Moose Johnston on ESPN radio

[gdogg24]

There was an interesting story he shared during this interview he said he was talking to Jason and what he said (Coach Garrett) was this team offensively, was smoke and mirrors for a few years, they had to get the ball out quick, they couldn't hold it, they couldn't run, having to steal victories and now he feels comfortable running the ball against tough defenses because he has confidence in the guys up front. He also said that he had to put more pressure on Tony to even be competitive.


http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=11622706

 

[Risen Star]

Hey, that is interesting.

Interestingly obvious. We wasted a lot of years with no offensive line. Now we have one and Detroit's offensive coordinator is suddenly a savior.

 

[gdogg24]

Hey, that is interesting.

Interestingly obvious. We wasted a lot of years with no offensive line. Now we have one and Detroit's offensive coordinator is suddenly a savior.

I just thought it was interesting because we never get to hear Coach Garrett being very candid about the team.

 

[waving monkey]

this answers quit clearly why we haven't been running the ball.
It probably won't satisfy but it's why Garrett didn't and I think it's pretty apparent.

 

[gdogg24]

this answers quit clearly why we haven't been running the ball.
It probably won't satisfy but it's why Garrett didn't and I think it's pretty apparent.

Well it makes sense why the change has been so drastic this year, but I'll still chalk the additional creativity in the play calling up to Linnhean.

 

[TwentyOne]

There was an interesting story he shared during this interview he said he was talking to Jason and what he said (Coach Garrett) was this team offensively, was smoke and mirrors for a few years, they had to get the ball out quick, they couldn't hold it, they couldn't run, having to steal victories and now he feels comfortable running the ball against tough defenses because he has confidence in the guys up front. He also said that he had to put more pressure on Tony to even be competitive.


http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=11622706

Yeay of course. One guard make such a difference ? Thats crap.

We now have a real OC who knows something about playcalling, play design and how to use players based on their skillset. Thats the difference.

Lets look at the last game. Even when Romo killed the play there was enough time left on the playclock. Something Garrett never was able to install when he was involved in playcalling. The right person only needed 4 games to install something that actually works.


So please stop giving me that crap. You are a good HC Garrett. Great in assembling people around you that have the knowledge and talent to make this team successfull. Thats where you have talent, as a HC. As a Coordinator you are missplaced.

 

[junk]

What is interesting is that Murray averaged 5.2 YPC last year vs 5.4 YPC this year.

All the offense has shown this year (and parts of last year) is that Garrett shouldn't be involved. The run game could have been more prominently featured earlier

Big improvement in scoring when they kinda/sorta used a poor OC in Callahan. Dramatic improvement, so far, with an average OC like Linehan.

It makes sad how many years were wasted because Jason Garrett is such a poor offensive coach

I also have to chuckle at him getting credit for the OL rebuild. He tried to do it on the cheap for years (and that assumes he had any say in it all, which is unlikely) with the likes of Livings, Nagy, Arkin, Bernadeau, etc. They wouldn't even have drafted Martin this year had Shazier not been gone. And rumblings were that he wanted Eifert 2013. Watching the draft cam, it was apparent Garrett wasn't exactly pleased

Glad they figured it out. Wish they had done it sooner

 

[DogFace]

Hey, that is interesting.

Interestingly obvious. We wasted a lot of years with no offensive line. Now we have one and Detroit's offensive coordinator is suddenly a savior.

Well now you tell us how you feel about the oline. Should've spoke up sooner.

 

[Fletch]

Well it makes sense why the change has been so drastic this year, but I'll still chalk the additional creativity in the play calling up to Linnhean.

I'll agree to the additional creativity.

 

[Jarv]

Hey, that is interesting.

Interestingly obvious. We wasted a lot of years with no offensive line. Now we have one and Detroit's offensive coordinator is suddenly a savior.

So you think Linehan isn't very good...interesting.

 

[Dodger12]

Moose is a hater. He picked Dallas to go 6 and 10 before the season started. He just got knocked down a few pegs in my book.

 

[Tommy]

So you think Linehan isn't very good...interesting.

His post doesn't say that at all.

The difference in the Cowboys offense from last year to this year is the progress made on the offensive line. The addition of Martin and the development of Smith and Frederick. Yes, those two still have upside. There is more to this years improvement than just the addition of Martin.

You know what would happen without our improved offensive line? Linehan would call a run, the offense would get to the LOS and Tony would see a safety in the box. Realizing we can't effectively run with 8 in the box Tony would check out of the run play and pass the ball. If the play works then great. If it doesn't than Linehan sucks and he's pass happy. Same situation as Garrett.

With our improved line we are able to run at will. Defenses have not had the ability to dictate our play calls. We have the ability to run it even when the defense is expecting it. That makes play action more effective also. It opens the playbook. It makes everything click.

As a result, Linehan looks like a genius.

 

[Bullflop]

More often than not, it takes a combination of things that go together to make the difference between winning and losing. The addition of Zack Martin and the hiring of Linehan were both contributing factors to our success this year. It helped contribute to enough of a difference to account for the first three-game winning streak during Garrett's head coaching career in Dallas.

The changing of Garrett's responsibilities to concentrate solely upon his walk-around coaching duties may have also played a role. Perhaps handling both HC and OC duties weren't doing him favors in terms of success. Serving as the OC with an offensive line that was inadequate surely didn't help matters, either.

If that's not enough, what about Marinelli taking over as DC? Usually, it's many situations that converge to allow success to develop. I submit there's a likelihood those circumstances are but several of the contributing factors that have played a significant role in Dallas' improvement this year.

 

[Wolfpack]

This sounds like some revisionist history going on. Just what you would expect from Oppie. He'll never man up to his own short comings.

 

[Rob Mexico]

Moose is a hater. He picked Dallas to go 6 and 10 before the season started. He just got knocked down a few pegs in my book.

A lot more people than Moose picked us to go 6-10 this year, and they weren't wrong to think that. On paper things were going to be worse than they were last year on defense, and it isn't hard to imagine our record would have reflected that during preseason picks.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

This is one reason I don't like Garrett. He's always making excuses like this.

So his basic contention is that he was so handcuffed in the past that he had absolutely no chance, which is total BS. A team with a top-tier to great LT, TE, WR, C (last year), RB, and especially QB gives the coach no chance to succeed? Again, nonsense. Hey Jason, as Parcells said all the time, this is an imperfect game. There are always problems and you never have every single piece in place the way you want it. Probably 25 other teams would love to have the talent you had.

I guess Marinelli really is the greatest DC of all time because he doesn't have half the talent you've had. Do you hear him making excuses about it, or is he just coaching his guys up enough to make it work with what he does have?

But I know most people think Garrett is an absolute prince of a human being, so settle down Garrett lovers. It's just my opinion.

 

[burmafrd]

The biggest difference was shown in the Rams game. Contrary to what some so called experts claim, if you are down 21-0 in the first half you do NOT HAVE TO ABANDON THE RUN GAME.

For the first time we did NOT, and that is a MAJOR difference.

 

[85Cowboy85]

Hey, that is interesting.

Interestingly obvious. We wasted a lot of years with no offensive line. Now we have one and Detroit's offensive coordinator is suddenly a savior.

He didn't exactly run a ton at Detriot either.

2013
Dallas run play percentage : 36.44%
Detrioit run play percentage : 41.24%

2012
Dallas run play percentage : 35.04%
Detrioit run play percentage : 34.57%

2011
Dallas run play percentage : 41.72%
Detrioit run play percentage : 34.83%

2010
Dallas run play percentage : 41.31%
Detrioit run play percentage : 37.97%

2009
Dallas run play percentage : 42.38%
Detrioit run play percentage : 39.44%

What we've seen on offense is not something that has been typical of Linehan. Historically he has been more pass first then Garrett.

 

[SultanOfSix]

There was an interesting story he shared during this interview he said he was talking to Jason and what he said (Coach Garrett) was this team offensively, was smoke and mirrors for a few years...

All of Garret's tenure as offensive/play caller doesn't classify as a "few years".

Garrett seems to be a good delegator, motivator, talker, assembler, etc. - which are all part of being a HC - but a good to great Xs and Os guy, and game management guy, he is not, and apparently is still learning on the job.

 

[DFWJC]

There was an interesting story he shared during this interview he said he was talking to Jason and what he said (Coach Garrett) was this team offensively, was smoke and mirrors for a few years, they had to get the ball out quick, they couldn't hold it, they couldn't run, having to steal victories and now he feels comfortable running the ball against tough defenses because he has confidence in the guys up front. He also said that he had to put more pressure on Tony to even be competitive.


http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=11622706

Yeah. I think many of us knew this but there were those short-busers who though somehow with the deck stacked against us, the QB was somehow supposed to pull very game out by himself.
Life is so much easier when you have the big uglies up front to lead that run game and give the QB time when he does need to throw it.