Cowboys' Jason Garrett on fourth-quarter collapse: 'We didn't handle the situation at

[Cr122]

Cowboys' Jason Garrett on fourth-quarter collapse: 'We didn't handle the situation at the end of the ball game well'

By Rainer Sabin / Reporter
rsabin@dallasnews.com | Bio
12:40 AM on Mon., Sep. 12, 2011 | Permalink

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Cowboys frittered away their lead in the fourth quarter and eventually lost 27-24 to the New York Jets in the season opener. The outcome and the way they squandered an opportunity to seize a momentous victory bothered Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, who has preached to his team the importance of finishing games.

"We didn't handle the situation at the end of the ball game well," Garrett said. "We did things that teams that know how to win games don't do. We turned the ball over had a punt blocked and then turned it over again. We gave them great opportunities."

In training camp, Garrett hammered home the point that the Cowboys must perform well in the late stages and during the preseason the team practiced scenarios to prepare them to play in a game like the one that transpired Sunday

"You've got to play well in the fourth quarter, You've got to win in the fourth quarter," Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee said. "That's a big thing Coach Garrett said. You got to win the turnover battle and you got to win the fourth quarter. We didn't win the fourth quarter this time."

For Garrett, that was unacceptable.

"Clearly we need to play at the end of the ball game to help us win the ball game," Garrett said. "At the starting point, we're playing the right way. We just have to handle situational football better. We didn't do that tonight."

And it cost them.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Cowboys' Jason Garrett on fourth-quarter collapse: 'We didn't handle the situation at the end of the ball game well'

By Rainer Sabin / Reporter
rsabin@dallasnews.com | Bio
12:40 AM on Mon., Sep. 12, 2011 | Permalink

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Cowboys frittered away their lead in the fourth quarter and eventually lost 27-24 to the New York Jets in the season opener. The outcome and the way they squandered an opportunity to seize a momentous victory bothered Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, who has preached to his team the importance of finishing games.

"We didn't handle the situation at the end of the ball game well," Garrett said. "We did things that teams that know how to win games don't do. We turned the ball over had a punt blocked and then turned it over again. We gave them great opportunities."

In training camp, Garrett hammered home the point that the Cowboys must perform well in the late stages and during the preseason the team practiced scenarios to prepare them to play in a game like the one that transpired Sunday.

"You've got to play well in the fourth quarter, You've got to win in the fourth quarter," Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee said. "That's a big thing Coach Garrett said. You got to win the turnover battle and you got to win the fourth quarter. We didn't win the fourth quarter this time."

For Garrett, that was unacceptable.

"Clearly we need to play at the end of the ball game to help us win the ball game," Garrett said. "At the starting point, we're playing the right way. We just have to handle situational football better. We didn't do that tonight."

And it cost them.

And everyone for the most part did just that, except ONE person. The defense was much maligned all offseason, and to a limted degree rightfully so. But the defense rose to the occasion and handled the challenge. I was expecting a loss, and that loss to come because of the defense. We all said that the offense would have to carry the defense for the earlier parts of the season, but it was the defense especially in the 4th quarter that carried the offense, and the offense couldn't seal the deal. Now when I say offense, I'm referring to one particular person.

We can't blame Wade anymore.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Garrett talks about situational football while he is the worst playcaller in the redzone, in NFL history *slight exaggeration*

 

[cmd34]

We can't blame Wade anymore.

Plenty of the blame lies on Romo's head but if after the Witten play, we would have handed off the ball to Felix 3 straight times, we would have won the game. We either punch it in or take 2 plus minutes off the clock and kick the FG.

 

[Sheik]

Did Garrett forget to teach them situational football? This piece suggests otherwise.

9 years into this thing and Tony Romo still doesn't understand situational football? F that. It's an excuse. Tony comes up small when it counts. Always has, always will. I've always thought he was a guy that was capable of doing big things. Not anymore. Last night was something you'd expect from 1st or 2nd year Romo, not a guy that has as much experience as he has.

Garrett needs to stop thinking like a QB and start thinking like an OC, or hire an OC that can appreciate a 3 yard rushing TD as much as a 75 yard TD pass. He is probably as much to blame for what happened last night as Tony is.

Both of them can go F themselves until Sunday.

 

[cmd34]

Did Garrett forget to teach them situational football?

9 years into this thing and Tony Romo still doesn't understand situational football? F that. It's an excuse. Tony comes up small when it counts. Always has, always will. I've always thought he was a guy that was capable of doing big things. Not anymore. Last night was something you'd expect from 1st or 2nd year Romo, not a guy that has as much experience as he has.

Garrett needs to stop thinking like a QB and start thinking like an OC, or hire an OC that can appreciate a 3 yard rushing TD as much as a 75 yard TD pass. He is probably as much to blame for what happened last night as Tony is.

Both of them can go F themselves until Sunday.

That's pretty much where I'm at.

A Cowboy fan at work was arguing with me that Romo kills us by letting the play clock get to 0 on every play. I countered that it was Garrett's fault for either getting the plays in late or giving Romo too many options, Play 1, Option 2 ,etc.

He starts screaming at me that it is still all Romo's fault. Then I said, so if it all Romo's fault why does the Head Coach let him keep doing it over and over again. Shouldn't the Head Coach correct that?

He stormed out of the office. When he came back I asked him if he had any relatives named David in Atlanta.

 

[Sheik]

lol @ the last sentence.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Plenty of the blame lies on Romo's head but if after the Witten play, we would have handed off the ball to Felix 3 straight times, we would have won the game. We either punch it in or take 2 plus minutes off the clock and kick the FG.

You're preaching to the choir. I said already they should have ran that same play that Felix scored on down there, or even a delayed draw.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Garrett needs to stick with something, both the run and pass and dare teams to stop it, Laz. So I agree. He should have went back to Felix there.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Garrett needs to stick with something, both the run and pass and dare teams to stop it, Laz. So I agree. He should have went back to Felix there.

That's how Jimmy Johnson did it. Teams knew that Emmitt was getting the ball and on which side, and he dared them to stop it. You'd think that would have rubbed off on Garrett. We got talent at both the WR and RB positions. And for once, I would like to see a QB sneak, or even a QB draw.

 

[cmd34]

That's how Jimmy Johnson did it. Teams knew that Emmitt was getting the ball and on which side, and he dared them to stop it. You'd think that would have rubbed off on Garrett. We got talent at both the WR and RB positions. And for once, I would like to see a QB sneak, or even a QB draw.

Really? After last night you want to call the QB Draw... Really?

 

[63echo]

Garrett talks about situational football while he is the worst playcaller in the redzone, in NFL history *slight exaggeration*

A ~very~ slight exaggeration. Garrett, for all his "genius," seems to lose his damned mind when we get near the goal line. It's mystifying.

Also, after watching the game a second time this morning, I've gotten more and more pissed with the piece of shit effort Dez gave after the interception. That was weak as hell and he's not gotten much flak for it at all.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Dez is a warrior! How dare you.

 

[63echo]

Warrior, my ass.

 

[VA Cowboy]

Warrior, my ass.

Is this a statement or a command???

 

[63echo]

I meant to say my ass is a warrior, but slipped into Yoda mode for a bit. My bad.