When the Patriots didnt send out a punt returner

[SoupcanSam]

It felt like BB was punking us and we didnt know what to do. To me it didnt matter if Cooper caught it on 4th and 11 I never felt we where going to win that game after that. Love my team just being honest.

The Patriots were struggling so bill started playing mind games with the coaches and players.

It's one of Bills go to's that he keeps in the wallet of his back pocket.

They all looked like idiots standing around not knowing what to do.

No matter what the other team does on their side, you continue to play the game as is. It was that simple.

You stop doing the norm because of something you dont recognize on the other side?????

At worse the Patriots would be the ones to get a flag if something came up lame on their end.

Freaking imbeciles.

 

[dragon_mikal]

Embarrassing is the only word you can use to describe how the special teams performed.

 

[DeaconMoss]

All you really need to know is that the special teams defense lined up with no returner AND no one covering the wing gunner who also happens to be a WR. It was a brain-dead gimme first down and probably TD provided V. Bryant could outrun Danny Woodhead who's on the other side of the field. Snap the ball throw a lob and a chimpanzee would score. Instead, we took a delay of game.

There is nobody back there to kick it to. What do I do now?

 

[Silverz1972]

He knew we were not prepared.
Special teams needs to be addressed. So bad.

It felt like BB was punking us and we didnt know what to do. To me it didnt matter if Cooper caught it on 4th and 11 I never felt we where going to win that game after that. Love my team just being honest.

 

[DeaconMoss]

The whole sequence was hilarious.

Pats don't put anyone back, leave a WR uncovered for an easy first down and we panic and take a delay of game penalty. Reset, Pats do pretty much the same thing with no one back, but this time the WR is covered and then we get an illegal motion penalty because we realize there are too many rushers for blockers on the punt with no one back despite the fact the Pats just lined up that way before the delay penalty.

That right there is just quintessential Cowboys football under this regime. Something as simple as punt blocking turned into a cluster-crap because Belichick did something unusual.

And the Pats knew nothing positive could come from them trying to field a punt, so they just tried to block it. Great coaching.

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

Situational football is not JG’s thing......

He's 100% reactionary. So the rest of the season they will be hyper-prepared for something they will never see again.

 

[links18]

I thought the same thing. Would have been a walk in TD. Isn’t Jones a pretty good passer? I seem to remember something like that.

Jones can throw it.

 

[gimmesix]

All you really need to know is that the special teams defense lined up with no returner AND no one covering the wing gunner who also happens to be a WR. It was a brain-dead gimme first down and probably TD provided V. Bryant could outrun Danny Woodhead who's on the other side of the field. Snap the ball throw a lob and a chimpanzee would score. Instead, we took a delay of game.

I don't agree that we should have thrown a lob there. You still would have had a punter trying to complete a pass into coverage, even if it would have been by a return man.

The part that disturbs me is that the gunner isn't coached to move in tight when his defender does to go for the block. Our players should have known what to do in that situation. Some of that is on Bryant, but most of it is on the coaches who should be practicing for such possibilities as a team going all out to block the punt.

It isn't like a punt block formation is all that unusual. It might have been unexpected there, but the players should have known what to do.

 

[mahoneybill]

I thought the same thing. Would have been a walk in TD. Isn’t Jones a pretty good passer? I seem to remember something like that.

yes he is... missed big opportunity to cash in

 

[Playmaker3128]

I think it was even more embarrassing when we weren't prepared for the pop up kick late in the game. Even though the pats did it twice before.... were not ready for it.

 

[Doomsday]

Yep, they took advantage of the Cowboys lack of coaching and got 3 critical points out of it.

 

[csirl]

And the Pats knew nothing positive could come from them trying to field a punt, so they just tried to block it. Great coaching.

+1

Cowboys were punting into a strong wind swirling wind - so likely wouldnt be returned, so BB decided not to bother with a returner. With no returner, there's no need to stop the gunner.

BB decided to go all out for a block with 11 rushing against 8-9 Cowboys blocking. Even with an audible to a pass it would still be difficult to get a pass off.

 

[DandyDon52]

that is odd though, that pats special teams not only forgot to cover gunner, but forgot to put someone deep??
I think they were going for the block, or the confusion that occured.
Dallas was unprepared, most teams would be for that I think.
It might be on the punter to go ahead and call for the snap and then throw to the gunner. but if pats are sending 11 guys they might jump up and block the
punters pass.
Then they get the ball right there. so blocked punt or blocked pass, it would be 11 on 9 so 2 guys coming unblocked from edges.

 

[CB61]

It felt like BB was punking us and we didnt know what to do. To me it didnt matter if Cooper caught it on 4th and 11 I never felt we where going to win that game after that. Love my team just being honest.

And we totally felt the pieces when they did that un-freakin'-believable in NFL team doing that just kick the damn thing the reason they got all nervous is because they blocked one still got to kick the damn thing take a couple seconds change the blocking? I forgot nevermind we can't make in-game adjustments let alone in play adjustments

 

[TwoDeep3]

Why wasn't the head coach on top of the play clock and calling time out to save the five yard penalty during the failed punt sequence?

Why can't this team execute a simple punt?

If this is the second or third time special teams has fallen in the poop, why does the head coach not do something about it?

Is anyone held accountable for their failures on this team - players or coaches?

At the most critical juncture of the game, why are rookies on the field to screw it up with penalties?

Why is Garrett not sending tape in on the tripping penalties? Joe Gibbs used to point out the bad calls and advise he was sending game tape in to complain about poor officiating. He skirted fines for calling out errors by refs this way but still got them into his post game press conference. Fact is why are the head coaches not using this as a group, each calling out poor officiating in a way to get ther league to fix this issue?

Why did the team not practice in the rain?

Why was Dak not wearing the glove and had practiced with it before?

What was the thinking about not going for it with six minutes left in the game? Bury them deep in their territory if you fail. Three points doesn't do squat?

How can this team, week in and week out, be so abysmally unprepared?

With the talent on this team how does it spit the bit every week unless they are playing the JV teams?

Why Is Jason Garrett still coaching this team?