Passes on 2nd & 1, 3rd & 1 ?

[Chuck 54]

I don't have a problem with the first call. You knew the defense was going to stack to stop an inside run, leaving Roy 1-1. It may not have even entered into the reasoning, but I liked the idea of rewarding Roy with a TD for all the incredible blocking he had done downfield getting us big run after big run.

Problem: he's got to catch that ball...maybe the most accurate fade I've ever seen Romo throw...should have been a TD.

2nd call? Yeah, I have problems with that one...you have to figure the LB on Bennett is wondering if the same thing might happen if the Cowboys tried to pull that on the CB. Besides, Bennett has to block first...Romo has to play action fake, and then Bennett is probably alone.

Lousy design to just pop up and throw, and it was UGLY...not even close. Bennett doesn't need to engage the lb first...he had the height advantage and should have just run the play.

Finally,

A. I'm curious what the call was for 4th down before the rookie flinched.

B. I'm wondering if either of the two pass plays was an option that Romo audibled to at the line after seeing the defense...sometimes you have to know exactly what happened before blaming the playcaller...I have to believe the QB has at least two possibilities at the line.

 

[hendog]

The only problem I have with throwing there is if you're trying to establish an identity as a run first, smash mouth physical team then you need to line up and run it down their throat.

Although if RW catches that pass I win my fantasy matchup.:bang2:

 

[theogt]

It's a brainfart by Garrett. Just like the deep pass against the Giants.

He's a very good coordinator, but has brain farts on occasion. Although it sometimes takes him a while, he does appear to learn from his mistakes.

 

[theogt]

The only problem I have with throwing there is if you're trying to establish an identity as a run first, smash mouth physical team then you need to line up and run it down their throat.

He has absolutely no intention of establishing an identity as a run first, smash mouth physical team. And I think that is a good thing, because we're not that kind of team. Most of our rushing yardage comes off shotgun draw plays. I can remember only a single time last night where we lined up in a traditional I formation and even then, we passed out of it.

Check out the last drive when we're running out the clock. Everyone knows we're running the ball. The stadium is emptying. The game is over. What are we running? Shotgun draws. And I think that very well could be because we literally don't have much else in our playbook in terms of rushing plays.

I was listening to NFL Radio on the way home last night and the guy on the radio was going on about how we've had 200+ yard rushing games back to back and how we're a smash mouth team that lives off the play action. The guy had it completely backwards. We're a passing team, whose rushing game lives off the draw play.

 

[HoosierCowboy]

line up under center in a power formation
fake it to Choice
pass it to a wide open TE

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I'm not worried about rewarding anyone, I just want the TD.

The way we were once again running the ball, you have to know 2 shots from inside the one with Choice running behind Gurode and Davis and Anderson was the obvious decision.

Garrett amazes me sometimes.

If we had lost that game 14-13, those 2 play calls would get a lot more attention and the coaches would be answering a lot of questions.

 

[superpunk]

I think if Bennett knew how to run a fade we would have scored on the second one.

 

[RoadRunner]

I ceartinly would have preferred a couple of power running plays or QB sneaks then the jump ball fades. Seems like the runs are much higher percentage of success and we were able to pund the run all night anyway. It was a case of Garrett outsmarting himself. I think he trie to anticpate the opponent changing up and adjusting to what we are doing well when he should just keep on exploiting the weakness until the opponent actually does prove they can stop it.

 

[kmd24]

I was listening to NFL Radio on the way home last night and the guy on the radio was going on about how we've had 200+ yard rushing games back to back and how we're a smash mouth team that lives off the play action. The guy had it completely backwards. We're a passing team, whose rushing game lives off the draw play.

I think that might be why our play action isn't working all that well. We run so many draws and runs from shotgun formation that it's almost a given that it's play action when Romo turns his head off the snap.

I'm exaggerating on it being a given, but it is curious that a team that amasses 200 yards in consecutive games has trouble getting a safety to bite on a play fake.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

I think if Bennett knew how to run a fade we would have scored on the second one.

The play was predictable and the defense knew it. In fact I was screaming "no" at the TV when I saw the foramtion line up. A better play call would've been a run or an out pass to Bennett off of play action to bait the defender in. Instead, Garrett turned in the play that causes opposing defenses to say "they're predictable; we knew exactly what they would do before they even lined up".

 

[superpunk]

The play was predictable and the defense knew it. In fact I was screaming "no" at the TV when I saw the foramtion line up. A better play call would've been a run or an out pass to Bennett off of play action to bait the defender in. Instead, Garrett turned in the play that causes opposing defenses to say "they're predictable; we knew exactly what they would do before they even lined up".

We got our enormous, athletic TE lined up against a LB.

That's a win, from an offensive scheme standpoint. All we had to do was execute.

Bennett ran some sort of bizarre pirouette, and Romo's pass sailed harmlessly overhead.

But if we can get that matchup at the goalline? Throw it every time imo.

 

[Doomsday101]

I don't have a problem with the first call. You knew the defense was going to stack to stop an inside run, leaving Roy 1-1. It may not have even entered into the reasoning, but I liked the idea of rewarding Roy with a TD for all the incredible blocking he had done downfield getting us big run after big run.

Problem: he's got to catch that ball...maybe the most accurate fade I've ever seen Romo throw...should have been a TD.

2nd call? Yeah, I have problems with that one...you have to figure the LB on Bennett is wondering if the same thing might happen if the Cowboys tried to pull that on the CB. Besides, Bennett has to block first...Romo has to play action fake, and then Bennett is probably alone.

Lousy design to just pop up and throw, and it was UGLY...not even close. Bennett doesn't need to engage the lb first...he had the height advantage and should have just run the play.

Finally,

A. I'm curious what the call was for 4th down before the rookie flinched.

B. I'm wondering if either of the two pass plays was an option that Romo audibled to at the line after seeing the defense...sometimes you have to know exactly what happened before blaming the playcaller...I have to believe the QB has at least two possibilities at the line.

I agree. I had no problem throwing the fade to RW on 2nd and goal I did not like the fact we tried it on 3rd down.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

It's a brainfart by Garrett. Just like the deep pass against the Giants.

He's a very good coordinator, but has brain farts on occasion. Although it sometimes takes him a while, he does appear to learn from his mistakes.

I'm more bothered by this call than the deep pass attempt against the Giants.

But I guess you knew that.

 

[TOYSTER17]

I'm more bothered by this call than the deep pass attempt against the Giants.

But I guess you knew that.

I saw no problems with those two calls. Roy should've came down with that pass and if he did we'd all be praising the play. The next play was an obvious mismatch with our TE and would've been an easy catch had he run the proper route. I don't get this whole we're a running football team, didn't we run and pass about the same amount? Maybe even a few passes more than runs if I recall. So I'm confused.

Yup we've passed more than run in every game. AND that includes run plays at end of games.

 

[AmishCowboy]

The only problem I have with throwing there is if you're trying to establish an identity as a run first, smash mouth physical team then you need to line up and run it down their throat.

Although if RW catches that pass I win my fantasy matchup.:bang2:

Norm was on him pretty good today about this.

 

[Chief]

We got our enormous, athletic TE lined up against a LB.

That's a win, from an offensive scheme standpoint. All we had to do was execute.

Bennett ran some sort of bizarre pirouette, and Romo's pass sailed harmlessly overhead.

But if we can get that matchup at the goalline? Throw it every time imo.

I loved the first call and everything was perfect until Roy dropped the ball.

The second one, I was less enthusiastic about, but I can understand why Garrett/Romo went that way. Bennett is an athletic freak ... a 6-6 basketball player with good timing and agility. That's a huge mismatch. Like you said, the problem was execution.

 

[CactusCowboy]

2 plays, 1 yard, you run Choice, Garett is a boob!

 

[CPonder14]

theogt is correct.

WE are NOT a smash mouth running team even with our 3 backs. Go look at the times we run from normal I formation or strong formation we never gain any yards. We gain most of our rushing yards on draws counters and misdirection plays.

 

[nalam]

I think if Bennett knew how to run a fade we would have scored on the second one.

In the preseason he did one in the endzone, Romo put a flat ball behind him instead of throwing it up. Bennett did point out to romo that he needs to throw it up for him to use his height to outjump the defender and come down with it.

Romo doesn't throw fade or slant particularly well, I think that is missing in is arsenel list.

 

[jay cee]

He has absolutely no intention of establishing an identity as a run first, smash mouth physical team. And I think that is a good thing, because we're not that kind of team. Most of our rushing yardage comes off shotgun draw plays. I can remember only a single time last night where we lined up in a traditional I formation and even then, we passed out of it.

Check out the last drive when we're running out the clock. Everyone knows we're running the ball. The stadium is emptying. The game is over. What are we running? Shotgun draws. And I think that very well could be because we literally don't have much else in our playbook in terms of rushing plays.

I was listening to NFL Radio on the way home last night and the guy on the radio was going on about how we've had 200+ yard rushing games back to back and how we're a smash mouth team that lives off the play action. The guy had it completely backwards. We're a passing team, whose rushing game lives off the draw play.

No truer words have been spoken, that's just not his offensive philosophy.

I disagree with you in that I think, with that big o-line and that stable of rb's, the Cowboys could be a run first team.

But teams will reflect their coaches philosophy. But so far this year he has run slightly more per game than in '07 and '08.

But like you said, not a lot power running plays.