I completely agree that he's responsible for the defensive miscues, too. But the reality is there had been a personnel problem there during those earlier seasons that explains the 8-8s. Which is why his supporters aren't forgetting them. They're viewing them in context.
He did blow the hiring of Rob Ryan. I said so at the time. And Monte Kiffen was a bizarre mistake, too. He took longer than he should have to organize his staff, but it wasn't that the team under performed to 8-8. They were about where they should have been during those years. Fans just don't like to hear it.
12-4 was about where the revised roster with a healthy Romo belonged. Then this year happened. The QB problems I understand. I don't like it, we were caught with pants down there and should not have been, but there's a legitimate shortage of starting QBs in the league.
It's the defensive takeaway problem I don't get. That's Garrett's responsibility, too, and not fixing it will cost him his job next season and rightfully so. But I do wish I had a better explanation for why it happened. There are so many reasons a team or a unit can underperform. The coach gets responsibility for all of them, but not all of them are necessarily in his control.
In 2011
- Ratliff and Ware each played 16 games in 2011. Ware had 19.5 sacks. Spears, Anthony Spencer, Jason Hatcher rounded out the Dline.
- Sean Lee played 15 games had 4 picks, Bradie James, Carter and Butler werent an atrocious talent suck
- Scandrick, Newman, Jenkins, Walker, Ball was made up of 2 1st rounders and Scandrick who is still considered the best and fastest corner
- For Safety - Sensabugh, Abe Elam, Church, Allan Ball, McCray, Silva
Looking at that position group only one group (continually) stands out as below NFL average.
The defense wasnt void of talent in 2010 or 2011.
- 16 in scoring D
- 25 in Opp Passer rating
- 8 in sacks
- 15 in INT
- 16 in takeaways per game
Not great, but I would think at least it is average performance from at least an average (if not better than avg) defense (on paper).
My theory is that offensive scoring drives turnovers to a degree. If a team knows it has to take no risks and play it close, they will. However, the defense still has to catch it (i.e. atlanta and NO game, etc)
IN general, outside of last year, this team never started fast. IN 2012, we hadnt scored more than 10 points in the first half in the first 15 games. At worst the other team isnt gonna force things if they are always within a score. 2013 and 14 things began to change - ranked 5th in points and 1st half points and had a 12 and 2 ranking in turnovers respectively. Turnover rank in 2011, 2012, 2015 - 16, 30, 32 - Pts ranked in 2011,2012,2015 - 5, 14, 31.
Not scientific but a theory and why I thought the corner was turned last year since points were up. But this year even in NY, Philly, Mia and Car the slow starts came back. Anyway, the margin for error is razor thin in the NFL for 95% of the teams. If you are not figuring out ways to score and get every advantage possible from scheme, etc, you end up pretty average (absent a Brady/Rodgers, etc)
