Defending Barry Switzer: The Eagles Fourth Down Call

KB1122

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It seems like all Youtube does is get me riled about things that happened 30 years ago. I was watching a video declaring Barry Switzer's fourth down call against the Eagles in 1995 the worst fourth down call of all time.

I don't only think that's wrong. I think Barry made the right call, given the totality of the circumstances. And I always have, from the moment it happened to now.

For those too young to remember, the Cowboys were playing the Philadelphia Eagles in Veterans Stadium pretty late in the season in 1995. It was Barry's second year as head coach after the whirlwind dismissal of JImmy Johnson. Barry started behind the eight ball, had failed to make the Super Bowl in his first year, and Cowboys fans and Dallas media had big questions about whether he had what it takes.

With about 2 minutes left, the score was tied at 17, and the Cowboys had a 4th and 2 (or long 1) at their own 28 or 29. Switzer decided to go for it. The play got stuffed. There was a clock mixup and they got a do-over. The Cowboys did it a second time. The play got stuffed again. The Eagles took over on downs, kicked a field goal, and eventually won the game.

Switzer got trashed for the decision - the infamous Bozo The Coach headline comes to mind. It's obvious that you punt the ball in that situation, right? In most circumstances, yes. But in that particular game, not so much. I think the decision to go for it was more than defensible. I think it was the right call.

You would have to watch the fourth quarter of that game to understand why. The Cowboys defense had gotten steamrolled on the last couple of Eagles possessions. They were exhausted. The Eagles had a strong wind at their backs.

If the Cowboys had punted, I'm convinced this would have happened: The punt into the wind would have gone about 25 yards (at best), the Eagles would have taken over near midfield and proceeded to run it down the throat of the defense. They would have run the clock to near zero, burned all of the Cowboys time outs, and scored a field goal, from about the same distance, to win the game. That was by far the most likely scenario if the Cowboys had punted.

The other option was to hand the ball to your Hall of Fame running back, get the first down, give your defense another set of downs to rest, maybe even run out the clock and try to get a change of direction on the coin flip for overtime. And even if it failed, you would probably get the ball back with a chance to come back (which is what happened: The Cowboys ended the game inside Eagles' territory).

I totally agree with Barry's choice on this play. The defense was spent. The offense is where you had your money players. Taking the risk to control the ball in that specific situation was the right decision. This is always held up as exhibit A of Barry Switzer's incompetence. And I've always thought that he got a raw deal with regard to this call. It didn't work, but it was the right decision.
 

lkelly

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I was at that game, sitting in the 700 level of the Vet. I had some Cowboys gear on, but fortunately it was so cold that I had my ski jacket and hood over top of anything that was readily identifiable. Drunken denizens were stumbling around with their "**** Dallas" shirts on and there was a lot of violent rage in the air. I remember seeing a couple of Dallas fans accosted. Truly a miserable place. The attitude of the fans wasn't really supportive of their home team, but more of an urge to just get mad at SOMETHING. If it was the hated Cowboys, great. If it was their disappointing Eagles team, well that would work too.

The 4th down call didn't bother me that much. I thought it was ballsy, but hey - a lot of times that's needed. We've certainly seen it work for Andy Reid and others in recent years. It was a crazy reprieve after the bizarre do-over but man that second stop really hurt to watch. After the game I was happy to get out of there.

I was also at the 34-0 Dallas rout in 1998. Much more pleasant. I had scored tickets from a college aquaintance which also included some fancy pregame party in a section of the Vet. There was nice food, drinks - the works. Most fans at that party were cool enough, maybe because I was attending with one of their members. During the game it went south in a hurry for the Birds and by the end there were only a handful of Eagles fans still there. I wouldn't say that it made up for the 4th and 1 game, but it did take some of the sour taste away. I think that was the last time I was at the Vet. Good riddance.
 

Ranched

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"Going for it" was the right call. But when given a 2nd chance after the the first play didn't work, you sure as heck don't repeat it! :huh:
 

Reverend Conehead

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I don't think it was the right call. IMO a punt gives you the best chance to win the game. Who's to say we couldn't get a really good punt, making them start from way back?

That said, this call was light years from the worst call in NFL history. If you want the very worst ever (that I know of), check out this video:

 

Captain43Crash

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I don't think it was the right call. IMO a punt gives you the best chance to win the game. Who's to say we couldn't get a really good punt, making them start from way back?

That said, this call was light years from the worst call in NFL history. If you want the very worst ever (that I know of), check out this video:


Of course Garrett was mentioned. That was one of many dumb _ _ _ calls by Garrett. I remember yelling call timeout during the play. After the game Garrett rationalized his idiotic call basically stating, “we were happy with our field position”. Garrett always rationalized his idiotic decisions! So annoying!
 

CowboysFaninHouston

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It seems like all Youtube does is get me riled about things that happened 30 years ago. I was watching a video declaring Barry Switzer's fourth down call against the Eagles in 1995 the worst fourth down call of all time.

I don't only think that's wrong. I think Barry made the right call, given the totality of the circumstances. And I always have, from the moment it happened to now.

For those too young to remember, the Cowboys were playing the Philadelphia Eagles in Veterans Stadium pretty late in the season in 1995. It was Barry's second year as head coach after the whirlwind dismissal of JImmy Johnson. Barry started behind the eight ball, had failed to make the Super Bowl in his first year, and Cowboys fans and Dallas media had big questions about whether he had what it takes.

With about 2 minutes left, the score was tied at 17, and the Cowboys had a 4th and 2 (or long 1) at their own 28 or 29. Switzer decided to go for it. The play got stuffed. There was a clock mixup and they got a do-over. The Cowboys did it a second time. The play got stuffed again. The Eagles took over on downs, kicked a field goal, and eventually won the game.

Switzer got trashed for the decision - the infamous Bozo The Coach headline comes to mind. It's obvious that you punt the ball in that situation, right? In most circumstances, yes. But in that particular game, not so much. I think the decision to go for it was more than defensible. I think it was the right call.

You would have to watch the fourth quarter of that game to understand why. The Cowboys defense had gotten steamrolled on the last couple of Eagles possessions. They were exhausted. The Eagles had a strong wind at their backs.

If the Cowboys had punted, I'm convinced this would have happened: The punt into the wind would have gone about 25 yards (at best), the Eagles would have taken over near midfield and proceeded to run it down the throat of the defense. They would have run the clock to near zero, burned all of the Cowboys time outs, and scored a field goal, from about the same distance, to win the game. That was by far the most likely scenario if the Cowboys had punted.

The other option was to hand the ball to your Hall of Fame running back, get the first down, give your defense another set of downs to rest, maybe even run out the clock and try to get a change of direction on the coin flip for overtime. And even if it failed, you would probably get the ball back with a chance to come back (which is what happened: The Cowboys ended the game inside Eagles' territory).

I totally agree with Barry's choice on this play. The defense was spent. The offense is where you had your money players. Taking the risk to control the ball in that specific situation was the right decision. This is always held up as exhibit A of Barry Switzer's incompetence. And I've always thought that he got a raw deal with regard to this call. It didn't work, but it was the right decision.

wrong call no matter what.....you don't go for it on 4th down, in a tied game in a 4th quarter on your own end of the field.

he got lucky and got another chance. the problem was he called the same play again. from same formation. didn't change to another play.....that was the bigger issue.
 

jnday

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That was a dumb call against Reggie White, and that defense, in that situation, but give Switzer credit for holding the team together all the way to a Super Bowl victory!
When you have the best OL and the best RB in the league, it is not a dumb call to try and gain one foot for the first down. The offense would have gained the one foot needed a high percentage of the time.
 

jnday

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wrong call no matter what.....you don't go for it on 4th down, in a tied game in a 4th quarter on your own end of the field.

he got lucky and got another chance. the problem was he called the same play again. from same formation. didn't change to another play.....that was the bigger issue.
He was going for the win , which I admire after the long list of gutless coaches since then.
 

JD_KaPow

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Nothing wrong with going for it there. It's the right call.

Punting means you have to hold them, and even then, OT is only a 50-50 proposition. Making a 4th-and-1 with Emmitt and that line is better than a 50-50 proposition and getting it means you keep the ball with a chance to win in regulation.

Didn't work. That's all. Sometimes things don't work; that's why they're not 100% propositions.
 

catiii

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I don't think it was the right call. IMO a punt gives you the best chance to win the game. Who's to say we couldn't get a really good punt, making them start from way back?

That said, this call was light years from the worst call in NFL history. If you want the very worst ever (that I know of), check out this video:


QUIN is the clown we got noW????????????????????????????????????????????????
 

CowboysFaninHouston

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He was going for the win , which I admire after the long list of gutless coaches since then.
you always go for the win. admire or not, it cost the game. the NFL games are always close. the schemes are similar. the difference between teams outside of talent is the game day play calling (formation, plays, route combinations) and managing the game during critical times. most games go into the 4th quarter within a score or so, so managing the game during those critical times are key to wins.....you may admire his guts, but it led to a loss.
 

Aerolithe_Lion

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I don't think it was the right call. IMO a punt gives you the best chance to win the game. Who's to say we couldn't get a really good punt, making them start from way back?

That said, this call was light years from the worst call in NFL history. If you want the very worst ever (that I know of), check out this video:



That call isn’t close to the worst, I’d argue Switzer’s was worse than that. Dude kicked a field goal with 3 minutes remaining in a game he had little offense, he took the guaranteed points in hope he got the ball back
 

Ranched

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That was a dumb call against Reggie White, and that defense, in that situation, but give Switzer credit for holding the team together all the way to a Super Bowl victory!
Absolutely not. It was Jimmy's team & Switzer should have won the Superbowl the prior year when he took over & not the 2nd year. He called the same play 3x's on 4th & goal.

I too was at that game. It was total embarrassment for Cowboys fans because of Switzer' stupidity!
 

mattjames2010

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Absolutely not. It was Jimmy's team & Switzer should have won the Superbowl the prior year when he took over & not the 2nd year. He called the same play 3x's on 4th & goal.

I too was at that game. It was total embarrassment for Cowboys fans because of Switzer' stupidity!

You're actually making an argument that he won with a lesser team lol

Also, he lost to the 49ers when Steve Young was having one of the greatest seasons a QB has ever had. You know, who went on to dominate in the Super Bowl. We didn't lose against chumps.
 

fivetwos

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I was at that game, sitting in the 700 level of the Vet. I had some Cowboys gear on, but fortunately it was so cold that I had my ski jacket and hood over top of anything that was readily identifiable. Drunken denizens were stumbling around with their "**** Dallas" shirts on and there was a lot of violent rage in the air. I remember seeing a couple of Dallas fans accosted. Truly a miserable place. The attitude of the fans wasn't really supportive of their home team, but more of an urge to just get mad at SOMETHING. If it was the hated Cowboys, great. If it was their disappointing Eagles team, well that would work too.

The 4th down call didn't bother me that much. I thought it was ballsy, but hey - a lot of times that's needed. We've certainly seen it work for Andy Reid and others in recent years. It was a crazy reprieve after the bizarre do-over but man that second stop really hurt to watch. After the game I was happy to get out of there.

I was also at the 34-0 Dallas rout in 1998. Much more pleasant. I had scored tickets from a college aquaintance which also included some fancy pregame party in a section of the Vet. There was nice food, drinks - the works. Most fans at that party were cool enough, maybe because I was attending with one of their members. During the game it went south in a hurry for the Birds and by the end there were only a handful of Eagles fans still there. I wouldn't say that it made up for the 4th and 1 game, but it did take some of the sour taste away. I think that was the last time I was at the Vet. Good riddance.
I was there as well. 700 level also...end zone, Dallas coming toward me on that play.

Honestly it was so brutally cold that day I had a tough time having a huge problem with the call.

Although on the do over it did appear as if they knew exactly what was coming.
 
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