Hindsight is 20/20. Just stop. Running the ball was the right decision.

[Red Dragon]

When you have four downs, are leading 27-24, have the ball on your opponents' 31-yard line with less than two minutes, the OBVIOUS strategy is to run the ball.


Consider:

• Ball on 31-yard line. WELL within field goal range already.
• An incompletion stops the clock, and then everyone is calling for the OC and HC to be fired for not "running the ball to drain the clock."
  
• MANY of Romo's passes had fallen incomplete on the day. Very good chance that if he throws a pass, it falls incomplete.
• If the Cowboys don't commit that stupid penalty, then Detroit gets the ball back with just 20, not 50, seconds left.
• An interception would be a MONUMENTAL disaster at this moment, when Dallas was already well within FG range. It would make the criticism of Romo's interception against the Broncos seem mild by comparison.

This is pure "hindsight whining." Every fan who is complaining right now about the Cowboys' failure to pick up a first down through three consecutive runs, would be complaining five times as loudly had the Cowboys tried a passing play that fell incomplete....Ten times as loudly if it were intercepted.

 

[TTexasTT]

really no way to debate that call.

 

[laythewood28]

agree 100 percent.

 

[pupulehaole]

Kneel it.

 

[Word Mofo]

I am not sure many have an issue with running the ball. But there are a few things to nitpick:

• Why the outside runs? Just run between the tackles so you don't lose so many yards and there are less opportunities for penalties (not a huge deal though, IMO)
• Why not go for it on 4th and 5? Convert and you win. The only risk you run is allowing the Lions to tie on a FG. If they knew they could tie with a FG, maybe they wouldn't be so aggressive either. This is the real sin, IMO.

 

[65fastback2plus2]

horrible call. shouldnt waste your time justifying it

 

[tommydo08]

Kneel it.

Kneel it and let the clock run down and call a timeout on 4th down, punt, and give them the ball back. Sure, they went the length of the field with :56 seconds left and scored, but it would've been a different story if they had :20 seconds left. The defense would've been ready to play, at least, instead of thinking they had won the game already.

 

[Wizarus]

Refuted by the second last possession, where we ran the ball 3 times for negative yardage, where going for the first would have won the game then as well. There's but so many times you can rely on the defense(especially this defense) to win the game for you.

 

[Zekeats]

Correct call but the penalty stopped the clock and hurt more than anything.
I wish Romo would have the team ready and of made a quick snap when the defense was shuffling players in and out and thrown a quick out to Dez who was not covered. That is why Dez flipped out.

 

[Eric_Boyer]

good thread. i'm in total agreement.

We essentially had two huge player errors to end the game.

Obviously the holding was an epic failure, and was the only l reason the lions had the chance to win it.

But even earlier, on the previous possession we ran it the first two times, Romo shouldn't of thrown the ball away to avoid the sack on third. the loss of yards didn't matter, the clock did. it was a stupid move of his as the Lions would of used another time out at that point.

 

[Eric_Boyer]

Refuted by the second last possession, where we ran the ball 3 times for negative yardage

wrong, we ran the ball on first and second, and had an in-completion on third.

 

[walrus]

yes call plays to minimize the chance of a penalty, straight up run not a sweep - taking the knee would be better
not hindsight either as i was screaming at them to take the knee and not risk the chance of fumble or time stoppage
running ahead maybe, but still chance of fumble, at their 31 yard line 3 kneel down and punt would be the right call

 

[yentl911]

Great post. Running the ball was the right play. No one could have known the clock would be stopped by a flag on the play. You can;t have a penalty on a very critical down where you are trying to burn some time.

 

[coogrfan]

Absolutely right.

 

[Red Dragon]

• Why not go for it on 4th and 5? Convert and you win. The only risk you run is allowing the Lions to tie on a FG. If they knew they could tie with a FG, maybe they wouldn't be so aggressive either. This is the real sin, IMO.

4th and 5 is too long to try something so dicey, when you already have a 44-yard field goal attempt. Fans would be screaming if Garrett had turned down such an FG attempt to try a rather long 4th down conversion and failed.


Odds were about 50% that such a 4th down conversion attempt would fail, in my opinion.

 

[Stinger_Splash]

Agreed. The defense lost this game. If Garrett would have thrown the ball, there would have been even more time left.

 

[Word Mofo]

Odds were about 50% that such a 4th down conversion attempt would fail, in my opinion.

50%? A coin flip to win the game? I'd take it

 

[Miller]

Not absolutely right. We are taking into account the last 2 possessions which were pathetic. The one before showed that running up the gut was a given and it forced a 3rd and long that should have called for a draw or something to run clock. We threw. So there is time you didn't use there. Run was needed at that point and in that position. Last posession you are in a 48 yard FG range. You don't want a fumble or any mistakes. You kneel. Make them run clock and kick. End of strory. It's not always a run or pass proposition. Kneeling takes the penalty out of the equation. Stop sticking up for ineptness.

For those saying the D lost it. They kept us in the game while the offense squandered 4 turnovers. The D caused 4 turnovers when the other team was in our end of the field 3 of the times. Pull head out and look at game as a whole

 

[movaughn88]

The people screaming about "going for the throat" and passing on that series probably want to go for every 4th down inside the 50 because it's "aggressive" and "playing to win". They probably also would argue to hit on 16 against low dealer up cards if you use the same logic.

 

[Red Dragon]

Kneel it.

Kneeling three straight times would have given the Cowboys a 52-yard field goal attempt, or somewhere around that distance. Running the ball three straight times, at least in theory, would have moved the ball closer towards a better field goal distance - which it did, Dallas had a 44-yard try.

A 52-yarder isn't something you can take for granted at all, regardless of how good the kicker.