didn't run the clock down, which gave the Packers a chance.

 

[Jstopper]

Dak had a better game than Tony ever has in the playoffs, and some folks are having a hard time coming to grips with it. It's to be expected.

When it comes to Romo you are as blind as Stevie Wonder and its a shame.

 

[T-RO]

And we were moving the ball better on the pass-heavy drives in this game anyway, but I don't understand why Zeke only had one target, or why he only averaged two targets per game in the regular season, for that matter.

Yes. and yes.

Zeke was doing well on the ground, but we averaged nearly 9 yards per pass. We didn't need to be passing it less!

I would have liked a few more runs on short yardage/red zone though.

As for Zeke as receiver...hopefully he can be integrated more into the passing game next year...especially some occasional downfield routes.

 

[theogt]

I still don't get why Dak won't throw to Zeke in dump off passes. Very strange.

 

[DandyDon52]

What exactly was ridiculous about what he said? The idea that Romo could have shredded that defense? That Zeke should have been used more?

Well again people have tony scoring td's in their head, he might have done great, might have won, might have lost, thrown 5 picks,
we will never know and you can thank the guy who really lost the game ....... jason garrett!
He is the one who decided Dak was the qb of future and that they didnt need tony.
It wasnt the dak fans who decided that , it was JG and linehan.

and it was same 2 guys who decided to only run EE 5 times a qtr. 22 total, instead of 30-35.
With Dak I think even romo fans would agree, that running the ball is their strength, and it doesnt matter if they are down 21-3,
you keep using what works best , and there was plenty of time left.

 

[BAT]

Scoring drives
32 passes, 14 runs

Non-scoring drives
8 passes, 10 runs

"passes" include 2 sacks and 1 spike
"runs" include 2 QB runs

How many penalties occurred on passes vs. runs? And it's not really the just Number of passes vs. runs, it's the context and momentum that are just as important. Cowboys rarely if ever run ball consecutive times, even when Zeke and OL was gashing Packers, or 3rd and short or red zone opportunities. Also running eats clock and TOP, which Cowboys needed to keep Rodgers on sideline.

And don't get me started on scoring field goals instead of TDs. Having fight is great, but for Pete's sake Fight to WIN. Take a chance, this was no time to play not to lose.

 

[percyhoward]

How many penalties occurred on passes vs. runs?

When we passed, our offense had zero penalties, and their defense had two.

When we ran, their defense had zero penalties, and our offense had one (the completely bogus Free hold).

We also committed one dead-ball foul (ha!), and one pre-snap foul on offense.

The rest of our penalties were on our defense, including the PI that should have been def holding that gave them 5 extra yards and allowed them to kick a 56-yard FG.

 

[DandyDon52]

I still don't get why Dak won't throw to Zeke in dump off passes. Very strange.

yeah that didnt happen all year.

 

[DandyDon52]

How many penalties occurred on passes vs. runs? And it's not really the just Number of passes vs. runs, it's the context and momentum that are just as important. Cowboys rarely if ever run ball consecutive times, even when Zeke and OL was gashing Packers, or 3rd and short or red zone opportunities. Also running eats clock and TOP, which Cowboys needed to keep Rodgers on sideline.

And don't get me started on scoring field goals instead of TDs. Having fight is great, but for Pete's sake Fight to WIN. Take a chance, this was no time to play not to lose.

I agree, ee can get 9 yards, then next down they pass.

 

[irving]

No offense, but are we seriously blaming Dak for this loss? Would Romo have made the defense play better? Sorry, can't agree.

Anybody blaming Dak in anyway for this loss, has a obvious agenda, unless Romo can play defensive end or defensive back, then he would not have helped in the game yesterday.

 

[NumOneQB]

Dak threw about 4 to GB, they dropped most of them. I explicitly said Dak ayed well. But Romo would have shredded that garbage defense from the get go.

Romo would've been shredded by the defense after 1 hit.

 

[irving]

ROMO.woild.have scored 6-7TD' s and no FG's. It's that simple.

Yep, Romo probably drops 50 on that Packer

He was very, very good. Unfortunately we needed him to be great yesterday.

What some people don't seem to get is, no matter how well Dak or Romo played, Rodgers is still the better quarterback, and going against the Dallas defense, he would have out scored either quarterback. We saw that happen with Peyton Manning a few years ago. You cannot win with a defense like the Dallas defense, when you are playing against probably one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game. I'm as big a cowboy fan as the next guy , but did you see some of the throws Rodgers made? neither Dak or Romo can make those throws, Rodgers is simply in class all his own right now.

 

[irving]

I agree 100%. But if he played just a little bit better he could've been the reason we won.

Green Bay had Rodgers that's why they won, Rodgers is a total mismatch against the current Dallas defense. Neither Romo or Dak can make the plays or throws that Rodgers does, and they don't get to go against the cowboy defense.