Dak and the players didn't execute

[RustyBourneHorse]

I'm going to be controversial and say that Mike McCarthy didn't call a bad game. Dak Prescott played a poor game. Dak and the players didn't execute. I know I'm going to get a lot of flack for this, but watch the tape on the game.

I'm going to start with the interceptions. Firstly, another poster was showing the interception to Jaire Alexander. On that play, Dak stares down the intended receiver. If you watch the angle and if Dak were to have gone through his progressions, you'd see CeeDee Lamb wide open on a corner route. That was a good play call ruined by Dak's poor decision making.

Secondly, here's the pick six play (). Dak completely forced this to Lamb. Look on the bottom of the screen. At no point does he look at Ferguson. If he does, that's a big gain. In fact, given that Ferguson only has that CB behind him, there's a chance that could've been a TD.

Now, for some of the blame going to other players, here's the play to CeeDee Lamb early in the game.

If you watch at about the 1:23ish spot, you'll see the play I'm talking about. The route is good. The ball is a little too far, and Lamb misses it. This play and the interceptions shifted momentum at the worst times. Usually, if there's a blowout, there are a few plays where you can see the momentum swing to where it can't be regained until it's too late. This is one of those games.

As I watch the tape more, the more that I see why Mike was brought back. He actually called a decent game, despite the score. As you watch the replay of the game, the players on offense didn't execute. Mike was calling plays that Dak was comfortable with for most of the season. Dak, for whatever reason, defaulted to his rookie form. The defence, on the other hand, is a subject for another thread.

 

[big dog cowboy]

As I watch the tape more, the more that I see why Mike was brought back.

Dak played his worst game of the year.

The defense was in shambles and played horribly.

And what you gleaned from watching all that on tape is that the HC should be brought back?

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Dak played his worst game of the year.

The defense was in shambles and played horribly.

And what you gleaned from watching all that on tape is that the HC should be brought back?

I think the defence needs some major changes. I think Dan Quinn's defence failed and the players on offense failed. I think we either need Vrabel or a new DC (but one that also values takeaways and ballhawks), or, if DQ is brought back, we need him to get some more linebackers. I'll be posting a thread soon, probably tomorrow, to go into more details here.

As for the offense, I know it's easy to blame the coach, but the coach isn't the one throwing the interceptions. He's schemed the guys open. That's all you can really ask of a playcaller. The QB has to see the receivers that were schemed open. Dak didn't. That is why I can understand bringing back McCarthy even more. Dak failed Mike McCarthy this game.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

I'm going to be controversial and say that Mike McCarthy didn't call a bad game. Dak Prescott played a poor game. Dak and the players didn't execute. I know I'm going to get a lot of flack for this, but watch the tape on the game.

I'm going to start with the interceptions. Firstly, another poster was showing the interception to Jaire Alexander. On that play, Dak stares down the intended receiver. If you watch the angle and if Dak were to have gone through his progressions, you'd see CeeDee Lamb wide open on a corner route. That was a good play call ruined by Dak's poor decision making.

Secondly, here's the pick six play (). Dak completely forced this to Lamb. Look on the bottom of the screen. At no point does he look at Ferguson. If he does, that's a big gain. In fact, given that Ferguson only has that CB behind him, there's a chance that could've been a TD.

Now, for some of the blame going to other players, here's the play to CeeDee Lamb early in the game.

If you watch at about the 1:23ish spot, you'll see the play I'm talking about. The route is good. The ball is a little too far, and Lamb misses it. This play and the interceptions shifted momentum at the worst times. Usually, if there's a blowout, there are a few plays where you can see the momentum swing to where it can't be regained until it's too late. This is one of those games.

As I watch the tape more, the more that I see why Mike was brought back. He actually called a decent game, despite the score. As you watch the replay of the game, the players on offense didn't execute. Mike was calling plays that Dak was comfortable with for most of the season. Dak, for whatever reason, defaulted to his rookie form. The defence, on the other hand, is a subject for another thread.

Dak was average to below average. Probably average. But this defense was DREADFUL. We would have had to score 40 to make this a game. And when you have to score 40 in the wild card round in your own building...you got problems EVERYWHERE...not just at QB.

You cannot win 4 postseason games needing to score 40 or needing your QB to throw it 45+ times. We have to become a better running team. Jordan Love looked flawless. Their ability to run the ball (or our inability to stop the run) allowed them to control the ENTIRE game.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Dak was average to below average. Probably average. But this defense was DREADFUL. We would have had to score 40 to make this a game. And when you have to score 40 in the wild card round in your own building...you got problems EVERYWHERE...not just at QB.

You cannot win 4 postseason games needing to score 40 or needing your QB to throw it 45+ times. We have to become a better running team. Jordan Love looked flawless. Their ability to run the ball (or our inability to stop the run) allowed them to control the ENTIRE game.

I agree, and I have a thread that I'm going to post about that. I will probably do it either later this evening or tomorrow to break down the problems with the defence. Mainly so I'm not posting multiple threads within minutes of each other lol.

I'll say one of the problems is the construction of the roster. We had safeties playing linebacker, which led to us not being able to stop the run. That's where our defence fell apart.

 

[Carson]

It was an all around crap fear.

When your defenses struggles, you need the offense to step up. Same with the offense.

When you find yourself down 27-0 and cannot make a stop … and your offense throws a pick 6 and another one to set up a score you’re screwed.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

I agree, and I have a thread that I'm going to post about that. I will probably do it either later this evening or tomorrow to break down the problems with the defence. Mainly so I'm not posting multiple threads within minutes of each other lol.

I'll say one of the problems is the construction of the roster. We had safeties playing linebacker, which led to us not being able to stop the run. That's where our defence fell apart.

Does not excuse the fact that we cannot run the football. Zach Martin held out training camp demanding more money. Pollard received the franchise tag. Steele was paid big money. These people are flying under the radar as the bullseye is on Daks back right now. But Dak is not the RB and Dak is not an OL. Whether it's scheme, coaching, or the players...the running game was dreadful. And we were NEVER winning 4 postseason games with this rush attack.

 

[StarGazer1]

Our QB Dakked the bed. As bad as the defense was in the first half, the score could've been 14-7 or possibly 14-14 at the half without the 2 interceptions and we get the 2nd half kickoff.

 

[75boyz]

The OP title and message could easily be linked to similar past thoughts shared here regarding Moore's and previous OCs' firing.

And that fundamental question was and still is "Was it the play called or the execution of said play?"

Well, we've cycled through Linehan, Garrett, Moore and now McCarthy as playcallers and have had one guy executing all the plays called.

Draw your own conclusions from that.

 

[12+88=7]

Everyone looks at the total points score and say the defense was terrible.

But it had to do with game script.

Dallas was down early and the offense had multiple chances to respond and make it a game, but failed.

Had Dallas scored at the end of the half the score would have been 20-7 with Dallas getting the ball to start the second half. If Dallas scored then it would have been 20-14 new ball game.

But Prescott throws a pick six making it 27-0 and the offense does nothing the first possession in the second half officially ending Dallas chances.

The team is deflated and the defense plays accordingly.

Had the offense responded and put pressure on GB I believe the game would have gone differently.

GB would have been the huge underdog trying to hold on on the road against a team that scored a lot at home. The pressure would have been on GB. But with no pressure GB played free and executed while the Dallas defense played tight under pressure and didn't execute.

The game script and the offense not showing up I believe had a lot to the defense playing as poorly as they did.

 

[TequilaCowboy]

The entire team sucked ....including the coaches, AND HC, did not have the team prepared to beat anyone this day. No one deserves any pass here. MM would have been fired the next day with any team not owned by Jerry. DQ as well, go look for another job, this scheme depending on turnovers only to win sucks. Good to great playoff teams make minimal, if any, turnovers.

 

[Coogiguy03]

I'm going to be controversial and say that Mike McCarthy didn't call a bad game. Dak Prescott played a poor game. Dak and the players didn't execute. I know I'm going to get a lot of flack for this, but watch the tape on the game.

I'm going to start with the interceptions. Firstly, another poster was showing the interception to Jaire Alexander. On that play, Dak stares down the intended receiver. If you watch the angle and if Dak were to have gone through his progressions, you'd see CeeDee Lamb wide open on a corner route. That was a good play call ruined by Dak's poor decision making.

Secondly, here's the pick six play (). Dak completely forced this to Lamb. Look on the bottom of the screen. At no point does he look at Ferguson. If he does, that's a big gain. In fact, given that Ferguson only has that CB behind him, there's a chance that could've been a TD.

Now, for some of the blame going to other players, here's the play to CeeDee Lamb early in the game.

If you watch at about the 1:23ish spot, you'll see the play I'm talking about. The route is good. The ball is a little too far, and Lamb misses it. This play and the interceptions shifted momentum at the worst times. Usually, if there's a blowout, there are a few plays where you can see the momentum swing to where it can't be regained until it's too late. This is one of those games.

As I watch the tape more, the more that I see why Mike was brought back. He actually called a decent game, despite the score. As you watch the replay of the game, the players on offense didn't execute. Mike was calling plays that Dak was comfortable with for most of the season. Dak, for whatever reason, defaulted to his rookie form. The defence, on the other hand, is a subject for another thread.

NO NO NO NO, the fact is, Ceedee wasn't getting the ball, and he got a catch I believe or was starting to get involved a little, then it was FORCED to him so he could get the ball. Why didn't the defender jump the guy in front of him, they KNEW it was going to ceedee , got to give credit where it's due!!!

 

[ChronicCowboy]

The defense and Dak played horrible. Coaches didn’t make adjustments.

This is Dak’s umpteenth chance tho. He’s had two head coaches and several All-Pro WR’s in his career. His time is up.

 

[NotForLong]

I'm going to be controversial and say that Mike McCarthy didn't call a bad game. Dak Prescott played a poor game. Dak and the players didn't execute. I know I'm going to get a lot of flack for this, but watch the tape on the game.

I'm going to start with the interceptions. Firstly, another poster was showing the interception to Jaire Alexander. On that play, Dak stares down the intended receiver. If you watch the angle and if Dak were to have gone through his progressions, you'd see CeeDee Lamb wide open on a corner route. That was a good play call ruined by Dak's poor decision making.

Secondly, here's the pick six play (). Dak completely forced this to Lamb. Look on the bottom of the screen. At no point does he look at Ferguson. If he does, that's a big gain. In fact, given that Ferguson only has that CB behind him, there's a chance that could've been a TD.

Now, for some of the blame going to other players, here's the play to CeeDee Lamb early in the game.

If you watch at about the 1:23ish spot, you'll see the play I'm talking about. The route is good. The ball is a little too far, and Lamb misses it. This play and the interceptions shifted momentum at the worst times. Usually, if there's a blowout, there are a few plays where you can see the momentum swing to where it can't be regained until it's too late. This is one of those games.

As I watch the tape more, the more that I see why Mike was brought back. He actually called a decent game, despite the score. As you watch the replay of the game, the players on offense didn't execute. Mike was calling plays that Dak was comfortable with for most of the season. Dak, for whatever reason, defaulted to his rookie form. The defence, on the other hand, is a subject for another thread.

You had me until you put Lamb's entire performance on a terrible pass that Dak threw off target to him . . . Amazing

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Does not excuse the fact that we cannot run the football. Zach Martin held out training camp demanding more money. Pollard received the franchise tag. Steele was paid big money. These people are flying under the radar as the bullseye is on Daks back right now. But Dak is not the RB and Dak is not an OL. Whether it's scheme, coaching, or the players...the running game was dreadful. And we were NEVER winning 4 postseason games with this rush attack.

I agree, and I'm saying it's Dak and the players. The other players on offense didn't execute either.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

You had me until you put Lamb's entire performance on a terrible pass that Dak threw off target to him . . . Amazing

I was pointing that out as an example on that play. I said the pass was a little too far, but it did hit Lamb's hand. There were more examples of other players too, but I didn't want my OP to be three pages long. The point is that the players failed the coach.

 

[America's Cowboy]

You guys are either too stubborn, not doing enough research to understand what went wrong with those INTs...or straight out hell bent on just hating and blaming the QB simply because you don't like him. It's been the same problem for the past 3 playoffs. The WR routes are off and designed to hurt (not help) our Offense while helping opposing Defenses. Plus, it throws the timing off, thus affecting any kind of positive result.

 

[NotForLong]

I was pointing that out as an example on that play. I said the pass was a little too far, but it did hit Lamb's hand. There were more examples of other players too, but I didn't want my OP to be three pages long. The point is that the players failed the coach.

I am with you . . . I like Mike, but Dak let everyone down and that pass at that distance and speed was uncatchable . . . Lamb made an athletic play just to get a hand on it and if the best WR in the league could not catch it then that is saying something

 

[khiladi]

The last two seasons, it wasn’t the defenses fault, it was Kellen MOORE’s fault for the offense for the interceptions. As long as it’s not Dak, we are good.

 

[big dog cowboy]

As for the offense, I know it's easy to blame the coach

Then who is responsible for all those Pollard run up the middle on 1st down when he gets hit at the LOS or perhaps actually gain 1 or 2 yards?