Norm Hitzges tears Jason Garrett a new one

[SaltwaterServr]

A very telling and worrisome observation in your final sentence. I just wonder how many here actually thought that many of the issues that plagued this team, and indeed this offense, would cease under the complete control of Garrett. I won't pontificate but there was a formula that existed when the Cowboys were kings of the postseason and Garrett of all people witnessed it first hand. The Cowboys were never about finesse and shotgun offense. They were about a bruising running game sprinkled with play-action and precision passing. They had a coach with brass "under-plunder", who always used positive psychology to push his team to the edge of its considerable abilities. The Cowboys have none of this right now and we see the results.

The difference between Payton and Garrett is overtly palpable, in both demeanor and attitude. He believes in Drew and Drew believes in him, without reservation or equivocation. Can we say the same about Garrett and Romo?...

I admit to prior reservations about Garrett and he will undoubtedly make mistakes, but this one was merely a pin-*****...the next might be a stab through the heart. I am with Norm on this one and if anyone disagrees lets just agree to disagree. It extends beyond a simple icing of a kicker. Norm reiterated many problems with Garrett's decision-making and play-calling, not to mention his continued lack of commitment to the running game despite the level of interior line play. He's been doing this for years and Norm makes an argument that is becoming harder to ignore without at least a modicum of skepticism. Norm expresses the sentiment that many fans share about Garrett. It's ugly and populist but it exists nonetheless. Fans that watched this team run roughshod over the NFL in the nineties know what a championship team looks like and the current edition ain't it.

I think Garrett as some good qualities. He has turned around a team that is more or less the same from a season ago. He deserves his chance but cracks are beginning to show and he might be biting off more than he can chew. I think it was premature to let Gurode walk and Costa, for better or worse is a decision they may now regret. They will sink or swim on the play of the line...sunday will tell the truth and if the Philly game was any indication...I won't even say it.

Brother, you said a mouthful already.

 

[Beast_from_East]

"Strange mismanagement of the clock"

"Seemingly inability to know when to call timouts"

"This is Jason Garrett, not Tony Romo running the game"

"Explanation was worst than his use of timouts"

"Run the ball, get out of this wuss offense"

"Being comfortable with a 50 yard fg is what the dufus Commanders do"

 

[Hoofbite]

"Strange mismanagement of the clock"

"Seemingly inability to know when to call timouts"

"This is Jason Garrett, not Tony Romo running the game"

"Explanation was worst than his use of timouts"

"Run the ball, get out of this wuss offense"

"Being comfortable with a 50 yard fg is what the dufus Commanders do"

I'll admit. That line cracked me up too.

 

[Stautner]

Furthermore, Jones' 14-115 (8.2 YPC) game against the Commanders was the best game by a Dallas running back this year.

How is 14-115 (8.2 ypc) better than 25-253 (10.1 ypc)?

 

[JaHenny95]

never been a fan of norm.

 

[JoseyWales]

Norm usually comes across as a guy just trying to stir the pot, but hard to argue with him here. Garrett's been struggling.

 

[Venger]

How is 14-115 (8.2 ypc) better than 25-253 (10.1 ypc)?

Math. He's doing it wrong.

To the original point - Norm is on the money here. It seems to me Garrett is so tied up coordinating the offense he's not managing the game. Only penny-wise pound-foolish Jones would spend all this money on team salary and a stadium and then have his wallet squeak when it opens regarding getting a coordinator.

Jones owner and GM fail on not getting an OC for Garrett.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Math. He's doing it wrong.

To the original point - Norm is on the money here. It seems to me Garrett is so tied up coordinating the offense he's not managing the game. Only penny-wise pound-foolish Jones would spend all this money on team salary and a stadium and then have his wallet squeak when it opens regarding getting a coordinator.

Jones owner and GM fail on not getting an OC for Garrett.

I don't think that's the problem, guy..

 

[TheDude]

Math. He's doing it wrong.

To the original point - Norm is on the money here. It seems to me Garrett is so tied up coordinating the offense he's not managing the game. Only penny-wise pound-foolish Jones would spend all this money on team salary and a stadium and then have his wallet squeak when it opens regarding getting a coordinator.

Jones owner and GM fail on not getting an OC for Garrett.

I hardly think it is a financial decision.

 

[Venger]

I don't think that's the problem, guy..

The scuttlebutt I am getting is that it's Jerry that is keen on having the coach be a coordinator. Regardless, either GM Jerry needs to allow him to get an OC, or he needs to force him to get an OC.

Right now Garrett is jack of both trades, master of none.

 

[Venger]

I hardly think it is a financial decision.

Is it? Jerry has an odd history when it comes to coaches and pay. Remember when Terry Donahue was all but hired? Report was, came down to money. REALLY? The guy had spent the night at Jones' house, but that wallet went SQUEEEAAKKKK when money came up.

People are often very odd with money, and things that make sense to you or I are handled in a manner at odds with normal expectations.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

The scuttlebutt I am getting is that it's Jerry that is keen on having the coach be a coordinator. Regardless, either GM Jerry needs to allow him to get an OC, or he needs to force him to get an OC.

Right now Garrett is jack of both trades, master of none.

I have to believe we don't have an OC because Garrett doesn't feel its necessary. I think he believes he can handle both duties, and i don't know that Jerry will force anything on him that he doesn't want.

 

[Hostile]

I never realized that the Green Bay Packers are too tight to hire an Offensive Coordinator. Apparently New Orleans too.



Guys, come on. NFL teams follow success trends and right now Head Coaches acting as Coordinators is having success.

 

[THUMPER]

wow.

listen to every single word.

i agree 100% with this man.

the management issues go deeper than the blunder at the end of regulation.

http://theticket.com/Portals/2/UserFiles/User104443/Norm-CowboysGameManagement12-5-podcast.mp3

Absolutely agree with everything Norm said. I don't usually like the guy but he was right on the money this time.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

This is as good a place as any so I'll just put it here... But I just re-watched the entire timeout-gate sequence and I still can't figure out what was going on.

When they asked Tony after the game why they clocked it and didn't call a timeout, he said they weren't sure if they had a first down or not, went on about how it's not like on TV where there's a yellow line to immediately know, etc. But when you watch, it only takes a second or two for him to signal to everyone to run up to the line so they can clock it. So he knew right away that they had more downs to work with. And of course if you thought you hadn't converted the 3rd and 11, you'd never clock the ball anyway.

The whole thing is just so strange. My only guess is that there was mass confusion on the headsets with everyone involved.

 

[TheCount]

I never realized that the Green Bay Packers are too tight to hire an Offensive Coordinator. Apparently New Orleans too.



Guys, come on. NFL teams follow success trends and right now Head Coaches acting as Coordinators is having success.

Mike McCarthy has been coaching for 24 years, with 16 of those years in the NFL and 5 of those years spent as an NFL offensive coordinator.

Sean Payton has been coaching for 23 years, with 15 of those years in the NFL and 5 of those years spent as an NFL offensive coordinator/assistant head coach

Jason Garrett has been coaching for 6 years, all 6 in the NFL but just 3 as an offensive coordinator/assistant head coach.

These are all before becoming head coaches/interim for all 3, during which time they maintained their OC duties.

The experience of those two absolutely dwarfs Garrett's experience, and there is no substitution for experience. The idea that he may be out of his league not only has merit, but quite frankly, is probably true.

This is not to say I'm not fine with him keeping his OC duties, because frankly I don't see many other options at this point, but some (maybe not you) are acting like it's impossible he's mishandled some of his responsibility this year, and doesn't have all the answers. Is it really possible he figured out, in 6 years, what it took some of these other guys decades to learn?

 

[Hostile]

Mike McCarthy has been coaching for 24 years, with 16 of those years in the NFL and 5 of those years spent as an NFL offensive coordinator.

Sean Payton has been coaching for 23 years, with 15 of those years in the NFL and 5 of those years spent as an NFL offensive coordinator/assistant head coach

Jason Garrett has been coaching for 6 years, all 6 in the NFL but just 3 as an offensive coordinator/assistant head coach.

These are all before becoming head coaches/interim for all 3, during which time they maintained their OC duties.

The experience of those two absolutely dwarfs Garrett's experience, and there is no substitution for experience. The idea that he may be out of his league not only has merit, but quite frankly, is probably true.

This is not to say I'm not fine with him keeping his OC duties, because frankly I don't see many other options at this point, but some (maybe not you) are acting like it's impossible he's mishandled some of his responsibility this year, and doesn't have all the answers. Is it really possible he figured out, in 6 years, what it took some of these other guys decades to learn?

7 years.

Tom Landry had been coaching only 6 years when he assumed not only the HC duties but also OC and DC duties. Don Shula had only been coaching 3 years when he was a Head Coach and called the Defensive plays.

 

[TheCount]

7 years.

Tom Landry had been coaching only 6 years when he assumed not only the HC duties but also OC and DC duties. Don Shula had only been coaching 3 years when he was a Head Coach and called the Defensive plays.

That was over 50 years ago, I don't see what Tom Landry has to do with Jason Garrett.

Bringing up Landry is like bringing up Babe Ruth to every chubby kid that wants to play baseball. Unnecessary.

Put in the work, and anyone has the chance to become a good player, but is he going to be Babe Ruth? Highly unlikely.

*If you're counting 7 for Garrett, then add a year to everyone elses as well, I just didn't add that final year. 2005 - 2011, I counted as 6 years. 1 year here or there doesn't really have much to do with my statement though.

 

[punchnjudy]

Even though JG hasn't admitted he'd do anything different, he did admit before the season that game management was his biggest challenge in transitioning to hc since coordinators aren't involved with that. I think it was in his interview with Norv's daughter but I'm not sure.

 

[TheDude]

This is as good a place as any so I'll just put it here... But I just re-watched the entire timeout-gate sequence and I still can't figure out what was going on.

When they asked Tony after the game why they clocked it and didn't call a timeout, he said they weren't sure if they had a first down or not, went on about how it's not like on TV where there's a yellow line to immediately know, etc. But when you watch, it only takes a second or two for him to signal to everyone to run up to the line so they can clock it. So he knew right away that they had more downs to work with. And of course if you thought you hadn't converted the 3rd and 11, you'd never clock the ball anyway.

The whole thing is just so strange. My only guess is that there was mass confusion on the headsets with everyone involved.

He was just covering. He meant to clock it. The first down is signaled immediately. I believe he meant to clock it in expectations of running a 1 or 2 more plays. HE RUSHED UP TO THE LINE. I think he was signaled to clock it