At very critical times during that game, Romo didn't tell the leagues leading rusher, the fastest player on offense, the third leading receiver and the player responsible for more first downs than most of the players on the roster, to leave the field and go stand on the sidelines so they could run the all too familiar "empty backfield play". 3rd down and 2 in the second quarter and just needed a first down to at least get a FG and they throw to a short arm TWilly. Brilliant. Linehan or not, that is classic and recognizably pure Garrett stupidity.
What you describe is par for course with Garrett.
In the first Redskins' game against the Cowboys, Murray breaks off a 51 yard run to the Redskins' 6 yard line. He follows that up with a 3 yard run. It's 2nd and goal on the 3 yard line.
What does Garrett call in those situations? Two pass plays that result in incompletes, to which we then had to settle for FGs. Murray would have punched that in, and had he been allowed to... Cowboys would have won that game and not had to go to OT where they eventually lost, but even then they could have possibly won that game.
In OT, Murray breaks off an 8-yard run, and it's 2nd and 2. What does Garrett do? TAKES Murray out of the game, and calls three consecutive pass plays and incompletes, Cowboys lose.
Had the Cowboys won that game, they would have had the #1 seed instead of Seattle.
Bottomline this team achieved in spite of Garrett not because of him.
