Audio: Round One: Bob Sturm vs Troy Aikman!

[NextGenBoys]

Mine, too. Including the criticism of Garret's play calling of fade routes from the one yard line.

Yeah, I never defended the 2nd fade for a second. That was plain stupid. The first one was nice though, and should've been caught.

I'm not going to lie, it feels nice to have a respected opinion share your idea's on the game. There wasn't too many supporters around on the idea that we did not abandon the run against GB, and hearing Aikman's view is nice.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

Good stuff, thanks DC. I also think Hoofbite makes some good points.

Now i do remember in the Parcell years, Cowboys fans complained that the offense was too conservative and didn’t pass enough. And really, other than Miami and the Jets, every other team passes alot so why would anyone gripe about a lack of passes?

 

[Hoofbite]

We were going to be run-heavy against that Commander defense--especially without Haynesworth--no matter what. Especially after Romo took a knee to the back and stopped hitting open receivers. I think Troy was using that game to illustrate the point that even after an ineffective showing featuring run-heavy play calling, nobody ever calls for more passing. Maybe because of Romo's play that day that game wasn't a good example, but the point's still a good one.

Maybe so but I still don't agree with it. The ineffective showing was largely because Tony was ineffective for a great deal of the game. Its no secret that teams go as their QBs go and I think that should be kept in mind when saying that a run-heavy day was largely ineffective.

 

[Hoofbite]

Good stuff, thanks DC. I also think Hoofbite makes some good points.

Now i do remember in the Parcell years, Cowboys fans complained that the offense was too conservative and didn’t pass enough. And really, other than Miami and the Jets, every other team passes alot so why would anyone gripe about a lack of passes?

I remember that too because I was one of them. I'll admit, I used to hate the "playing not to lose" stuff.

I will say this though, Dallas did not have 1/3 of the running back trio they have now. Hambrick, Eddie George and the rest of those bums just couldn't get it done.

Considering who was running, rooting for a pass, even if it was incomplete, was basically an improvement over a tackle for loss.

 

[Drlabon]

I can't get the link to pull up, is there another website or audio format to listen from?

 

[WoodysGirl]

I can't get the link to pull up, is there another website or audio format to listen from?

Did you try saving it to your computer and then listening to it on Windows Media Player?

Right-click > Save Target As.

 

[BlindFaith]

Maybe so but I still don't agree with it. The ineffective showing was largely because Tony was ineffective for a great deal of the game. Its no secret that teams go as their QBs go and I think that should be kept in mind when saying that a run-heavy day was largely ineffective.

That's absolutely the case. I've stated it before so won't harp on it again, but Romo has had a down year this year. I think you need to look at the whole picture when someone makes a statement like we don't run the ball enough.

Part of it is that we do abandon the run way to early. Part of it is that we want to see more runs because in many games this year, especially against better defenses, Romo has struggled. And the point, one that I'm really beginning to appreciate, that Sturm makes on our offense and the designed plays that constitute our running game. We run the ball, yes, but we are not a power running team. We do run a lot out of passing formations. We run a lot of draws. We seldom run true power football.

And teams do run and have success. Take Tennessee. They've won 6 games in a row and lead the league in rushing. New Orleans (5), Dallas (6), Cincinnati (7), Minnesota (9), Green Bay (11) are teams with some of the best records in the NFL.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Troy is full of it here!

He claims he isn't talking about the criticism of Jason... Oh no, he's talking about a leaguewide criticism of coaches that every time they lose, you hear that they didn't run the ball enough.

What? Is that what you hear about teams every time they lose? I don't at all. Who else is he talking about? How about some examples, Troy?

Nope, sorry, I think Bob took him to school here. Troy says the game has changed dramatically in the last 10 years and you have to throw all the time now. Really? So if Bill Parcells -- who Troy loved -- had said we need to run the ball better and we're gonna keep running it until we're good at it, do you think Troy would've hammered him for it because throwing the ball is where it's at now? No way. And that was just three years ago, not a decade ago.

Another thing -- I don't know what Norv's run/pass balance is in San Diego, but just from watching bits and pieces of their games, it looks a lot more balanced than ours here. Think Norv is doing it wrong, Troy?

And speaking of Norv, Troy claims "It's become a shotgun league". Are Rivers, Brees, and Manning in the shotgun all the time, Troy?

Bah. Bob is dead on. And that doesn't change just because Troy called in to Bob's radio show.

But hey, I'm warming up to RJ as head coach. We can go 8-8 and everything will be roses. That would be a nice change.

 

[Idgit]

Troy is full of it here!

He claims he isn't talking about the criticism of Jason... Oh no, he's talking about a leaguewide criticism of coaches that every time they lose, you hear that they didn't run the ball enough.

What? Is that what you hear about teams every time they lose? I don't at all. Who else is he talking about? How about some examples, Troy?

Nope, sorry, I think Bob took him to school here. Troy says the game has changed dramatically in the last 10 years and you have to throw all the time now. Really? So if Bill Parcells -- who Troy loved -- had said we need to run the ball better and we're gonna keep running it until we're good at it, do you think Troy would've hammered him for it because throwing the ball is where it's at now? No way. And that was just three years ago, not a decade ago.

Another thing -- I don't know what Norv's run/pass balance is in San Diego, but just from watching bits and pieces of their games, it looks a lot more balanced than ours here. Think Norv is doing it wrong, Troy?

And speaking of Norv, Troy claims "It's become a shotgun league". Are Rivers, Brees, and Manning in the shotgun all the time, Troy?

Bah. Bob is dead on. And that doesn't change just because Troy called in to Bob's radio show.

But hey, I'm warming up to RJ as head coach. We can go 8-8 and everything will be roses. That would be a nice change.

Re: 'shotgun league' did you see that stat during the game last night where the league as a whole has shifted from shotgun 26% of the time in passing downs to over 50% of the time in passing downs over a 10 (?) year period? With Brady leading the league passing out of the shotgun 75% of the time? Pretty interesting.

To your other point, coordinators get killed for abandoning the run all the time. Andy Reid is famous for it. Garrett gets killed for it. The Steelers were taking heat for it for a while. Arizona, to the extent that anyone even in AZ cares about the Cardinals. Basically, coaches get heat for it in games where a lead gets blown where the running game wasn't working because people reflexively think the running game is the best way to run out the clock.

 

[Trendnet]

Another thing -- I don't know what Norv's run/pass balance is in San Diego, but just from watching bits and pieces of their games, it looks a lot more balanced than ours here. Think Norv is doing it wrong, Troy?

And speaking of Norv, Troy claims "It's become a shotgun league". Are Rivers, Brees, and Manning in the shotgun all the time, Troy?

You'd be wrong on both these points.

Cowboys average 26.2 rushing and 32.6 passing attempts a game.
Chargers average 26.1 rushing and 31.8 passing attempts a game.

And yes, Brees, Brady, Manning and Rivers spend a lot of time in the shotgun formation.

But hey, perception is reality correct?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

You'd be wrong on both these points.

Cowboys average 26.2 rushing and 32.6 passing attempts a game.
Chargers average 26.1 rushing and 31.8 passing attempts a game.

And yes, Brees, Brady, Manning and Rivers spend a lot of time in the shotgun formation.

But hey, perception is reality correct?

That's why I said it seemed more balanced, and included the disclaimer that I don't see them much. I wasn't making any definitive claims.

And you say they spend "a lot" of time in the shotgun... What does that mean? Is it as much as we do? (And I know Brady does -- that's why I didn't include him.)

 

[NextGenBoys]

Re: 'shotgun league' did you see that stat during the game last night where the league as a whole has shifted from shotgun 26% of the time in passing downs to over 50% of the time in passing downs over a 10 (?) year period? With Brady leading the league passing out of the shotgun 75% of the time? Pretty interesting.

To your other point, coordinators get killed for abandoning the run all the time. Andy Reid is famous for it. Garrett gets killed for it. The Steelers were taking heat for it for a while. Arizona, to the extent that anyone even in AZ cares about the Cardinals. Basically, coaches get heat for it in games where a lead gets blown where the running game wasn't working because people reflexively think the running game is the best way to run out the clock.

It wasnt even 10 years. It was since 05, which makes it even more crazy.

 

[NextGenBoys]

That's why I said it seemed more balanced, and included the disclaimer that I don't see them much. I wasn't making any definitive claims.

And you say they spend "a lot" of time in the shotgun... What does that mean? Is it as much as we do? (And I know Brady does -- that's why I didn't include him.)

Rivers and Brees are in the shotgun a TON. I noticed that last night actually with Brees

 

[percyhoward]

Circumstances for that particular game that dictated running the ball more than usual:
1. your opponent had a great pass D, weak run D
2. you have a strong running game (#2 ypc in NFL by a wide margin)
3. your opponent's best run stopper was out
4. you've had pass protection issues

I haven't had a chance to hear the audio yet, but I don't know how anybody could say we were wrong to run as much as we did in that game.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Circumstances for that particular game that dictated running the ball more than usual:
1. your opponent had a great pass D, weak run D
2. you have a strong running game (#2 ypc in NFL by a wide margin)
3. your opponent's best run stopper was out
4. you've had pass protection issues

I haven't had a chance to hear the audio yet, but I don't know how anybody could say we were wrong to run as much as we did in that game.

Aikman kept saying about that game that people claiming we should've run more were only looking at the final stats and "All you had to do was look at the call sheet".

I guess he means that we tried it early and it didn't work. Or something.

 

[21Savage]

Aikman kept saying about that game that people claiming we should've run more were only looking at the final stats and "All you had to do was look at the call sheet".

I think Troy is absolutely right. Especially when you look at the down and distances and situations in the Green Bay game, we didn't abandon the run as much as people seem to think.

Look at all the dominant teams in the league, they all throw the ball well and really only run the ball for balance. The days of Parcells Giants' pound the rock and play D approach are all but gone.

Why keep rushing the ball for 3 or 4 yards when you can be like Brees and throw the ball 30 yards downfield to the back shoulder of a WR who's covered but is protected by offense favoring rules.

 

[Temo]

Respectfully, "Shotgun leaves you vulnerable to the blitz" has to be one of the dumber things I've heard.

 

[xWraithx]

can't wait to get home and listen to this

 

[percyhoward]

I guess he means that we tried it early and it didn't work. Or something.

I thought Garrett got away from the run in the 3rd qtr in GB, then approached the Skins game exactly as he should have, given the circumstances.

I don't think the low point totals had much to do with Garrett, in either game. We weren't executing when we went pass-heavy, and we weren't executing when we went run-heavy either. But...

We had success throwing the ball at the end of the Skins game, and there were some who saw that as vindication for proponents of a pass-heavy attack. That passing success might just as easily have been the result of going against a Skins defense that had spent 7:30 more time on the field than GB's had--because this time we had been using up clock by running the ball.

 

[dreghorn2]

Respectfully, "Shotgun leaves you vulnerable to the blitz" has to be one of the dumber things I've heard.

Respectfully, and i say this partly tongue in cheek, the way we run it, it does.