Pass Or Safety

[alancdc]

Before the last 3rd down run at the goal line with about 1 minute left, I was thinking the situation called for a pass. I know making them use their last timeout sounds like the right thing to do, but given we would be punting from the end zone, whether they had 1 TO or none, I didn't see as a big deal. They get it on our side of the 50, best case with a great punt. I would have tried to get a 1st down. I understand he could throw a pick there, but the slant was working, and even when incomplete we were getting a penalty. I also was wondering if we should take a safety and punt from a better position of the field and make them go the length of the field, even though that would put us only up 2. Anyone else wondering those same things on those last 2, potentially, game changing decissions?

 

[Jenky]

Pass. Should have kept picking on Buster Skrine if he was still in the game.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Can't take the safety because they have a great, great FG kicker and you don't want to give him a chance to beat you.

 

[ConstantReboot]

This is another one of Garrett's not so brilliant moves. Why not just pass the ball and try and get a first down? We had no success running and we weren't going to get a few yards running up the middle. Why not throw a quick pass into the middle of the field?

Garrett's failure to go for the win rather than playing NOT TO LOSE is why we are losing games.

 

[joseephuss]

This is another one of Garrett's not so brilliant moves. Why not just pass the ball and try and get a first down? We had no success running and we weren't going to get a few yards running up the middle. Why not throw a quick pass into the middle of the field?

Garrett's failure to go for the win rather than playing NOT TO LOSE is why we are losing games.

That is a bunch of crap. Romo was sacked 7 times. Why would any coach trust his line to protect his QB deep in their own territory and pass the ball in that situation?

 

[Yakuza Rich]

This is another one of Garrett's not so brilliant moves. Why not just pass the ball and try and get a first down? We had no success running and we weren't going to get a few yards running up the middle. Why not throw a quick pass into the middle of the field?

Garrett's failure to go for the win rather than playing NOT TO LOSE is why we are losing games.

I can't blame Garrett there. We cannot afford to give up a sack TD. And the way the O-Line had been playing, that was quite possible. Plus, the Browns would wind up with no timeouts.






YR

 

[TheCoolFan]

I actually had no problem with it considering our OLine can't block and Romo has issues protecting the ball.

Unfortunately Moorman choked on the punt

 

[Avenging Hayseed]

Nope....Gotta disagree. Running the ball in that situation was absolutely the right call. Ive been very hard on Garrett for at least the last three seasons due to the fact that he rarely plays the percentages and makes the traditional call.

In that situation HE DID. It may not have worked out like we wanted it to,...but it STILL doesnt change the fact that it was in fact the absolute correct call.


So many things could have went horribly wrong in that end zone with a pass play considering the kind of pressure Romo had been under all day. NO WAY do you put up the ball in that situation.

 

[Reality]

Running the ball there was the only smart option. Any intelligent coach would have called the same thing. The reason is simple.

The Cowboys were backed up against their own goal line. That means, any drop back would put not only the quarterback in the end zone but also the offensive line. Given how they struggled all day, you can bet every one of them would have been in or very close to the end zone while blocking.

If Romo gets sacked OR any of their offensive linemen get a penalty while in the end zone, it would be a safety. Taking a safety there would be worse than running and punting because at least with a punt, the other team would have to get a touchdown to beat you since a field goal would not help them. Taking a safety would have made it 17-15 and a field goal would have won it. That is not even considering the possibility of an interception or fumble by Romo that would have given the Browns an immediately touchdown and the lead.

The problem is that Moorman punted the ball low and directly down the middle. You could tell by his reaction that it was not what he meant to do. There are times to take chances, but that was not one of them. By running, they ran off clock time and forced the Browns to spend their timeouts. The defense failed to stop them after the punt return gave the Browns a short field. You have to have faith in your defense to stop the other team in a situation like that but with a short field, it made it harder.

Fortunately, there was enough time on the clock and the Cowboys had one timeout remaining so they were able to drive down the field can kick the game tying field goal to go to overtime. In hindsight, it is easy to say or ask why didn't they throw it, but at that moment, given the scenario, the right decision was made.

#reality

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

I started a thread about this yesterday. I really felt he should have tried to get a first down. The box was stacked. He should have tried to throw the ball on 2nd down. Throwing it on 3rd would have been too obvious. I felt he should have tried to win...as opposed to try not to lose. I would imagine the defense...after making a great goaline stance....was not happy about taking the field again.

 

[Hook'em#11]

Give it to your best player of the day and on your team.

Romo, Romo, Romo.

I would of thrown it on 1st down. They would be looking for the run.

A little skinny post to Witten?

Or slants. What in the hell happend to slants? The bread and butter of Aikman to Irvin.

 

[ConstantReboot]

That is a bunch of crap. Romo was sacked 7 times. Why would any coach trust his line to protect his QB deep in their own territory and pass the ball in that situation?

Because Garrett is too predictable. He could have run a play action and a quick pass just like what he did on 4th down.

 

[supercowboy8]

This is BS, if we woild have passed there and go incomplete or a int or a sack for a safety then evryone would have been saying run the ball the defense just stopped them on the goalline. Come on man, should have been a better punt, no bull crap horse collar call, amd the defense should have atopped a TE up the gut 25 yard TD pass.

Sorry but a run was the right call.

 

[Reality]

If Romo gets sacked OR any of their offensive linemen get a penalty while in the end zone, it would be a safety. Taking a safety there would be worse than running and punting because at least with a punt, the other team would have to get a touchdown to beat you since a field goal would not help them.

Re-quoting what I posted in a larger post just so everyone sees it.

#reality

 

[Avenging Hayseed]

There is no way on Gods green Earth you throw the ball there. Not on the 1 yard line with the way our line had been protecting all day. No way in hell. You play the percentages, punt it away,....and trust your defense. PERIOD. THATS smart football.


In fact,...I almost half expected Garrett to throw the ball there,....would have been somewhat true to his form. Was pleasantly surprised when he didnt.

 

[Avenging Hayseed]

Jason Buck anyone?????? The younguns wont even know what Im talking about and it really wasnt even all that long ago.

 

[tecolote]

I would have passed once, in first or second down. There is a risk involved I know, but there is also a risk in playing to punt it from the 1, Garrett took it and it backfired.

Anyway, we won, and that is all that matters.

 

[links18]

Meh, that was a really tough situation. I can see the logic in running it three times, punting and putting the game in the hands of the defense. One thing we do know, it was the right call for the Browns to go for it on 4th. There was some discussion of this among the announcers about whether or not they should kick the FG and try to get the ball back. The situation just favored the Browns there. Its a real good thing for us that they scored on the first play after they got the ball back. Thank the refs for that one.

Still, I can see the case for rolling Romo out and trying to hit Witten on some kind of safe TE screen or something like that. I could go either way.

 

[Future]

This is pretty much a damned if you do, damned if you don't type of situation. Either way if you get the first down, you look smart. If you don't get it, you look dumb.

I would have done a quick drop and chucked it up for Dez or Miles because they weren't in 2 deep and the corners were getting abused all game, but I understand that, with our crappy oline and coming off the fumble, you want to minimize mistakes.

 

[alancdc]

Just wondering. Thats why they are coaches and make the big $$$$$$. Make a decission and live with the consequences. Best thing that happened to us was they scored in 1 play. That is why I sell insurance and don't coach football though!