The Linehan play calling thread

[Idgit]

Where is the motion in this offense? You cant double what you cant find, Dallas makes it way too easy for teams to scheme for them by not moving their WRs around. Why no use some motion to add some confusion to who is covering who, or to get Dez or Williams matched up on a nickel corner or LB? Washington just played their CBs 10 yards off the ball and blitzed like made dogs, occasionally dropping people to take away the slants. You would think if they put Williams in motion and simply ran him across the field it would be darn near impossible for a DB playing 10 yards off him to run him down.

That's not the problem. They're playing cover 0. There are more guys coming than you can block. When you do that, one guy misses a tackle, you give up 7. They didn't get the ball out fast enough, or they didn't beat that one tackle the whole game last night.

This is the same reason why I'm not too concerned about other teams making a living blitzing everybody. 9 times out of 10 we're going to pick a couple of those up, and when we do, we're going to beat them badly.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I think we probably should have gone more Max Protect and counted on our WRs to single up on two rookie CBs and just beat them but hey, it shouldn't come down to that. The routes were there. We just didn't run them.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Murry gets 8 yards on first down in overtime. and you throw 3 straight passes. makes no sense. you get the first down first. then you can throw a pass on first down. the playcalling was just bad. this is a game you can't lose. cowboys lost to a bad team tonight.

Absolutely correct. We performed poorly last night,but the play calling in OT was inexcusable.

 

[DOUBLE WING]

Please. Watch the play again. 1:17 mark. Notice, too, how the commentators say the exact same thing I said in my post above. That ball was right on the money. You can't put that on the play caller, or on Weeden.

The CB played tight coverage and got his hand in to deflect the ball out of Dez's hands. This wasn't a dropped pass. It was a pass breakup. If he had thrown the ball lower and more to the center of the body, maybe hit Dez right on the numbers, it probably would have been caught, but he didn't and it wasn't.

What you had there was a backup QB throwing the ball to a well-covered receiver, and the pass was incomplete. No ifs, and's or but's.

And a pass to Dez from that point on the field is almost certainly a higher percentage play than trying to run the ball in.

Murray is averaging 5.1 yards rushing this season, averaged 7.4 yards per carry in the game, and had 54 yards on his previous two carries.

Him gaining 3 yards on 3 tries is basically a guarantee.

So please, explain to me how Brandon Weeden throwing the ball twice is a higher percentage play. This should be rich.

 

[Idgit]

The CB played tight coverage and got his hand in to deflect the ball out of Dez's hands. This wasn't a dropped pass. It was a pass breakup. If he had thrown the ball lower and more to the center of the body, maybe hit Dez right on the numbers, it probably would have been caught, but he didn't and it wasn't.

What you had there was a backup QB throwing the ball to a well-covered receiver, and the pass was incomplete. No ifs, and's or but's.

Sorry, but you're just wrong. I never said the coverage wasn't good, so there's no need to keep mentioning that it was. This is the NFL, the coverage is going to be good in the end zone. That's a play Dez absolutely has to make. You can't ask more of a backup QB in that situation, and you can't blame the play call. There's a reason why they show you the slow-mo of the ball bouncing off his pads. There's a reason why the announcers say 'Dez has to catch that ball,' and there's a reason why they cut to Dez pointing both fingers at himself after he drops the touchdown.

This sort of second guessing of the play call when a play doesn't work out is probably my single least favorite thing about the forum after a Dallas Cowboys loss. It's so easy to pretend doing the opposite of what didn't work would have been the right call. More often than not, though, teams run the plays they do for a reason. When you get your protections and you get the inside release and you get the ball right on your best player's chest....that's not a bad play call. If he doesn't catch it, that's an execution problem.

 

[DOUBLE WING]

Sorry, but you're just wrong. I never said the coverage wasn't good, so there's no need to keep mentioning that it was. This is the NFL, the coverage is going to be good in the end zone. That's a play Dez absolutely has to make. You can't ask more of a backup QB in that situation, and you can't blame the play call. There's a reason why they show you the slow-mo of the ball bouncing off his pads. There's a reason why the announcers say 'Dez has to catch that ball,' and there's a reason why they cut to Dez pointing both fingers at himself after he drops the touchdown.

This sort of second guessing of the play call when a play doesn't work out is probably my single least favorite thing about a Dallas Cowboys loss. It's so easy to pretend doing the opposite of what didn't work would have been the right call. More often than not, though, teams run the plays they do for a reason. When you get your protections and you get the inside release and you get the ball right on your best player's chest....that's not a bad play call. If he doesn't catch it, that's an execution problem.

If you're going to take what announcers say as gospel, then let's not leave out the guy saying "these are throws that Romo and Dez would have made because of their relationship."

You can ask more of a backup QB in that situation - you can ask him to turn around and hand the ball off to the best RB in the NFL.

The play itself was not a bad call - I'm not arguing they should have ran some other pass pattern. The idea to throw the ball IN GENERAL was terrible. That's my argument. Giving it to Murray was the smarter, logical, higher-percentage play, and I'm still waiting to hear you explain to me how it wasn't.

 

[Idgit]

If you're going to take what announcers say as gospel, then let's not leave out the guy saying "these are throws that Romo and Dez would have made because of their relationship."

You can ask more of a backup QB in that situation - you can ask him to turn around and hand the ball off to the best RB in the NFL.

The play itself was not a bad call - I'm not arguing they should have ran some other pass pattern. The idea to throw the ball IN GENERAL was terrible. That's my argument. Giving it to Murray was the smarter, logical, higher-percentage play, and I'm still waiting to hear you explain to me how it wasn't.

I'm taking what the announcers say as support for my argument. I'm taking what is on the tape as gospel, as it's obvious. The link's in the thread. 1:17. The ball hits Dez. He doesn't make the play. By definition, it's not a terrible decision to throw the ball when you can hit your best player in the chest with it.

I don't have the numbers on Dez's success rate in the end zone, which is why I qualified that statement in the first place. I never said I did, though, and was just answering your question when you asked me which I thought was a higher percentage.

I do recall the data being posted previously and that the percentages in that situation were very high. Which is not surprising as we go to him all that time in that situation. Rushing against a short yardage defense from the three yard line on third down is not a particularly high percentage play. You're obviously not able to look at Murray's YPC against regular down and distance and pretend that's the likelihood of converting on the goal line.
And, while I obviously don't agree with you on that third down pass, the second down call is where I would have run it. I think Weeden audibled out of that, though, when he saw the coverage he got on Dez there. Had we run it, and gotten a yard or two closer, I might agree with you what to do on third down. But, again, that third down play call worked, so it's really a moot point. We can't keep blaming the play call for execution problems.

 

[bodi]

You always off dude. Always totally wrong. Maybe you could just read instead of posting.

ok MISTER I AM ALWAYS RIGHT


I will do jus that

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Yeah they hit Murray in a flat for a pass. I was screaming at the TV like why did you not just run the ball up the gut ?

yep, 2nd and 2, should have been an easy first down but we channeled past Garrett and blew it.

 

[jday]

Murry gets 8 yards on first down in overtime. and you throw 3 straight passes. makes no sense. you get the first down first. then you can throw a pass on first down. the playcalling was just bad. this is a game you can't lose. cowboys lost to a bad team tonight.

Trouble is, had it worked, and the Cowboys had won, not a single person would have questioned it.

 

[lostar2009]

yep, 2nd and 2, should have been an easy first down but we channeled past Garrett and blew it.

Our play selection suck

 

[Derinyar]

So getting the ball in the hands of the best RB in the nfl only counts when its from less then a yard as opposed to more like 2 yards. That's idiotic thinking. Your opponent is blitzing 7-8 players and playing cover zero. You get the ball to your RB in the flat and he quite often gets 15-20 yards before someone can react to it.

If you want to argue that we should have run the ball on 3rd down or 4th down I'll buy that without a problem.

 

[Lazyking]

Not calling more screens and the OT drive pissed me off not giving Murray another carry but all in all, I've been happy with Linehan.

 

[Cebrin]

The play calling in this game was incredibly boring. No movement, no variety, boring. Defense couldn't tackle a wounded turtle. I believe we'll adjust and play better. Winning 6 straight was impressive. The Skins are a better team than what their record shows. However, I believe we are better, we just didn't bring our A game both on the field or on the sidelines. Excited about this Cardinals game. Oh, and Clowney is back so, look forward to watching the Eagles get pounced (I hope).

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

Lol if Lienahan was really on the sideline we'd have beaten the all out Blitzkrieg. He must have been in London.

 

[dallasdave]

Game plan came from movie dumb and dumber

 

[BAT]

Trouble is, had it worked, and the Cowboys had won, not a single person would have questioned it.

That's actually not true. I and some others, have been firm advocates of running the ball more in the redzone and in second/third and short situations. The OL is not dominant in every aspect, they only dominate when run blocking. Pass protection is good, not elite. If the Cowboys staff finally understand that the best identity for this team is to dominate on the ground, then this loss was worthwhile. I do not see any team in the entire league who can stop the Cowboys running game. Our worst enemy is the Cowboys playcalling when we try to force "balance" in the offense.

Cowboys need to wear out the opposing teams, grind them to dust, then pick our spots in the passing game. Run from 3rd and long once a while just too keep the D from teeing off on our QBs. AZ is hoping and praying we stray from the run like we did against Wash.

 

[jday]

That's actually not true. I and some others, have been firm advocates of running the ball more in the redzone and in second/third and short situations. The OL is not dominant in every aspect, they only dominate when run blocking. Pass protection is good, not elite. If the Cowboys staff finally understand that the best identity for this team is to dominate on the ground, then this loss was worthwhile. I do not see any team in the entire league who can stop the Cowboys running game. Our worst enemy is the Cowboys playcalling when we try to force "balance" in the offense.

Cowboys need to wear out the opposing teams, grind them to dust, then pick our spots in the passing game. Run from 3rd and long once a while just too keep the D from teeing off on our QBs. AZ is hoping and praying we stray from the run like we did against Wash.

I'm a big advocate of running the ball, as well. That's not the point. The truth is had the Cowboys caught the Commanders off guard by passing as opposed to running, like Linehan expected, no one would have questioned him. The masses would have lauded him as a genius. If you insist you would still question him, fine, but had that play call led to the win, rest assured you would be in the minority.

 

[Doomsday101]

No one question Linehan until this game, I think he understands what he wants to do but you lose and all of a sudden he goes from great to clueless. lol fans are just too funny.