Garrett is seriously playcalling like a scolded child

[NinePointOh]

It has nothing to do with that. It has everything to do with not being predictable, which Garrett is very predictable. Though, I do agree. If they cannot stop the run, then you run on them. (it tires a defense faster)

Still, you use the run to setup the pass and he did not do that. When they were driving down the field pounding them with the run on every play. That is the perfect time to setup play action pass down field.

Yes, he did. The only first half drive when he didn't use the run to set up the pass was the drive when the run worked almost every single time -- we ran it all the way into the red zone until Barber fumbled. The problem on every other first half possession was that once we set up the pass, the passes fell incomplete and killed our drives. That's not a fault in the pass-run ratio.

 

[Arch Stanton]

Garrett gets his gameplan from the media. I know, I read it here after yesterdays game.

 

[NinePointOh]

First, whether or not I believe we should have passed more in the first half was not part of my discussion with nyc. That discussion was simply that he said we had an even run to pass ratio, and I said that the ratio only evened up late in the game when we had to pass to catch up.

Neverthless, I don't mind discussing your question. For me it's not the number of passing plays I'm that concerned with, it's the kind of passing plays and when they are called. When you establish the run the way we did, you should use it to your advantage, and it should set up some key passing plays.

As they say, effective running sets up the pass, but we didn't take advantage of that. The Skins were scrambling to try and stop the run, and we should have taken advantage by ocassionally using play action on a down where they expected yet another run and taken a few shots. Instead we only passed in predictable spots, and with either no play fake at all or only a barely token pretense of it.

I'm not talking about getting reckless or switching to a focus on the pass, but just taking full advantage of the situation to get an ocassional bigger chunk of yardage than the 5-10 yard runs, and get downfield a little quicker rather than having to rely on a 12+ play drive.

The problem wasn't predictability. We threw the ball in a variety of situations, and the players were in a position to make the play -- that is, the passes were there to be made most of the time. The problem was that time and time again, those passes were either poorly thrown or dropped.

Our two most successful drives were the complete epitome predictability -- on the first, we ran every play and moved the ball into the red zone. Then on our one scoring drive, we called a pass on every play and got a touchdown. The reason we scored was because on that particular drive, the throws were consistently on-target and the receivers consistently caught them. The receivers really weren't any more open or any less covered than they were at any other point in the game.

 

[Stautner]

The problem wasn't predictability. We threw the ball in a variety of situations, and the players were in a position to make the play -- that is, the passes were there to be made most of the time. The problem was that time and time again, those passes were either poorly thrown or dropped.

Our two most successful drives were the complete epitome predictability -- on the first, we ran every play and moved the ball into the red zone. Then on our one scoring drive, we called a pass on every play and got a touchdown. The reason we scored was because on that particular drive, the throws were consistently on-target and the receivers consistently caught them. The receivers really weren't any more open or any less covered than they were at any other point in the game.

I'll grant you that Romo's accuracy was a problem, but it somehow has been blown up so that some think he overthrew virtually every ball.

As for the 2 drives, the first the Skins were expecting a focus on the pass the way we ususally do, and the second (2 1/2 quarters later) they were geared toward the run and got the pass. Which proves my point - get them leaning one way and go the other.

In the middle we had 2 1/2 quarters of predictability where the offense was completely ineffective, so it's a little comical to act like what we were doing made sense.

 

[masomenos]

It's really difficult for me to believe that anyone honestly thinks that Garrett's play calling has anything to do with criticism from fans or the media.

 

[Stautner]

It's really difficult for me to believe that anyone honestly thinks that Garrett's play calling has anything to do with criticism from fans or the media.

I agree.

I do think Jerry has an impact though, and Jerry publically said we need Felix to get the ball more, so I suspect Jerry and Wade (whether on his own or after prodding from Jerry) talked to Garrett about running more. That's where the fingers shuld be pointed.

 

[khiladi]

Garrett didn't open up anything the final drive. Romo did, buying time with his feet and overcoming the incompetent play-calling... Hell, the last play Crayton was tripe covered, Romo avoided the rush and found Crayton who was just looking for an opening. The same thing happened against Denver, when Romo bought time with his feet, the only difference being he went with the play-call in the red-zone to Witten and threw an INT...

 

[Stautner]

Garrett didn't open up anything the final drive. Romo did, buying time with his feet and overcoming the incompetent play-calling... Hell, the last play Crayton was tripe covered, Romo avoided the rush and found Crayton who was just looking for an opening. The same thing happened against Denver, when Romo bought time with his feet, the only difference being he went with the play-call in the red-zone to Witten and threw an INT...

You don't think calling pass after pass after pass is opening up after calling run after run after run all day?

Maybe they were good calls, maybe not, but to say he didn't open things up defies logic.

 

[NinePointOh]

I'll grant you that Romo's accuracy was a problem, but it somehow has been blown up so that some think he overthrew virtually every ball.

Obviously he didn't overthrow every ball, and I didn't say he did. I said too many passes were either poorly thrown or dropped. Many were also completed, and some were just well-defended. The point is that plays were there to be made, and for a variety of reasons, the execution wasn't there.

As for the 2 drives, the first the Skins were expecting a focus on the pass the way we ususally do, and the second (2 1/2 quarters later) they were geared toward the run and got the pass. Which proves my point - get them leaning one way and go the other.

In the middle we had 2 1/2 quarters of predictability where the offense was completely ineffective, so it's a little comical to act like what we were doing made sense.

You and I have vastly different definitions of predictability, apparently. The middle 2 1/2 quarters were our most balanced, had the most variety, the most play action, and the most decoys.

The scoring drive was our least balanced and had the least variety. We called 9 consecutive passing plays. How many passes in a row does it take for a defense to stop being "geared toward the run"? If the first four passes in a row weren't enough, then we've crossed the line from unpredictable playcalling to completely clueless defense. There was absolutely nothing predictable about it once we crossed midfield.

We didn't score by tricking them into thinking run. We scored because we started completing passes and picking up first downs even when they knew exactly what we would do. The same thing was true on our second most successful drive, when we ran 6 straight times and got down to Washington's 12 yard line before fumbling.

The fact of the matter is that our two best drives were also our least predictable. The rest of the game, we were sufficiently balanced and unpredictable, but we consistently killed drives with incomplete passes -- sometimes two in a row.

 

[FLcowboy]

I don't think he knows why he does the things he does sometimes. It's like he's only responding to the criticism.

So he takes a lot of heat for us being totally absent in the running game last week, and deservedly so. He responds with that garbage non-response of a quote during the week, and now here we are... he flops so hard to the other side that we're almost running to our detriment at times. It's like he has no idea what balance is sometimes. You either ride the run to death or you forget about it.

This exact issue popped up last year after the Washington loss at home. We run 11 times in that game in a losing effort and the media is all over Garrett's jock. Remember where this is going? We run 38 times in a win over the Bengals the next week. This week's ratio, 14 to 33, is similar. I'm glad we've won both bounce-back games, but does anyone else see a disturbing trend? It's like he's going "not running enough, eh? I'LL show YOU."

My question is why is he forgetting about it in the first place? Why has the Wildcat been elbowed out of the offense, especially in the red zone? What will it take for him to get this group back up to 2007 production?

You have stated my sentiments exactly. Every DC in the league must assume that since Garrett ran a successful play last week, they don't have to worry about it because he won't run it again.

I don't understand whey there isn't any balance. Dallas doesn't have any fly pattern WRs, but plenty of slant WRs, yet, only a couple are called each game, and then only when there is triple coverage on the WR.

This team isn't going anywhere, and Jones is committed to the coaches and players. I don't blame Romo, they have effectively put him in a box and told him not to leave it. He has crap for receivers, and the best receiver may be sitting on the sidelines, inactive.

 

[links18]

I agree that Garrett went overboard in a reponse to the critics which is a mistake to begin with. Too hell with the critics, this offese was putting up points before the GB game, we had a bad game there was no reason to try and be something we are not. Dallas looked like Carolina out there yesterday. Romo is the main key for this offense get him going early and mix in the run

Gold Star Post!

 

[Brooksey]

Gold Star Post!

Overboard with what? Did you watch the second half?

 

[links18]

Overboard with what? Did you watch the second half?

He went overboard with the run in the first half, thereby necessitating the pass happy second half. Its called balance. Garrett doesn't understand it.

 

[neosapien23]

He went overboard with the run in the first half, thereby necessitating the pass happy second half. Its called balance. Garrett
doesn't understand it.

The run worked perfectly on the skins game. Dallas ran over 5 yards a carry.If Barber doesn't fumble the game would have been more lopsided. I am not a big fan of Garret at all as he gets way to pass happy, but yesterday he called alot of run plays and they worked. It's not Garrets fault that Romo was extremely inaccurate all day until that final drive. And for those that think Romo needs to hit a groove, he is a professional. Thats what practice is for. Troy did not pass the ball that often, but when he did he made the most of his oppurtunites. I have no doubt that Aikman even in his decline would have put up more points than Tony in the skins game.

 

[jobberone]

How much more basic could Garrett have got yesterday. Run left, run right. That's pee wee football basic.

I love that we established the run, but Garrett failed to take advantage of it. The way we were running was perfect for setting up some play action passes, but Garrett was predictable when he ocassionally called a pass rather than calling a play action when the defense expected us to keep ramming it down their throat. We had the Skins off balance and failed to capitalize because we didn't attack with other weapons when they started digging in.

Don't agree with the first statement and I thought about the second statement a lot Sunday.

In his defense, Washington has the best pass defense in the league and not nearly as good a run defense. I think that was it. The fact Romo, for whatever reason, couldn't complete a pass, along with the former is probably the reason we ran the ball so much early.

Besides, it was working so well. But he could have tried pass action more instead of lining up in the shotgun.

OTOH, perhaps Romo is more comfortable out of the SG and it's not Garrett living vicariously thru the SG.

 

[links18]

The run worked perfectly on the skins game. Dallas ran over 5 yards a carry.If Barber doesn't fumble the game would have been more lopsided. I am not a big fan of Garret at all as he gets way to pass happy, but yesterday he called alot of run plays and they worked. It's not Garrets fault that Romo was extremely inaccurate all day until that final drive. And for those that think Romo needs to hit a groove, he is a professional. Thats what practice is for. Troy did not pass the ball that often, but when he did he made the most of his oppurtunites. I have no doubt that Aikman even in his decline would have put up more points than Tony in the skins game.

I wouldn't disagree with that.

 

[gmsquid]

:bang2:

I mean come on people. How many times can you call the next play that Garrett will call? We know nothing about football, and I know its going to be a pass or a run and when its going to happen. First down run, gains 2 yards, second down pass fail, third down passing essetial. First down run gain 7 yards, second down short pass fail, third down, try to run for the first down get stuffed half a yard short.

And Garrett's formations are ********, especially that shotgun draw. Apparently Garrett thinks nobody thinks you can run out of shotgun and it would be a great element of surprise. He has no ability to run the playaction. He has no sense of balance. He has no concept of an intermediate passing route. Its either a quick strike to witten like 2 yards downfield, or all the receivers going way long. There's a reason receivers can't get open, and its not talent. Why do you think TO was burning everybody beginning of the seasons last few years, and then in December it slides. Similar to now. Its because defenses have enough film on the Cowboys to realize that oh my gosh if you bump them on a deep passing route, timing will be disrupted. Where are your slants JG, where is your play action, where are you 12 yard out routes? Give me a break. You suck.

 

[gmsquid]

:bang2:

I mean come on people. How many times can you call the next play that Garrett will call? We know nothing about football, and I know its going to be a pass or a run and when its going to happen. First down run, gains 2 yards, second down pass fail, third down passing essetial. First down run gain 7 yards, second down short pass fail, third down, try to run for the first down get stuffed half a yard short.

And Garrett's formations are ********, especially that shotgun draw. Apparently Garrett thinks nobody thinks you can run out of shotgun and it would be a great element of surprise. He has no ability to run the playaction. He has no sense of balance. He has no concept of an intermediate passing route. Its either a quick strike to witten like 2 yards downfield, or all the receivers going way long. There's a reason receivers can't get open, and its not talent. Why do you think TO was burning everybody beginning of the seasons last few years, and then in December it slides. Similar to now. Its because defenses have enough film on the Cowboys to realize that oh my gosh if you bump them on a deep passing route, timing will be disrupted. Where are your slants JG, where is your play action, where are you 12 yard out routes? Give me a break. You suck.

bump!

 

[baj1dallas]

Football is all about keeping your opponent guessing. If a team sucks at running, and you keep pounding it, they're eventually going to stack the box and stop it. When they do, you hit them deep with play action. Even Aikman mentioned this during the broadcast a few times, but when did we see it? You create mismatches that keeps the defense off balance. We had zero points through three quarters in the past three games.

Many people disagree. If they haven't proven that they can stop the run, then why stop running? Make them put 8 men in the box and hell maybe you still don't believe they can stop you.

I kept thinking Dallas was going to run the ball on their last drive but they stuck to the pass and completed almost every single throw. So maybe there is something to getting into a rhythm and establishing yourself.

 

[802dave]

Don't agree with the first statement and I thought about the second statement a lot Sunday.

In his defense, Washington has the best pass defense in the league and not nearly as good a run defense. I think that was it. The fact Romo, for whatever reason, couldn't complete a pass, along with the former is probably the reason we ran the ball so much early.

Besides, it was working so well. But he could have tried pass action more instead of lining up in the shotgun.

OTOH, perhaps Romo is more comfortable out of the SG and it's not Garrett living vicariously thru the SG.

I've been reading thru the thread looking for someone to say the above.

Our receivers haven't been great; Washington has a very highly rated pass defense; they were missing Haynesworth. It made sense to run more than throw. If Barber hadn't fumbled, they would have had more momentum.

Garrett's play-calling could be better; execution could be better.