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Garrett :****** joins Switzer for all-time dumbest play-calling decision
Posted Monday, Sep. 13, 2010 Comments
By RANDY GALLOWAY
rgalloway@star-telegram.com
LANDOVER, Md. — Take the last individual plays of each half here Sunday night.
One was a gift touchdown for the Redskins as the clock ran out for intermission.
The other was a possible game-winning touchdown that wasn’t for the Cowboys as the clock ran out in the fourth quarter.
And that just about sums up as disastrous a season opener as the Cowboys have experienced in awhile.
But in digging through the left over trash of the Redskins finally surviving it,13-7, one moment stands above--or below--all other acts of incompetence.
Move over Barry Switzer. If “Load Left” from 1995 was the dumbest offensive play calling decision in Cowboys history, then at the very least, Jason Garrett now shares the low moment for all-time brain lock.
If stupidity was a football felony, Garrett would be doing life without parole as early as this morning. lol
One other thing. Also finger Tony Romo as a willing participant in this crime against common sense.
In an embarrassing offensive disaster, which resulted in a head-shaking, head-rattling loss, the Cowboys opened a new season with a free fall from any possible speculation about far-away post-season prominence.
But at the very end, on the final-play game winning touchdown pass from Romo that wasn’t, we know what backup right tackle Alex Barron did.
He used his arm to lasso the neck of a rushing defender. The flag fell.
It was the right call. It nullified Romo’s dramatic throw to Roy Williams in the corner of the end zone, crushing a brief celebration on the Cowboys sideline.
But go back a half. Go back to the end of the first half. What the heck could Garrett, the offensive coordinator, have been thinking?
This made no sense.
Down 3-0, and struggling with missed opportunities, the Cowboys needed a quick re-booting session at intermission. With four second left on the clock, the ball was at the Dallas 36.
Take a snap and then take a knee.
Instead, Romo took a shotgun snap, looked downfield, scrambled right, and instead of tossing the ball out of bounds, halfway flipped it sidearm to running back Tashard Choice, who was in the short right flat.
Choice was well covered. But when he was tackled, he also fumbled. The loose ball was picked up by cornerback DeAngelo Hall, and he skated into the end zone untouched.
Hello, 10-0 deficit, and also a sudden case of Cowboy shell shock.
Why did Garrett call that play, or any play there?
Why didn’t Romo simply terminate the call once he saw no one open downfield? Wow.
Wade Phillips attempted to take the fall, saying the “we should have taken the knee and gone in down three points. That one was on me.”
But no. The deep bruise, of course, goes on Garrett most of all.
(Under deadline conditions, I didn’t have a chance to wait out Garrett’s late appearance in the locker room. Sorry. But there is no good answer anyway, outside of “I really screwed up.”)
On why the play--or any play--was called at that point, Romo ducked the question with “I will let the coaches’ tell you.”
Here what we know about Romo and the offense: One touchdown over four quarters.
The Cowboys defense allowed two Redskins’ field goals over four quarters.
David Buehler, the new kicker, caused panic to surface immediately at that position when he promptly missed a 34-yard field goal on the first attempt of his new career.
On that particular possession, the Cowboys had a first down at the Washington 12 when Garrett called a strange Marion Barber halfback pass. It was incomplete, and actually a good decision by Barber to throw away the pass.
But momentum seemed to change on the possession with that play call. On a third-and-4 from the six, Dez Bryant drew an offensive pass interference, and the drive eventually came down to the Buehler miss.
No touchdown, or no points, period, in prime red zone territory. Shades of last season.
Overall, the Cowboys repeatedly killed possessions with penalties, but plenty of credit goes to the Redskins defense. In three games since last season, the Cowboys have scored three touchdowns on this D.
Finally, with one last chance, Romo drove it in the final 90 seconds, still having to overcome bad flags. (Not bad calls--bad penalties on the Cowboys.) When it finally came down to one last chance from the Washington 13, Romo scrambled well, and Williams went uncovered.
Yet another flag, unfortunately, wiped out the game-winner.
But that’s what happens when a talent-limited backup like Barron is in the starting lineup due to injury. Romo threw for 282 yards, but much of that yardage came on quick passes to the outside.
I’m sure a guy like Jason Witten will be hissed off at Garrett not working the middle of the field, but the game plan was not to allow a Barron to get Romo killer. Hence, quick passes.
One noteworthy defensive change for the Redskins came when linebacker Brian Orakpo was permanently moved at halftime to Barron’s right side of the field. Two holding calls on Barron and a lot of Romo hurries resulted.
Even so, the game was still decided on one stupid play call.
And Jason Garrett, that one is on you.
Randy Galloway, 817-390-7697
Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/09/13/2462551_p2/garrett-joins-switzer-for-all.html#ixzz0zPMdpkux
Posted Monday, Sep. 13, 2010 Comments
By RANDY GALLOWAY
rgalloway@star-telegram.com
LANDOVER, Md. — Take the last individual plays of each half here Sunday night.
One was a gift touchdown for the Redskins as the clock ran out for intermission.
The other was a possible game-winning touchdown that wasn’t for the Cowboys as the clock ran out in the fourth quarter.
And that just about sums up as disastrous a season opener as the Cowboys have experienced in awhile.
But in digging through the left over trash of the Redskins finally surviving it,13-7, one moment stands above--or below--all other acts of incompetence.
Move over Barry Switzer. If “Load Left” from 1995 was the dumbest offensive play calling decision in Cowboys history, then at the very least, Jason Garrett now shares the low moment for all-time brain lock.
If stupidity was a football felony, Garrett would be doing life without parole as early as this morning. lol
One other thing. Also finger Tony Romo as a willing participant in this crime against common sense.
In an embarrassing offensive disaster, which resulted in a head-shaking, head-rattling loss, the Cowboys opened a new season with a free fall from any possible speculation about far-away post-season prominence.
But at the very end, on the final-play game winning touchdown pass from Romo that wasn’t, we know what backup right tackle Alex Barron did.
He used his arm to lasso the neck of a rushing defender. The flag fell.
It was the right call. It nullified Romo’s dramatic throw to Roy Williams in the corner of the end zone, crushing a brief celebration on the Cowboys sideline.
But go back a half. Go back to the end of the first half. What the heck could Garrett, the offensive coordinator, have been thinking?
This made no sense.
Down 3-0, and struggling with missed opportunities, the Cowboys needed a quick re-booting session at intermission. With four second left on the clock, the ball was at the Dallas 36.
Take a snap and then take a knee.
Instead, Romo took a shotgun snap, looked downfield, scrambled right, and instead of tossing the ball out of bounds, halfway flipped it sidearm to running back Tashard Choice, who was in the short right flat.
Choice was well covered. But when he was tackled, he also fumbled. The loose ball was picked up by cornerback DeAngelo Hall, and he skated into the end zone untouched.
Hello, 10-0 deficit, and also a sudden case of Cowboy shell shock.
Why did Garrett call that play, or any play there?
Why didn’t Romo simply terminate the call once he saw no one open downfield? Wow.
Wade Phillips attempted to take the fall, saying the “we should have taken the knee and gone in down three points. That one was on me.”
But no. The deep bruise, of course, goes on Garrett most of all.
(Under deadline conditions, I didn’t have a chance to wait out Garrett’s late appearance in the locker room. Sorry. But there is no good answer anyway, outside of “I really screwed up.”)
On why the play--or any play--was called at that point, Romo ducked the question with “I will let the coaches’ tell you.”
Here what we know about Romo and the offense: One touchdown over four quarters.
The Cowboys defense allowed two Redskins’ field goals over four quarters.
David Buehler, the new kicker, caused panic to surface immediately at that position when he promptly missed a 34-yard field goal on the first attempt of his new career.
On that particular possession, the Cowboys had a first down at the Washington 12 when Garrett called a strange Marion Barber halfback pass. It was incomplete, and actually a good decision by Barber to throw away the pass.
But momentum seemed to change on the possession with that play call. On a third-and-4 from the six, Dez Bryant drew an offensive pass interference, and the drive eventually came down to the Buehler miss.
No touchdown, or no points, period, in prime red zone territory. Shades of last season.
Overall, the Cowboys repeatedly killed possessions with penalties, but plenty of credit goes to the Redskins defense. In three games since last season, the Cowboys have scored three touchdowns on this D.
Finally, with one last chance, Romo drove it in the final 90 seconds, still having to overcome bad flags. (Not bad calls--bad penalties on the Cowboys.) When it finally came down to one last chance from the Washington 13, Romo scrambled well, and Williams went uncovered.
Yet another flag, unfortunately, wiped out the game-winner.
But that’s what happens when a talent-limited backup like Barron is in the starting lineup due to injury. Romo threw for 282 yards, but much of that yardage came on quick passes to the outside.
I’m sure a guy like Jason Witten will be hissed off at Garrett not working the middle of the field, but the game plan was not to allow a Barron to get Romo killer. Hence, quick passes.
One noteworthy defensive change for the Redskins came when linebacker Brian Orakpo was permanently moved at halftime to Barron’s right side of the field. Two holding calls on Barron and a lot of Romo hurries resulted.
Even so, the game was still decided on one stupid play call.
And Jason Garrett, that one is on you.
Randy Galloway, 817-390-7697
Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/09/13/2462551_p2/garrett-joins-switzer-for-all.html#ixzz0zPMdpkux