Garrett Addresses Clock Management On Final Scoring Drive vs. Packers

[aria]

No, he's not at fault.

Let's note that both running and throwing both have a terrible outcome - fumble or interception. And both have a great outcome - score a TD.

But taking those outcomes out of the equation, if you run the ball, worst case is you get stuffed but the CLOCK STILL RUNS. Worst case on a low percentage pass? You stop the clock and give the Packers what they want and need - clock stoppage without having to use their last time out.

My preference would have been to run there. If he scores, that you know, that's just a bit of bad luck there. But when you call a silly low percentage pass play and it falls incomplete, it's not bad luck. It's just dumb decision making at a critical time of the game.

We needed points to win the game, did we not? You try to score there, plain and simple. You don't screw around with running time off the clock when there's barely a minute left.

You're criticizing him on a hypothetical play that never happened. There was no pass, there was no stopped clock. The fact is we scored and that's not JG's fault plus it's what needed to happen for us to win the game.

 

[DandyDon1722]

bottom line is this team is in big trouble if offense has to consistently hide defense from big boy situations.

Yes sir and it's been that way around here for ten plus years. Trying to outscore the other team each week is a recipe for disaster and puts a lot of pressure on Dak to carry the team when he just shouldn't be in that position in year two.

I also think we better get used to the fact we're going to lose Zeke.

I'm generally a glass half full person but I'll admit the storm clouds are gathering.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

We needed a TD and as less time on the clock as possible. I don't know. 25 to 20 seconds left and no time outs is better than 1:20 left and one TO. Game was over as soon as we scored. No way was that defense going to stop AR with that much time left.

So what do you prefer. We run out the clock and attempt the game winning pass as time expires? Or we maximize each play's likelihood of scoring a touchdown once we're withing 70 freaking seconds of the game ending?

Also Rodgers based on his overall success is actually very bad at winning games in the 4th when he's trailing. Facts.

Not that this matters given that you have to maximize your chance of scoring. When you're that close and down 4 and approaching 60 ticks on the clock.

 

[Sydla]

That pass play has not been an unsuccessful play for the Cowboys in the Dez era.

Try again

So it works every time, or at a very high probability rate? Yeah, no it doesn't.

Try again yourself.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

So it works every time, or at a very high probability rate? Yeah, no it doesn't.

Try again yourself.

What mystical play works every time?

 

[gmoney112]

This is just an astounding lack of awareness.

 

[Roadtrip635]

It was Linehan's play call. Garrett isn't going to publicly throw his OC under the bus by saying the play call was a mistake, even if he thinks it was. (My guess is that, like most of us, he thinks it was.)

That's a cop out trying to blame Linehan. JG is the HC and clock mgmt falls on him and it's his responsibility that his staff and players know how to handle those types of situations and yes that does include what type of plays to call/not call in those situations. JG needed to have everyone on the same page and to make sure to keep the clock running.

 

[Sydla]

We needed points to win the game, did we not? You try to score there, plain and simple. You don't screw around with running time off the clock when there's barely a minute left.

You're criticizing him on a hypothetical play that never happened. There was no pass, there was no stopped clock. The fact is we scored and that's not JG's fault plus it's what needed to happen for us to win the game.

One, why are you so concerned with the time left? We had two timeouts ourselves so this latest angle some of you are playing about how it's real dicey to play with the clock is bogus. With our two timeouts, there was never a chance that the clock would simply run out on us in that situation.

And I am not criticizing him for a hypothetical. I am criticizing him for something that actually happened. They called a low percentage pass play that had the most unfavorable outcomes for the Cowboys.

And guess what? The percentages played out, the pass fell incomplete, the Packers saved 20-25 seconds of time without having to burn their timeout, and Rodgers did what many of us feared would happen if given a minute or so of time left in a close game.

Reality is on our side, not yours.

 

[MRV52]

Ok, but that's not what happened nor is it why we lost the game. I can sit here and say "what if he runs a pass play and Dak decides to run it into the end zone instead". Is it any different then if a running play was called and Zeke scored?

You just don't get it. Any run play was the correct call BECAUSE, by chance you didn't run it into the end zone or Dak back to pass runs it and doesn't score, THE CLOCK KEEPS RUNNING. Garrett messed up period.

 

[Sydla]

What mystical play works every time?

No play does. But nice strawman.

Some have a higher percentage of success than others. And when you factor in the game situation, the down and distance, time left, timeout situation, etc............ calling a fade pattern is one of the dumber calls you can make in that situation.

 

[Sydla]

So what do you prefer. We run out the clock and attempt the game winning pass as time expires? Or we maximize each play's likelihood of scoring a touchdown once we're withing 70 freaking seconds of the game ending?

Also Rodgers based on his overall success is actually very bad at winning games in the 4th when he's trailing. Facts.

Not that this matters given that you have to maximize your chance of scoring. When you're that close and down 4 and approaching 60 ticks on the clock.

You are dropping strawman arguments all over the place.

From the Cowboys perspective, running out of time isn't really a reality because they still had two timeouts. So again, this latest attempt to defend the play call by suggesting we could have run out of time ourselves is a real stretch.

 

[gmoney112]

Jason is proudly taking pages out of the Andy Reid clock management playbook.

 

[MRV52]

That pass play has not been an unsuccessful play for the Cowboys in the Dez era.

Try again

We are not in the Dez era no longer. It was a stupid play in todays era.

 

[aria]

You just don't get it. Any run play was the correct call BECAUSE, by chance you didn't run it into the end zone or Dak back to pass runs it and doesn't score, THE CLOCK KEEPS RUNNING. Garrett messed up period.

Ok, let's say you're right then why not throw Dak under the bus while you're at it. He should have stopped at the 1, plain and simple. JG couldn't be out there to hold his hand. Why aren't oeople flaming him for scoring?

 

[MRV52]

What mystical play works every time?

Kneeling down.

 

[Sydla]

Jason is proudly taking pages out of the Andy Reid clock management playbook.

Honestly, having seen him up close here in Philly, it was one of the things that probably kept him from being a truly elite head coach. He had two flaws............ one was clock management issues and the other was he often would get too pass happy and end up costing his team some games.

 

[lukin2006]

If you watch the video of Dak's TD, you can clearly see the DB that Witten was blocking was making zero effort to stop Dak. The Green Bay defense was apparently instructed to let Dallas score if we got the first down. We fell into their trap. If the opposition wants you to do something, we should be trying to do the opposite.

They knew if they got the ball with any reasonable time on the clock they would have a great chance at tying the game. I would have milked the clock down to under 25 seconds even if it meant we finished the game without the TD. Four shots from the 1 was still our best chance to win the game in regulation.

It's funny because I hear everyone say that you have to get the TD when you can, and yet I hear so many coaches and media now say that Dallas made the mistake of leaving too much time on the clock. They are now saying that you cannot leave that much time for an Aaron Rodgers or a Tom Brady, and I agree. That is why the right decision was to take a knee after we got the first.

Whether you lose with your defense on the field or whether you lose with your offense on the field, It is still a loss. I'll take my chances with the offense. Garrett needs to know his own team's strengths and weaknesses.

Agreed...unfortunately JG won’t even admit his screw ups...

 

[MRV52]

Ok, let's say you're right then why not throw Dak under the bus while you're at it. He should have stopped at the 1, plain and simple. JG couldn't be out there to hold his hand. Why aren't oeople flaming him for scoring?

I mentioned that Dak could have went down at the one. In hindsight would have been masterful play if he did, but I am not throwing Dak under the bus for scoring. Just understand a pass play is not the right call in this situation. It wasn't even the right pass play to call where your chances of completing it is minimal and risky. Throw a slant or something safer if you are going to throw it.

 

[aria]

One, why are you so concerned with the time left? We had two timeouts ourselves so this latest angle some of you are playing about how it's real dicey to play with the clock is bogus. With our two timeouts, there was never a chance that the clock would simply run out on us in that situation.

And I am not criticizing him for a hypothetical. I am criticizing him for something that actually happened. They called a low percentage pass play that had the most unfavorable outcomes for the Cowboys.

And guess what? The percentages played out, the pass fell incomplete, the Packers saved 20-25 seconds of time without having to burn their timeout, and Rodgers did what many of us feared would happen if given a minute or so of time left in a close game.

Reality is on our side, not yours.

I'm concerned with time because, even with two TO's, when there is a little over a minute left and you need a TD to win, you take it.

Perhaps I misunderstood, so you're just upset over the one pass play that fell incomplete not the fact that Dak scored with that much time left?

 

[Sydla]

I'm concerned with time because, even with two TO's, when there is a little over a minute left and you need a TD to win, you take it.

Perhaps I misunderstood, so you're just upset over the one pass play that fell incomplete not the fact that Dak scored with that mich time left?

10 yard line, two time outs, one minute left is more than enough time to score a TD. To try to argue otherwise is just trying to muddy up the waters with all these bizarre scenarios that lets' Garrett/Linehan off the hook there.

Yes, my issue is with the 2nd down play call. I don't have an issue with scoring at that point as long as the play call was smart taking into account the various variables at play. So if on 2nd and 2, they hand it to Elliott and he scores, that's most likely, in a bizarre way, a bad break because you've left a ton of time on the clock for Rodgers.

But when you call a pass play that has a high percentage of falling incomplete, that's a boneheaded call in that situation when you have a QB on the other sideline who you've seen shred you late in games and that the play in question has the highest probability of not working out in your favor.