The Reason we didn't attack on our last possession

[ConstantReboot]

I think Sturm alluded to the Tanner inside-outside run as the culprit, which likely facilitated the hold by Tyron. Simple dive plays would have killed it without undue risk but then you risk the field goal miss from a longer distance. Looks like dive plays and punting through the end zone [or deep] with about 20 - 25 seconds to get in field goal range [55 - 65 yards] might have been the way to go, absent a touchdown, they would only have a chance to tie. They would have had to go to the perimeter for yards, since being tackled in the middle of the field would probably be too risky.

During that situation, every decision was crucial. Thus its not easy to decide the best course of action. But I would certainly tell my rookie runningback not to get fancy and certainly not fumble the ball. Even though there was a holding call, Tanner held the ball loosely and came dangerously close to running out of bounds. He should have just done his job and run the inside dive. By then, Detroit would have around 20 seconds or less to make a field goal.

 

[kramskoi]

Yes he didn't know Tyron would hold. Yet in that situation why allow a rookie running back to run it outside and risk a penalty, fumble or even running it out of bounds? A first down would have been nice. But what we needed to do was chew time off the clock.

I think the correct play was to dive 3 times and then punt deep or through the endzone, leaving only 20 - 25 seconds get into reasonable field goal range. The issue in this situation is time, not points, which it seems Garrett was intent upon. Situational awareness, game management and clock management continues to confound the Cowboys it seems.

 

[Zman5]

FG shouldn't have been the focus of the last drive. Running out the clock should have been. Either by aggressively trying to get few first downs or ultra conservatively by kneeling down. Running a three run plays from a jumbo package was the worst option.

 

[Zman5]

I think this is where JG's inexperience shows up greatly. He just doesn't know what to do in these crucial situations where a right decision has to be made quickly.

A coach who has been coaching for some time can draw from his previous experiences. He can make the right decisions quickly since he has seen/been in similar situations beforehand.

This is why we keep losing these close games at the end.

 

[Clove]

Get off to a fast start next time, and then we can cruise to a victory. Until we can manage that, we'll continue to put Garrett in position to be exposed as a bad coach, because the Great coaches and Average coaches are separated when it's crunch time. And noticed we usually come out on the short end of the stick.

 

[Sarge]

The bottom line is the defense' bend, then break scheme didn't work..................again.

 

[crashintonickdm]

Just terrible in crunch time. All of them.

 

[bark]

The bottom line is the defense' bend, then break scheme didn't work..................again.

Well sarge someone had a thread the other day asking for names for this D. Sunday we played the ole bend over defense............... Again

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

Garrett didn't even look like he understood that the penalty would stop the clock, I'm not sure that he impressed that reality upon the offense before they went out for that series.

I am glad someone else picked that up. Garrett asked the referee why they clock stopped after they declined the penalty. HE DID NOT KNOW. I did not either, but I am not getting paid MILLIONS to KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ConstantReboot]

I am glad someone else picked that up. Garrett asked the referee why they clock stopped after they declined the penalty. HE DID NOT KNOW. I did not either, but I am not getting paid MILLIONS to KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If he knew he would have made it clear to Tanner not to bounce it outside and run the play as what its called.

 

[silver]

I am glad someone else picked that up. Garrett asked the referee why they clock stopped after they declined the penalty. HE DID NOT KNOW. I did not either, but I am not getting paid MILLIONS to KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But didn't Jerry say last year that learning on the job was not allowed?
“We shouldn’t be learning on our dime. We should have it down, frankly,” Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “We’ve got too much at stake to be having any teaching sessions.

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***...-be-learning-on-our-dime.html/?nclick_check=1

 

[mmillman]

All this hindsight second guessing is ridiculous. Garrett didn't know tyron would hold. If everything is executed without major flare ups lions get the ball with under 30 seconds no timeouts and have to drive for at least a fg. Basically any coach would take that.

He should have. Dallas has been a dumb (football IQ) team for a long time. Maybe the defensive line can fire off the ball at the snap too? Maybe we could target Bryant more than just to get him three catches?

 

[IrishAnto]

The second to last possession was the one in question, not the last one. We absolutely should have done what we did and run it 3 times, the holding screwed everything up. Although I still say that's a ridiculous rule, if the penalty is declined then you should continue from the point of interruption, which was a running play that ended in bounds.

You're correct about the second to last possession.
Romo should never have thrown the ball away.
Scramble around for a long as possible and take the sack, that way you eat as much of the clock a possible.
The throw away stopped the clock.

 

[waving monkey]

Then Garrett is in a no win situation here and the merciful thing would be to put him out of his misery. You either run or fight, you don't stand frozen in the middle of the train tracks with a locomotive full of steam headed toward you.

well if the premise is true you might be correct but thats a stretch

 

[Skip]

All I know is that I wanted more from any of the last 5 minutes of that game. I would have preferred losing from an interception than how they did. At least that would have been aggressive and not passive!

 

[Plankton]

The coaching was not the problem with the last offensive possession. The execution was. Tyron Smith cannot commit that penalty. He completely lost his mind on that play.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

During that situation, every decision was crucial. Thus its not easy to decide the best course of action. But I would certainly tell my rookie runningback not to get fancy and certainly not fumble the ball. Even though there was a holding call, Tanner held the ball loosely and came dangerously close to running out of bounds. He should have just done his job and run the inside dive. By then, Detroit would have around 20 seconds or less to make a field goal.

This. Tanner has mucked things up on his assignments twice now in one week. Maybe Red should just let his money players take care of business when the game is on the line?

 

[Deep_South]

This is the 2nd game in a row Tanner has made a costly mistake. He needs to ride the pine, go to the practice squad, or get cut and replaced by a vet.

 

[birdwells1]

Garrett didn't even look like he understood that the penalty would stop the clock, I'm not sure that he impressed that reality upon the offense before they went out for that series.

I agree, it wouldn't be the first time he wasnt aware of a late game situation.

 

[jterrell]

The largest issue is this....

You build a team philosophy and then go from there.
Either you are a "fortune favors the bold" attack team that recognizes the offensive advantages in the modern game.
Or an old school Parcells type who plays conservatively.
You can not pick and choose come situation because the team needs to molded in one form or the other.

But you can NOT under any circumstances play not to lose then also make a stupid mistake like the Tyron Smith holding call.
We were NEVER getting a first down so holding was largely pointless. ---OK I know they wanted to get into FG range but Bailey was nailing them from 52+ all day.

Games over, it sucks bad but as has been the case since day 1 it really matters about zero.
WE simply have to win our division and try to find some healthy bodies somewhere.
This is my team and watching that was like having my feet dipped in boiling water but it was another in a long line of lessons for this Dallas coaching staff and this team.
These things do help you in the playoffs.
--If you get there and if you have any healthy bodies left to put on the field that played in these tough losses.

I'd rather have Wilcox, Waters and Church back next week then have a W but getting neither is really a kick in the shorts.