I don't know why, but this game was certainly more like the first three than the last three. Whether that means Garrett was involved the last three weeks or Moore suddenly realized the first three weeks were better than the last three, I can't say.
What I can say is there were some brilliant play designs tonight, and it was so fun to watch.
Comes down to simple execution. Other than NO, the offense was pretty effective the last three weeks as long as they weren't shooting themselves in the foot. Drops and turnovers were the biggest issues during the skid. They got down early in games which got them out of their gameplan.
People tend to remark on the creativity of an offense only when it works. The Austin TD, for example, would probably had been met with ridicule for, "being too cute," if Scandrick made the tackle near the line of scrimmage. Remember that designed Dak run on 4th down near the goal line that failed last week? He scores on that play and it's, "How great is Kellen Moore?!? He's so creative!!" It failed so the fans say, "Garrett's an idiot! So predictable! Cost us points!!!"
Fact is, they were still doing pre-snap shifts and motions in the prior weeks but those things are less effective when you're down multiple scores and the situation calls for a more one dimensional approach. New Orleans held the ball for nearly 37 minutes. Green Bay went up 31-3. The Jets got an early 3 score lead. When a defense has that kind of cushion, the pressure is off and they can relax in the comfort of just doing their assignments. That pre-snap stuff becomes less important because they're 90% sure you're going to be 1 dimensional regardless of what you're showing.
For all the hype about Moore, they told us all spring and summer they were still running the same plays, just presenting them differently. That's why I think the whole, "Romo said Garrett's running the offense," argument is silly. Of course it's Garrett's offense. It's his team. He's the HC. Moore wasn't coming in and reinventing the wheel. He just put on some new hubcaps and... maybe a tire with better tread?
They still want to run the ball. They're still at their best when they're running the ball effectively. Sure, there are some new wrinkles. But you know as well as anyone, football isn't that complicated. Once you know what your opponent's options are you can start to take those options away.
Collinsworth made a comment during tonight's game I wish more posters would've taken to heart. He said Richard talked about how they know what they do and how you're supposed to attack what they're doing and they gameplan accordingly. Every coach in the league and most veteran players know how you're supposed to attack a Cover 3, Cover 2, single high, etc. This stuff isn't mysterious. But knowing how to do it and being able to execute that knowledge are two different things.
Last bit of my little rant-
I recently found an article about how Belichick shut down the Rams in last years SB. To stop their running game, he used a strategy he used back in 1990 with the Giants against the Bears in the playoffs. He took away their intermediate passing game by shifting his secondary around to better matchup against their passing attack. He also noticed that the great super genius McVay had a personnel tell with his tight ends. One guy being on the field meant they were more likely to run and the other guy more likely to pass. I thought only DAL had these kind of tells...
What does this have to do with anything? I think it reinforces my point that there's only so many ways to skin a cat. Football isn't that complicated. These guys are professionals who have devoted their life to it. For all of McVay's adulation by fans and media, his vaunted, "creative," offense was shut down by a 30 year old defensive concept, a personnel tell, and an adjustment in coverage in the secondary. But all of that gameplanning would've amounted to nothing if Brady went out and threw a couple of pick 6s or the offense had turned the ball over in other ways.
Ok. I think I'm done. Tired and rambling now.
