My issues with the "trainee"

[Chocolate Lab]

The only real way to achieve balance on offense and allow the run game to finally become the meaningful part of the strategy that it should have been all along is to keep Garrett as far away from the offensive game planners as humanly possible. As a matter of fact, if the offensive brain trust is strategizing on one side of the field in practice, I want Garrett on the opposite sideline. Reduce him to a rah rah coach and let's get on with truly improving our ability to place our defense in positions to be successful when they takes the field.

Fortunately, Jerry seems to agrees with you, because that's exactly what he's done. He's basically the Chief Grinner and Head Press Conference Giver.

I would advise Linehan to remove the batteries from Garrett's headset just to be sure, however. Just ask Callahan.

 

[Kevinicus]

I understand the reasoning behind the defense getting rest with the offense on the field, but I think it is irrelevent in this case. Lack of rest didn't contribute to the defenses futility, they were just awful. The biggest reason they would have less rest is because they couldn't get off the field. I think a healthy Claiborne would have put them no worse than 20th in the league. Throw in Lee and other healthy guys on the DL and who knows.

Garrett does suck though.

 

[DanteEXT]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the total number of possessions and the average time of possession about the same when comparing DAL and SEA 2013 season? I thought I read that somewhere but is possible I am mistaken.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

Pieced together with relative unknowns and late round draft picks. . . Much like what we're copying right now on D hoping to hit the same jackpot.

That's what I don't get. People are saying our defense will be much better because of our late draft picks and UDFA's. If they can replace our starters, what does that say about the team? Once our starters go down, it goes from bad to worse. And they will go down again because they always do.

 

[Hoofbite]

I would agree with that in 2011 they were unknown but by 2013 it would, imo, be more accurate to say formerly unknown defense.

Unknown in 2011 but known now?

I would have considered it to be the opposite.

 

[Rockport]

Fact: During Jason Garrett’s three full seasons as head coach, the Dallas Cowboys have steadily declined on defense.

They ranked 14th defensively in 2011, 16th in 2012 and 32nd last season.

The shallow mind may look at that and say:

1. Our defense blows.
2. We can't stop anyone.
3. There's no leadership on the defensive side of the ball.
4. We lack any semblance of talent to truly compete.

Let's delve a little deeper... One of the basic building blocks of a successful team is a solid offensive attack that consists of a mixture of creative passing along with some invigorating down your throat running. Practically every "pass first" offense has utilized the run successfully to compliment the passing game and "manage the clock".

Last year it was the Seahawks that utilized "Beastmode" consistently throughout the year to compliment the pass and manage the clock. Their unwavering reliance on a balanced attack led to a largely unknown defense taking the field regularly in position to succeed. It may sound a bit strange to you but there's more to successful offense than just scoring. If you score too fast it can sometimes be the equivalent to a 3 & out. I would be much more content with an offense that utilized 20 opportunities per game to log 28 points than one that utilized 30 opportunities to do the same. Ball control is a cornerstone to a successful venture. I harken back to Seattle once again because they mix in the run with great regularity.

So what happens when you have a nice mix of run/pass? Garrett are you listening?

1. The opposing defense remains off balance and ON the field which keeps our defense OFF the field and rested.
2. All 11 offensive players are primed and ready to do damage when breaking the huddle... Believe it or not, offensive linemen prefer firing out and putting someone on their back over pass pro all day everyday.
3. Your defense remains fresh and ready to produce stops.

It all evens out when you utilize balance in the offensive scheme.

So why is it that after three years we are still searching for that balance on offense. We are wasting Demarco Murray's prime very much like we wasted the prime years of players like Witten and Ware. The issues are systemic yet we are to believe that a little tweak here or there on the coaching staff is the answer. Hmmmm. I'll gladly wait and see on that one. I have seen it plenty of times in the last few years.

The only real way to achieve balance on offense and allow the run game to finally become the meaningful part of the strategy that it should have been all along is to keep Garrett as far away from the offensive game planners as humanly possible. As a matter of fact, if the offensive brain trust is strategizing on one side of the field in practice, I want Garrett on the opposite sideline. Reduce him to a rah rah coach and let's get on with truly improving our ability to place our defense in positions to be successful when they takes the field.

There's been a run on Garrett bashing threads recently. ESPN must've said something negative about him.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

By all means let's have another thread...

 

[Rockport]

Got it backwards. SEA wins games because you can't pass on them. "Beast Mode" let's them keep from getting in too many disadvantageous passing situations, and then they win by the passing effectiveness differential everybody always keeps talking about that correlates so well with winning football games across the board in the NFL.

On the flip side, we pass effectively, and stop the pass very poorly. The differential gets us to .500 every season and that's not going to change unless and until we can defend the pass better (while still maintaining an effective passing game of our own). It has very little to do with a run v. pass balance, and to the extent that it does, it's because we don't have the option of winning games by not passing, because we can't get ahead in the differential equation that way because our defense cannot hold up it's end of the bargain. That's been true the last three seasons under Garrett, anyway. Once the defense plays better, you'll have the luxury of being able to call more running plays late in games with leads. The defense remaining 'fresh' or the OLs wanting to run block has very little to do with anything.

And, insert the obligatory 'Jason Garrett is responsible for the defense, too, since he's been here for four years now.' Because, yes, it's completely true. This is the reason people should be complaining about Jason Garrett. He's failed so far to fix the problems on defense, and he's flailed with the DC position in the process.

As usual on this subject you've got it all wrong. You win games consistently by running the ball effectively and stopping the other team from running the ball effectively.

 

[Bleu Star]

That's what I don't get. People are saying our defense will be much better because of our late draft picks and UDFA's. If they can replace our starters, what does that say about the team? Once our starters go down, it goes from bad to worse. And they will go down again because they always do.

We have clearly gone into copycat mode with regard to how we plan to reestablish a defensive presence. Seattle did it. Perhaps we can too. *shrug*

 

[Bleu Star]

There's been a run on Garrett bashing threads recently. ESPN must've said something negative about him.

I seriously don't pay attention to every thread that hits this board so my apologies to anyone that perceives this as yet another.. To me it's exhaling.

 

[BigStar]

I understand the reasoning behind the defense getting rest with the offense on the field, but I think it is irrelevent in this case. Lack of rest didn't contribute to the defenses futility, they were just awful. The biggest reason they would have less rest is because they couldn't get off the field. I think a healthy Claiborne would have put them no worse than 20th in the league. Throw in Lee and other healthy guys on the DL and who knows.

Garrett does suck though.

I agree with your general point CP but alot of the gripes about using the O to protect the D relate to the DET and GB game more specifically where that method would've produced two wins (most likely anyway). Those two wins put is in the playoffs where we could've got thumped by SEA/SF Love your last line as your final thought

 

[DanteEXT]

Drives (according to FO site):
DAL 177
SEA 179

TOP Ave:
DAL 29:01
SEA 29:57

Maybe I'm missing the point of the OP but not sure how Seattle would be the shining example of ball control offense keeping the defense rested on the sidelines and Dallas is the poster child scoring too quickly. Both their offenses scored about the same per game. The difference in my eyes between the two teams wasn't so much that Seattle's defense was "taking the field regularly in position to succeed" is that Seattle's defense was just much better at keeping the opposing offense out of the endzone.

 

[big dog cowboy]

When you start a thread with a title like that some will immediately consider it a bash thread.

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck.........

 

[Bleu Star]

Drives (according to FO site):
DAL 177
SEA 179

TOP Ave:
DAL 29:01
SEA 29:57

Maybe I'm missing the point of the OP but not sure how Seattle would be the shining example of ball control offense keeping the defense rested on the sidelines and Dallas is the poster child scoring too quickly. Both their offenses scored about the same per game. The difference in my eyes between the two teams wasn't so much that Seattle's defense was "taking the field regularly in position to succeed" is that Seattle's defense was just much better at keeping the opposing offense out of the endzone.

Of course. Numbers mean everything... Yes. You completely missed the point because it lacked the numeric prowess that makes you giddy.

Seattle's RB is clearly integrated into their offense and it shows in the way they are able to sustain drives from the starting bell to the finish line. We lack that same consistency because running the ball has clearly been an afterthought over the last 3-5 years (tossing in some numbers to keep your interest).

A vital piece to our success (ball control) has been on the shelf for several years. Garrett pretends as though he is interested in integrating the run and then runs like a chicken without a head when challenged by opposing DCs. That's embarrassing.

 

[DanteEXT]

Of course. Numbers mean everything... Yes. You completely missed the point because it lacked the numeric prowess that makes you giddy.

Seattle's RB is clearly integrated into their offense and it shows in the way they are able to sustain drives from the starting bell to the finish line. We lack that same consistency because running the ball has clearly been an afterthought over the last 3-5 years (tossing in some numbers to keep your interest).

A vital piece to our success (ball control) has been on the shelf for several years. Garrett pretends as though he is interested in integrating the run and then runs like a chicken without a head when challenged by opposing DCs. That's embarrassing.

Numbers don't make me giddy.

But since you don't like digits I'll say it without them. Seattle's RB IS their offense, the passing game is just there to compliment it. Dallas offense is the passing game with the run sprinkled in for a little seasoning. Both offenses accomplished the same thing - held the ball for nearly half the game and put up a lot of points. Who cares how they do it as long as they do it.

If both teams are essentially holding the onto the ball the same amount of time on offense per possession what's the problem? Is seven seconds of rest really the difference between forcing a punt and giving up a TD to you?

 

[OhSnap]

Nobody is wasting Murrays prime years, he's only been in the NFL 3 years and missed time with a broken ankle, a sprained ankle and a sprained MCL last year, him having a prime is questionable right now. Theres been times when they should have ran more but theres been more time when they couldn't because they didn't have a back or a line to run behind. Acting like the trainee doesn't understand the benefits of running the ball doesn't hold water, Marion Barber had his 3 best years with Jason Garrett calling the plays.

 

[Idgit]

As usual on this subject you've got it all wrong. You win games consistently by running the ball effectively and stopping the other team from running the ball effectively.

Obligatory response pointing out that both watching games and all the available data clearly indicates the exact opposite.

 

[jobberone]

I understand.. But that name was given by Jerry. Was he bashing when he referred to him as his trainee?

I listen to Jerry and glean the real news and throw out the trash.

Without looking I don't remember Jerry calling him a trainee. All new HCs are in training.

 

[jobberone]

Pls feel free to change the title. I'm not trying to bash anyone. I'm interested it delving deeper into our issues.

It's your thread. I can't/won't edit it unless you request one. What would you like it to say?

 

[jobberone]

Even when the owner describes you in that manner publicly? They (org) brought that perception/definition on, not fans (though we do like to reiterate it with enjoyment).

See above. That's as a member.

As a Mod this is a bash thread. Which is ok as long as it stays civil within the guidelines and other declarations.