Play the Saints with a vanilla playbook

[nathanlt]

After the whuppin that the Saints put on the Patriots on Monday night, I think the Cowboys should play hard-nosed, vanilla plays against them, put some pressure on Brees, but don't do anything really unpredictable.

There's a reasonable chance that Dallas will have to play them twice, and I don't see us getting a suprise win in the regular season and then beating them again in a playoff game.

Save all your chips for the big one, play vanilla, vanilla, vanilla against them in the regular season.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

I thought about this as well.

Play to win, but don't reveal too much.

Especially if we get to the point where we already have a playoff spot locked up by then.

 

[DallasDomination]

If We dont beat the Giants then all this vanilla crap will go out the window. If anything it should never be into consideration unless you play them in a game that doesnt mean anything and you know for a fact you will face them again in the playoffs.

Right now we're not gooing to face the Saints...If We make it we face the pack or Philly. Concentrate on those teams. If We win out and have the division on lock, then you can have this vanilla talk against the eagles.

 

[nathanlt]

I thought about this as well.

Play to win, but don't reveal too much.

Especially if we get to the point where we already have a playoff spot locked up by then.

Yep, play em hard, put in an occasional blitz, so it's not blatantly obvious we're being vanilla, but see if we can win, man to man.

I want victory in the playoffs!!!, I don't want to face them in the NFC championship (not guaranteed by any means) having shown our hand.

 

[Alexander]

After the whuppin that the Saints put on the Patriots on Monday night, I think the Cowboys should play hard-nosed, vanilla plays against them, put some pressure on Brees, but don't do anything really unpredictable.

There's a reasonable chance that Dallas will have to play them twice, and I don't see us getting a suprise win in the regular season and then beating them again in a playoff game.

Save all your chips for the big one, play vanilla, vanilla, vanilla against them in the regular season.

So you suggest "saving up" in a crucial conference game in the middle of the playoff race just thinking you need to hold back for an inevitable meeting in the postseason? That is ridiculous and something that will pay off in a loss.

It won't be a preseason game nor a meaningless finale where you could or would want to hold your hand close to your chest.

That game will be huge in painting the NFC playoff picture. I would treat it just like the Giants did the Patriots several years ago. You play to win. If that means throwing every trick at them, you do it if it will help you win. We faced the 49ers every year and played to win, and in those games, it was much more certain we'd see them again. You can't sandbag and expect to win.

If they see too much, then you need to do a better job of gameplanning IF you meet them again.

The only thing that needs to be "vanilla" is the fact the game needs to be physical and slowed down via our running game so we keep the ball out of their offense's hands and don't get involved in a shootout. It doesn't mean hold back and simplify the gameplan so you can't get figured out for the next time, which isn't inevitable to happen.

 

[Alexander]

Especially if we get to the point where we already have a playoff spot locked up by then.

I assume you believe we'll beat both the Giants and Chargers? That is about the only way we'll have a playoff spot locked in. Even then, I don't believe we clinch the division unless Philadelphia loses two more games. I would hope we aren't just satisfied with a wildcard. I'd like a bye so Phillips can have his second career postseason win.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

So you suggest "saving up" in a crucial conference game in the middle of the playoff race just thinking you need to hold back for an inevitable meeting in the postseason? That is ridiculous and something that will pay off in a loss.

It won't be a preseason game nor a meaningless finale where you could or would want to hold your hand close to your chest.

That game will be huge in painting the NFC playoff picture. I would treat it just like the Giants did the Patriots several years ago. You play to win. If that means throwing every trick at them, you do it if it will help you win. We faced the 49ers every year and played to win, and in those games, it was much more certain we'd see them again. You can't sandbag and expect to win.

If they see too much, then you need to do a better job of gameplanning IF you meet them again.

The only thing that needs to be "vanilla" is the fact the game needs to be physical and slowed down via our running game so we keep the ball out of their offense's hands and don't get involved in a shootout. It doesn't mean hold back and simplify the gameplan so you can't get figured out for the next time, which isn't inevitable to happen.

I can see both sides of the argument. I just don't have faith in our coaching staff.

In other words, if we saw something that we knew we could exploit, and we used it to win the regular season game, then I really believe the Saints have a much better shot at correcting what we exploited than our coaching staff would have at finding more things to exploit.

 

[Alexander]

I can see both sides of the argument. I just don't have faith in our coaching staff.

In other words, if we saw something that we knew we could exploit, and we used it to win the regular season game, then I really believe the Saints have a much better shot at correcting what we exploited than our coaching staff would have at finding more things to exploit.

That's a chance you take.

If this were the regular season finale or meaningless overall, I'd pull everything back. But it won't be the case.

I'd go back to the Coach Johnson approach. If you play a big gorilla, you can't hold anything back.

 

[HoleInTheRoof]

I assume you believe we'll beat both the Giants and Chargers? That is about the only way we'll have a playoff spot locked in. Even then, I don't believe we clinch the division unless Philadelphia loses two more games. I would hope we aren't just satisfied with a wildcard. I'd like a bye so Phillips can have his second career postseason win.

I think we'll beat the Giants. Chargers game I would like to think we could win, but could go either way.

I think we lose the Saints game, regardless.

We're a game up on the Eagles, and I think we can beat them again at our house.

No, I don't want a wild card. But we aren't getting a bye unless Minnesota loses a few more games and we essentially win out. (10-1, 8-3)

 

[Chuck 54]

"You play to WIN the Game!"

Do less and the demoralizing beat down you may incur could destroy confidence and morale which leads to no rematch anyway. You have to believe in your team if you want them to believe in you and in themselves, and you have to do everything you can to win unless it's the end of the season, you've wrapped up your spot, and you're getting guys healthy.

"You play to WIN the Game!"

 

[CATCH17]

After the whuppin that the Saints put on the Patriots on Monday night, I think the Cowboys should play hard-nosed, vanilla plays against them, put some pressure on Brees, but don't do anything really unpredictable.

There's a reasonable chance that Dallas will have to play them twice, and I don't see us getting a suprise win in the regular season and then beating them again in a playoff game.

Save all your chips for the big one, play vanilla, vanilla, vanilla against them in the regular season.

Dallas vs the Saints will be a Physical vs a finesse match up.

What I hope, which is what many on here probably fear, is that they spread us out and not leave Drew Brees any extra blockers.

If they can block our front 7 and still run those 5 step drops than i'll give them credit but I have a feeling our pass rush is going to dictate the game and force them to shortin their passing game and leave people in to block.

 

[JBond]

After the whuppin that the Saints put on the Patriots on Monday night, I think the Cowboys should play hard-nosed, vanilla plays against them, put some pressure on Brees, but don't do anything really unpredictable.

There's a reasonable chance that Dallas will have to play them twice, and I don't see us getting a suprise win in the regular season and then beating them again in a playoff game.

Save all your chips for the big one, play vanilla, vanilla, vanilla against them in the regular season.

No offense, but I could not disagree more. You play every game to win. Period. You do whatever it takes. This is not the '90's Cowboys that can just turn it up 3 notches whenever the choose.

 

[nathanlt]

So you suggest "saving up" in a crucial conference game in the middle of the playoff race just thinking you need to hold back for an inevitable meeting in the postseason? That is ridiculous and something that will pay off in a loss.

It won't be a preseason game nor a meaningless finale where you could or would want to hold your hand close to your chest.

That game will be huge in painting the NFC playoff picture. I would treat it just like the Giants did the Patriots several years ago. You play to win. If that means throwing every trick at them, you do it if it will help you win. We faced the 49ers every year and played to win, and in those games, it was much more certain we'd see them again. You can't sandbag and expect to win.

If they see too much, then you need to do a better job of gameplanning IF you meet them again.

The only thing that needs to be "vanilla" is the fact the game needs to be physical and slowed down via our running game so we keep the ball out of their offense's hands and don't get involved in a shootout. It doesn't mean hold back and simplify the gameplan so you can't get figured out for the next time, which isn't inevitable to happen.

You could not be more wrong. The regular season game against the Saints is not a must win situation. Treat the Giants and Eagles games like must wins... 10 and 5 can get us in the playoffs.

It should be treated like the first half of a 120 minute game. We need to beat them at the end, not at halftime. A loss at halftime is not the worst thing.

Sean Payton (Peyton?) will make the necessary adjustments if we show them all our cards and beat them in the first 60 minutes, I guarantee it!!!!

Barring catastrophic injuries to the Saints roster, the Cowboys will not make the Super Bowl if they beat the Saints in the regular season and face them again.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I think we should run the swinging gate offense.

 

[Section446]

**** the Saints, that's two weeks away.

 

[JBond]

**** the Saints, that's two weeks away.

After all they are going to skull **** us anyway. To borrow a term of yours from yesterday.

 

[YosemiteSam]

After all they are going to skull **** us anyway. To borrow a term of yours from yesterday.

You would think the PH in his name is short for Philly since he speaks so crudely like most of their fans. :laugh2:

 

[CowboyWay]

**** the Saints, that's two weeks away.

I agree. Listening to the guys on 105.3 this morning, they were consumed with Saints talk. Who gives a rats ***???? There is alot of business to take care of before we worry about them. WHO CARES.

If the players are worrying about the Saints right now, our season is finished.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

Jason Garrett is the definition of Vanilla his offense blows. We can be exotic as we want on defense still going to get the crap kicked out of us.

 

[BAZ]

Play to win. If it doesn't work the fist time and you are lucky enough to play them again, try something different. What kind of message are you sending the players if you say keep it simple because we can't beat them twice.