How did Dallas lose that game?

[ShiningStar]

simply put, out coached, our coaches blinked first, didnt stick to the game plan that worked, took out the best RB in the league, than decided to let Rodgers dictate the game. You want to lay it at one coaches feet, Rod, when the pressure was working he should have stayed with it. They were starting to beat on Rodger and Rod, (as our coaches mantra) said "well this is working, screw that" and Rodgers took over.

 

[MRV52]

We lost because we weren't ready to play that first half. This is on the coaches and the players. I never want to here rest players or a bye is good for you in the regular season. We just came out of the gate like lambs.

 

[thinwhiteduke]

they stage a game right in your face and you still cant figure it out? Dallas laid down like they were told to

 

[Dale]

1. Extended time off this year has lead to slow starts and/or bad performances
2. Aaron Rodgers is a wizard
3. Defense cannot get pressure or stops
4. Aaron Rodgers
5. Aaron Rodgers

I don't buy into the rust theory. Williams' drop was key, and he catches with his chest even when in mid season form. The strange Butler penalty wasn't created because of the layoff.

Maybe you could say our defense wasn't ready, but I think that was more because of No. 12. It reminded me of the Lions game giving up 21 quick points and then adjusting the game plan and playing decently well. The difference this time is we only had 3 points on the board while our defense struggled to figure it out.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

There are many reasons we loss. But the three main reasons are:
1. We have no elite pass rushers.
2. Our play calling continues to be suspect (passing when we should be running, abandoning the blitz when we were having success with it) at critical times
3. We start players who are prone to mistakes at critical times, i.e., Bruce Butler and Doug Free. These guys have got to be replaced or kept off the field when we need plays to be made.

The bright spot is that we seem to be building a talented roster. And we're going to need it. I doubt Garrett can win a Super Bowl unless we have an utterly great team both on offense and defense. I simply no longer trust Garrett to develop a game plan that protects our weaknesses enough to get us to the ultimate level. So unless are offense and defense are stacked, we're likely not going to sniff another Super Bowl.

The Heath sack on the second to last defensive play was a blitz. I think you mistake not blitzing every down with abandoning it. After the first quarter they blitzed the rest of the game.

Running the ball a lot when you are down three scores is a good way to run out of time. As it was they did not abandon it. Zeke had 22 attempts despite being down the entire game.

Doug Free made a mistake but otoh he wasn't giving up a lot of pressure to Peppers either. Dak tried to audible at the last minute and it didn't help. Free should have executed but it was rushed with time running down.

Butler's hands concern me more than his brain.

For me the primary issue was coverage in the middle of the field and towards the sidelines at medium depths, the lack of a pass rush for most of the game, and questionable officiating more than anything else.

 

[Lutonio]

simply put, out coached, our coaches blinked first, didnt stick to the game plan that worked, took out the best RB in the league, than decided to let Rodgers dictate the game. You want to lay it at one coaches feet, Rod, when the pressure was working he should have stayed with it. They were starting to beat on Rodger and Rod, (as our coaches mantra) said "well this is working, screw that" and Rodgers took over.

Nailed it. I'm not one of the people calling for Garrett to run out of town. He had a great season, and he deserves credit for the growth and play of Dak.

But he and his staff got beat on this one. Just like people said that Dak has to learn from his mistakes, INTs, and missed reads, Garrett has to learn from this.

I can actually give a bit of the pass for the spike (despite my passion in the thread on that tooic) but the big problem is STARTING the game with an ineffective game plan. The substitition plan and defensive scheme seemed like they were treating Rodgers like any other guy.

The adjustments were solid, but the starting coaching was moronic. Like they didn't know a transcendent player was coming in

 

[gmoney112]

The Heath sack on the second to last defensive play was a blitz. I think you mistake not blitzing every down with abandoning it. After the first quarter they blitzed the rest of the game.

Running the ball a lot when you are down three scores is a good way to run out of time. As it was they did not abandon it. Zeke had 22 attempts despite being down the entire game.

Doug Free made a mistake but otoh he wasn't giving up a lot of pressure to Peppers either. Dak tried to audible at the last minute and it didn't help. Free should have executed but it was rushed with time running down.

Butler's hands concern me more than his brain.

For me the primary issue was coverage in the middle of the field and towards the sidelines at medium depths, the lack of a pass rush for most of the game, and questionable officiating more than anything else.

I knew Butler was going to hit a Go route in that game. I knew it. And it comes up, I'm sitting there enjoying my skills... and he drops it.

I think he'll probably be back because he'll be cheap, but man him and Terrance just choked away the end of that game. I'm looking toward the draft, but give me a vet WR that can run a route and catch a ball in the offseason.

 

[Cowboys_22]

We ran into a hot team with a hot qb, they scored more points on the giants and they had a darn good defense.

 

[Tabascocat]

Is San Francisco our last hope for Linehan to get a HC gig?

 

[AdamJT13]

That Steelers win only happened because the Cowboys had the ball last.

The Steelers had the ball last. We just didn't give them enough time, and they ended the game at our 20.

 

[jamesdojr]

We handcuffed Zeke. Did not establish the run early. That and Byron Jones not understanding how to play football.

Byron hasn't understood how to play football since we drafter him. BUST!

 

[irving]

We ran into a hot team with a hot qb, they scored more points on the giants and they had a darn good defense.

Giants game was 13-6 at half time I think, the Giants inept offense is what lead to the blowout, their inability to sustain drives, or to hold onto passes directly lead to the game becoming a blowout. It's easy to say Rodgers is great quarterback and was hot, but rest assured a team with good defense does not let him score on practically all of his first half possessions. The defense did Dallas in yesterday, continue down this road and the results will continue to be the same. Most Super Bowl teams are balanced and can at some point play defense and get key stops, Dallas's current defense cannot. Trying to outscore everyone is a recipe for failure, and not something winning NFL teams do.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

You keep hearing/reading...well they spotted them 21-3 and just couldn't make that up. Well how exactly did that happen?

I turned off the game last night thinking, dang Rogers is a beast and just handed us this loss. Then I looked over stats...

Dak went toe to toe with Rogers and you could argue, out played him.
Zeke balled
Dez balled
D got it handed to them though right? So then I went and looked over the drives that put them in the 21-3 hole.


1st D drive - 3 points - threw deep on 3rd and 2 - key play

1st GB drive, went right through D, scored 7 - too many on field key play - legit calls (still think spot was generous on run play before, should have been 3rd and 6.) Legit drive though

2nd D drive - key play, a call that hasn't been made since 1984....NINETEEN EIGHTY FOUR. Doesn't fit rule either...huge field swap...key play. Ref aided drive - likely atleast a FG

2nd GB drive - went down our throats - legit drive

3rd D drive - nada

3rd GB drive - key play...crap call on illegal hands to face. Was gonna be a punt. - penalty aided score

Score should have been at worst 14 - 6...possibly 14-10

Then to end half - non PI call, not once but twice in the end zone. - penalty aided points taken away. Could have easily been 17-14 dallas at half.

Throw in the PI call later for GB and the none holding call on them on the last play.

Huge point altering calls - that majority would say we're BS.

That's how they lost this game...terrible.

field goals , red zone int, refusing to run in red zone .

 

[DandyDon52]

2nd D drive - key play, a call that hasn't been made since 1984....NINETEEN EIGHTY FOUR. Doesn't fit rule either...huge field swap...key play. Ref aided drive - likely atleast a FG

really ? 1984 ! lol they been saving that one for a big game where they needed one team to win ??
Seems like they were just supposed to help GB win due to the big money was on dallas to win??

 

[DandyDon52]

This was a simple who had the ball last game. Could see it in the third quarter. If we won the calls wouldn't be nearly as amplified as they are now. We lost because Rogers threw a great pass and the WR made a great catch. Simple as that.

ok so 3 man rush and no one covering cook had no bearing on the play ???

 

[Venger]

Dak went toe to toe with Rogers and you could argue, out played him.

Jesus, on no planet named Earth did he outplay Rodgers. Seriously, anyone arguing this is play area ball-pit material. Rodgers came out and took his team to three straight TDs to start the game. He buried this team. The game was rendered nigh unwinnable in the first three drives of the game. But please argue how Dak outplayed him. Criminey folks, can we not like Dak but be honest about him?

I mean the rest of your post details the mess this team was to start the game, offensively and defensively. We spotted Green Bay half the track before we got out of the blocks... you don't win games choking that kind of lead to start a game. Heck, the greatest team in football history, YOUR early 90's Dallas Cowboys, found that out against San Francisco. Yes, it was a gutty comeback attempt, but when you give the other team that kind of lead in the playoffs, you are not likely to win in any way shape or form... I don't think you disagree here, just stating it and rambling because damn I hate this unexpected early off-season...

 

[Silverstar]

How did we lose?

Using a 3 man rush on the last play instead of a blitz, so Rodgers can get out the pocket (again) and have all day to complete a pass necessary to get into FG range...which he did...and they got.

 

[Alohawg1]

How did we lose?

Using a 3 man rush on the last play instead of a blitz, so Rodgers can get out the pocket (again) and have all day to complete a pass necessary to get into FG range...which he did...and they got.

Marinelli special

 

[Bohuntr97]

wow, 3rd and 19 if corect. ouch

 

[LittleLexodus]

I knew Butler was going to hit a Go route in that game. I knew it. And it comes up, I'm sitting there enjoying my skills... and he drops it.

I think he'll probably be back because he'll be cheap, but man him and Terrance just choked away the end of that game. I'm looking toward the draft, but give me a vet WR that can run a route and catch a ball in the offseason.

I agree we can find an upgrade for Williams but how did he choke at the end? I don't remember a drop from him other than the one in the first half off his chest