New member and i have a question

[camaro69926]

Hello I have been reading this message board for a really long time and finally decided to become member. The reason I became a member is because I have a question about the games the last couple weeks. How come when the Cowboys were up by 3 against Detroit and it was 4th and 1 on the 1 with about 3 or 4 minutes left in the game, nobody on here thought Garrett should go for it? I was screaming why go for the field goal in that situation 3 points really don't do you any good. Now in the Houston game there was another chance to go for it in overtime, but once again they don't go for it. I understand the Cowboys won the Detroit and that is the difference, but I was just wondering if anyone else felt going for it on 4th and 1 on the 1 late in a game is a good call or is taking the field goal the call to make?

 

[CouchCoach]

Hello I have been reading this message board for a really long time and finally decided to become member. The reason I became a member is because I have a question about the games the last couple weeks. How come when the Cowboys were up by 3 against Detroit and it was 4th and 1 on the 1 with about 3 or 4 minutes left in the game, nobody on here thought Garrett should go for it? I was screaming why go for the field goal in that situation 3 points really don't do you any good. Now in the Houston game there was another chance to go for it in overtime, but once again they don't go for it. I understand the Cowboys won the Detroit and that is the difference, but I was just wondering if anyone else felt going for it on 4th and 1 on the 1 late in a game is a good call or is taking the field goal the call to make?

I struggle with multi-tasking and welcoming you AND answering a question is a lot to ask since we don't know each other that well.

First, welcome to the forums, you are the first automobile we've had, I believe, but you are a sporty one, not sure I would have responded to plymouth69926.

Your question is an interesting one and the only real answer lies in the results. HC's are always questioned when it backfires, and some like Mike Smith have ultimately lost their job for that, and called gutsy when they make it. The only way Garrett doesn't catch heat is if they win the game, if he'd gone for it and not made it, he would have been hammered because he knew his offense wasn't playing well. A lot of this has to do with the general displeasure with him and if he'd gone for it, made it and won the game, few would back off on their calls for his head.

My own opinion is only the HC and OC know how much confidence they have in their offense. The defense is the strength of this team and they decided to rely on that instead of their offense. Not really a bad call, just bad results.

 

[camaro69926]

Now that I am responding to your reply I can understand the difficult task I did ask to multi task

Thank you for welcoming me.

And I agree with you, that we only question the calls when it does not work or win the game. I guess the that is why we are 8 and 8 usually 50% of the time the conservative approach is correct.

 

[Runwildboys]

I forget the details of the Detroit game, but the way you said it, going for the field goal would put us up by 6, instead of 3.
That would force them to go for a TD to win it, instead of a FG to tie it.

 

[camaro69926]

I forget the details of the Detroit game, but the way you said it, going for the field goal would put us up by 6, instead of 3.
That would force them to go for a TD to win it, instead of a FG to tie it.

Which Detroit ended up scoring a touchdown and a pass to Zeke in the last seconds got us in field goal range for the win. But i just wonder if Detroit would have been able to score a touchdown starting at the 1 yard line if the cowboys couldn't punch it in on 4th down. I am not a fan of Garret and now i am being critical of games he wins as well as the losses.

 

[Runwildboys]

Which Detroit ended up scoring a touchdown and a pass to Zeke in the last seconds got us in field goal range for the win. But i just wonder if Detroit would have been able to score a touchdown starting at the 1 yard line if the cowboys couldn't punch it in on 4th down. I am not a fan of Garret and now i am being critical of games he wins as well as the losses.

I liked the idea of going for it in that situation as well, but I think he did the smarter thing. It's a tough call either way.

 

[CouchCoach]

I liked the idea of going for it in that situation as well, but I think he did the smarter thing. It's a tough call either way.

It's a confidence call. Easy for McVay and Pederson to make that call because they believe in their offense.

One time Switzer believed in his so much he went for it with the same play back to back and failed and said he would do it again, so would I with that offense.

When a HC doesn't have confidence in his offense to get one LONG yard, that speaks to the cause instead of the symptom. What was once the strength of this team, the OL, is no longer. It's not necessarily a weakness but it is no longer top 5 or maybe even top 10?

The other part of that is HOU would have stacked that line to force it on the QB. Does Garrett have confidence in his QB?

 

[Runwildboys]

It's a confidence call. Easy for McVay and Pederson to make that call because they believe in their offense.

One time Switzer believed in his so much he went for it with the same play back to back and failed and said he would do it again, so would I with that offense.

When a HC doesn't have confidence in his offense to get one LONG yard, that speaks to the cause instead of the symptom. What was once the strength of this team, the OL, is no longer. It's not necessarily a weakness but it is no longer top 5 or maybe even top 10?

The other part of that is HOU would have stacked that line to force it on the QB. Does Garrett have confidence in his QB?

Sorry, I meant the Detroit situation...but yeah, I wanted them to go for it against Houston too.

 

[CouchCoach]

Sorry, I meant the Detroit situation...but yeah, I wanted them to go for it against Houston too.

Same here but I also understood the reason not to with the game on that drive, Watson hurting and the D playing him tough. And if not for one of the great clutch plays of all time by Hopkins, that might have worked out.

What I do find amusing is the shock registered by some with Garrett's sideline management. What the hell have they been watching for 8 years?

 

[Cowpolk]

Hello I have been reading this message board for a really long time and finally decided to become member. The reason I became a member is because I have a question about the games the last couple weeks. How come when the Cowboys were up by 3 against Detroit and it was 4th and 1 on the 1 with about 3 or 4 minutes left in the game, nobody on here thought Garrett should go for it? I was screaming why go for the field goal in that situation 3 points really don't do you any good. Now in the Houston game there was another chance to go for it in overtime, but once again they don't go for it. I understand the Cowboys won the Detroit and that is the difference, but I was just wondering if anyone else felt going for it on 4th and 1 on the 1 late in a game is a good call or is taking the field goal the call to make?

I say go for it if you fail you went out fighting

 

[Xelda]

Welcome @camaro69926. I apologize for coming to the party so late. I think Garrett answered your question yesterday. He was wrong in not going for it on 4th and one.