Interesting Stat from Bob Sturm on the radio

[Stash]

I'm not trying to excuse anything.

Your post sure reads like it.

All I'm saying is that generally when teams fall behind, there is a tendancy to throw the ball more than they probably would have liked in an effort to catch up. Had we been ahead 21-3, Zeke would have had 30 carries in an effort to shorten the game. It would have been the natural thing to do.

Except that the bad playcalling was occurring before, during, and after they fell behind. You're trying to make an excuse for something that's inexcusable, and trying to use an inaccurate reason for it. An excuse.

The bad play calls that resulted in the team falling behind got mixed in with the great play calls that resulted in 28-28 and 31-31 scores. From there it was a whole new ball game. The bad calls and the good calls cancelled each other out.

Not nearly enough, did they? If the coaches were smart enough to rely on the biggest strengths of their own team, they're never down 21-3 in the first place.

The game was lost late. The spike of the ball. Rodgers not fumbling when crushed from behind. The inexcusable pass allowed on 3rd and 20 with 15 seconds left. Nobody is talking about Byron Jones, but what was he doing on that play? How did he get so lost? Why? Can he play FS in this league? He's a terrific athlete. But does he have the football instincts required?

No, it most certainly was not "lost late". 21-3 was a nearly insurmountable hole that the players somehow managed to climb their way back from.

Jason Garrett isn't going anywhere. Period. End of story. Neither is Linehan. They will both be here in 2017. Like it or not.

I'm not campaigning for Garrett to be fired. Why bring up that false claim? Because you lack a good one? If Linehan isn't fired, he should be. "Like it or not." He failed his team Sunday. Miserably.

So all this talk of dumping Garrett and a play call here or there is fruitless.

What's truly "fruitless" is you talking to me about that subject when I never brought it up. Save it for someone else who did and don't try to divert from the truth.

I would be much more interested in how the team gets better on the field. The coaches won't change, but the players will. The team will only improve based on how the roster is changed, especially of defense.

If the coaches derail those players the same way that Linehan derailed these, it won't matter either. Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

 

[Sydla]

Scored 31 points. This game was not on the offense

The game was on both the offense and the defense.

If the offense does what it's good at.......... sustaining drives, scoring early, it puts the defense in better situations late.

To run the ball once out of 8 times on third and 2 or less in that game is awful decision making. For anyone to give the offense a pass here is perplexing.

 

[Stash]

Not defending that particular play call, but on the whole for the season we had the lowest percentage of pass plays in the entire NFL.

And?

 

[Daillest88]

Yup we played there game, didn't play ours. Linehan has to go. All this talent , ran all over them and abandoned the run

 

[LandryFan]

And?

He stated that Linehan and JG were in love with the passing game. That's simply an inaccurate statement based on the run/pass ratio for this season. That's all I was saying.

 

[Dodger12]

If he says doing that then it's he and not Linehan who is the offensive coordinator. I agree that Garrett does have say and did play a hand in the situation, but if he has to micromanage the playcalling that much, just get another guy.

Even worse, I'd guarantee you that Garrett would be against sending his buddy out the door if someone brought it up.

I'd love to see a Norv Turner return. His offense would be grinding people into dust. But I'm not getting my hopes up. Instead we'll continue to deal with two pass-happy former quarterbacks shutting down their own run game, despite the fact that it's the best in the league.

Come on Stash. HC's whisper in their OC/DC's ear all the time depending on the game situation. It's what a game manager does. Even Norv went up to Jimmy and asked what he wanted to do in certain situations (ie:: end of 92 NFC Championship Game). If Garrett wanted to be aggressive, then own it. But Garrett also controls the time outs. I'll say it again. That dolt gave Rogers two series he never should have seen, one of which cost us the game.

 

[Kevinicus]

During the regular season when the Cowboys needed 2 yds or less for a 1st down they ran the ball 77% of the time.

In the Packers game under the same situation we ran the ball 12% of the time (1 out of 8).

Sturm is ripping Linehan for going away from our identity against a team that showed no capability of stopping our run.

Did he also say how successful we were on those instances where we needed 2 yds or less (both for the season and the game)?

 

[Stash]

The game was on both the offense and the defense.

If the offense does what it's good at.......... sustaining drives, scoring early, it puts the defense in better situations late.

To run the ball once out of 8 times on third and 2 or less in that game is awful decision making. For anyone to give the offense a pass here is perplexing.

"Perplexing" and sad.

To let this guy skate away from this unscathed is a disservice to the entire organization.

If Jerry Jones wants to talk about something, it should be calling his offensive staff on the carpet demanding answers for why they went away from the team's greatest strength and short-circuited their own offense. I'd send his *** out the door. And I'd tell Garrett if he didn't like it, he could join him. Garrett has done a Coach of the Year level job overall and I wouldn't want to see him go, but I'd be adamant about moving on from Linehan.

 

[Stash]

Come on Stash. HC's whisper in their OC/DC's ear all the time depending on the game situation. It's what a game manager does. Even Norv went up to Jimmy and asked what he wanted to do in certain situations (ie:: end of 92 NFC Championship Game). If Garrett wanted to be aggressive, then own it. But Garrett also controls the time outs. I'll say it again. That dolt gave Rogers two series he never should have seen, one of which cost us the game.

I don't deny that Garrett has some responsibility for this one. I'm just adamant that the lion's share of blame falls with Linehan.

 

[Stash]

He stated that Linehan and JG were in love with the passing game. That's simply an inaccurate statement based on the run/pass ratio for this season. That's all I was saying.

More like they resisted their urges for as long as they could. I don't think they should get praise for realizing what everyone in the world could see. This team had the best running game in the league. You don't get credit for realizing that, you get blame for abandoning that when it mattered most.

 

[Dodger12]

I don't deny that Garrett has some responsibility for this one. I'm just adamant that the lion's share of blame falls with Linehan.

OK. Enough said then. I'm from the school of "you can't delegate responsibility."

 

[Stash]

OK. Enough said then. I'm from the school of "you can't delegate responsibility."

I'm interested in your opinion.

Hypothetically speaking of course, would younlike to see Norv Turner replace Scott Linehan as this team's offensive coordinator?

 

[LandryFan]

More like they resisted their urges for as long as they could. I don't think they should get praise for realizing what everyone in the world could see. This team had the best running game in the league. You don't get credit for realizing that, you get blame for abandoning that when it mattered most.

First, I didn't praise them for anything. I replied to the following post:
"That's what happens when you have 2 coaches that love the passing game folks!!"
I replied that I was NOT defending that particular play call, but Dallas did have the lowest percentage of pass plays in the entire NFL for the season.
It was NOT their "love the passing game" that caused them to call a pass play over a run play and a season's worth of stats bear that out. Again, I'm not defending that call. I wish they had run...I, in fact, expected a run. But I'm not going to make up crap that isn't true in order to denigrate JG or anyone else.

 

[Zman5]

While it may be true I'm not going to nit pick at our offense for Sundays loss.

Yes. Defense mainly lost the game. The problem is our best defense is our offense. Specifically, run heavy, clock eating offense. The type of offense that helped out the defense most of the year.

 

[CATCH17]

Yes. Defense mainly lost the game. The problem is our best defense is our offense. Specifically, run heavy, clock eating offense. The type of offense that helped out the defense most of the year.

Our defense never put us in a hole like they did in that game all season and in turn that made us throw more so we wouldn't use as much clock.

 

[slomoxn]

Sturm has an article in Yahoo that breaks it all down, pretty damning evidence that they screwed the pooch in this game. (Garrett and Linehan that is)

 

[Stash]

First, I didn't praise them for anything. I replied to the following post:
"That's what happens when you have 2 coaches that love the passing game folks!!"
I replied that I was NOT defending that particular play call, but Dallas did have the lowest percentage of pass plays in the entire NFL for the season.

You say this as if it matters? Who couldn't see that this team was built to run the football? Who couldn't see that was its greatest strength? Who couldn't see the investment made in that facet of the offense? Is a coach worthy of praise for realizing this? If they had anything but the lowest number of pass plays in the NFL, it should be a fireable offense. Pointing out what should be readily apparent to anyone doesn't make a difference.

It was NOT their "love the passing game" that caused them to call a pass play over a run play and a season's worth of stats bear that out. Again, I'm not defending that call. I wish they had run...I, in fact, expected a run. But I'm not going to make up crap that isn't true in order to denigrate JG or anyone else.

That's sure what it reads like you're trying to do. So, somehow, because they ran it in the regular season excuses both coaches well-established reputation for being pass-happy? Sorry, I'm not buying any of it.

They did plenty to 'rest Zeke'. During nearly every game of the season. During the Detroit game, and sitting him during the final game of the season. Call it 'smart', call it 'preserving him', call it whatever you like, but the only reason why he didn't break the rookie rushing record was because of coaching decisions, not anything he did or didn't do.

And then on top of that, they screwed up and didn't involve their biggest offensive threat nearly as much as they needed to or should have. Inexcusable. And no 'no kidding!' Regular season stats makes that any different.

 

[Stash]

Our defense never put us in a hole like they did in that game all season and in turn that made us throw more so we wouldn't use as much clock.

There was still plenty of time to use the running game. It's a flimsy, inaccurate excuse.

 

[Stash]

Sturm has an article in Yahoo that breaks it all down, pretty damning evidence that they screwed the pooch in this game. (Garrett and Linehan that is)

I posted a lot of it in the Linehan thread in the Coaching/Front Office zone. Fans should rally take the time to look at it.

It's pretty damning stuff.

 

[LandryFan]

You say this as if it matters? Who couldn't see that this team was built to run the football? Who couldn't see that was its greatest strength? Who couldn't see the investment made in that facet of the offense? Is a coach worthy of praise for realizing this? If they had anything but the lowest number of pass plays in the NFL, it should be a fireable offense. Pointing out what should be readily apparent to anyone doesn't make a difference.



That's sure what it reads like you're trying to do. So, somehow, because they ran it in the regular season excuses both coaches well-established reputation for being pass-happy? Sorry, I'm not buying any of it.

They did plenty to 'rest Zeke'. During nearly every game of the season. During the Detroit game, and sitting him during the final game of the season. Call it 'smart', call it 'preserving him', call it whatever you like, but the only reason why he didn't break the rookie rushing record was because of coaching decisions, not anything he did or didn't do.

And then on top of that, they screwed up and didn't involve their biggest offensive threat nearly as much as they needed to or should have. Inexcusable. And no 'no kidding!' Regular season stats makes that any different.

I am not/will not ask you to buy anything. One person said the coaching staff passed on a particular play because they "loved to pass". I commented on that. It's that simple. I stated nothing else. You're trying to make my comment into something it was not. I understand your (and everyone else's) frustration over that game and that ending, but taking your frustration out on me or anybody else accomplishes nothing.