Garrett tries to defend shaky clock management

[BucD+ 648]

Per PFT:

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on December 4, 2011, 10:01 PM EST

 

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett iced his own kicker on Sunday in Dallas’ loss to the Cardinals.

 

That was a funny, frustrating, unlucky decision for the Cowboys head coach. But it wasn’t nearly the worst coaching move he made in the final seconds on Sunday.

 

The Cowboys had two timeouts left when Tony Romo completed a first down to the Cardinals 31-yard line with 31 seconds left in the game. Instead of using a timeout then, the Cowboys decided to take their time and spike the ball with seven seconds left.

 

It made absolutely no sense. The Cowboys could have 2-3 more plays to get the ball closer for their kicker Dan Bailey.

 

“We very well could have taken a timeout there,” Garrett said after the game via ESPNDallas.com. “We felt like we were in field-goal range. We have yard lines that we use as guidelines before the game. We felt like we were in range at that point.

 

“You see so many situations where you have negative plays in those situations. We felt like we were in his range to give him a chance to kick the game-winner.”

 

We see coaches hurt their team by playing things too close to the vest too often. It happened with Norv Turner against the Broncos, and it happened with the Cowboys Sunday.

 

Garrett said he had no regrets. When you can set up a rookie kicker for a 49-yard field goal, you just can’t pass up an opportunity like that.

 

“Well, we felt pretty good about where we were,” Garrett said. “Once you get to that 30-yard line we felt like that was a pretty good opportunity for us.”

 

Jerry Jones did his best to be diplomatic.

 

“We had an alternative. We could have run two, possibly three more plays there, but we have a lot of confidence in that kicker. It didn’t work. We all would have liked to have had 20 more yards. But that’s really speculating as to what we’d have done with the ball,” Jones said.

 

The Cowboys played not to lose. When that happens, you usually lose.

 

Romo/Garrett PC

[Maverick 791]

That's not a valid excuse and I don't buy it one bit.

 

With two timouts left and 31 seconds on the clock, you go and get more yards for your kicker. I know as well as anybody that Dan has been pretty automatic for us this year, but he already missed a long field goal in the game.

 

I'm not going all BWare on our team saying we have to fire Garrett, but this whole situation is completely unacceptable.

[oochymp 2,393]

reading between the lines I'm not sure he trusted Romo to not throw a pick: "You see so many situations where you have negative plays in those situations. We felt like we were in his range to give him a chance to kick the game-winner." Sounds like he trusted his kicker to make a 49 yard field goal more than he trusted his offense to not turn the ball over or take a loss of yardage, to be fair Bailey had made a 50 yarder earlier in the game and barely missed a 53 yarder wide, so the 49 yarder wasn't out of the question

Edited December 5, 2011 by oochymp

[Maverick 791]

reading between the lines I'm not sure he trusted Romo to not throw a pick: "You see so many situations where you have negative plays in those situations. We felt like we were in his range to give him a chance to kick the game-winner." Sounds like he trusted his kicker to make a 49 yard field goal more than he trusted his offense to not turn the ball over or take a loss of yardage, to be fair Bailey had made a 50 yarder earlier in the game and barely missed a 53 yarder wide, so the 49 yarder wasn't out of the question

 

Then run the ball. It's not like Murray has a fumble problem.

 

Guarantee you any other NFL coach would take those extra yards running conservative plays with two timeouts left.

[BwareDWare94 723]

I'm not so into the idea of firing Garrett as I am of not losing Rob Ryan. Isn't anybody else feeling the same way?

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

I thought it was the special teams coach who asked Garrett to take a timeout? Considering the fact there was a lot of chaos going on, how many options did they really have aside from calling that timeout?

 

And considering the fact that the Oline wasn't playing all too well, Murray did have negative plays, how much can you really blame him for not trusting his offense to move the ball forward... Not backwards?

 

IMO it was just bad time management from the start, which ultimately doomed them.

[Thanatos 2,847]

I thought it was the special teams coach who asked Garrett to take a timeout? Considering the fact there was a lot of chaos going on, how many options did they really have aside from calling that timeout?

 

And considering the fact that the Oline wasn't playing all too well, Murray did have negative plays, how much can you really blame him for not trusting his offense to move the ball forward... Not backwards?

 

IMO it was just bad time management from the start, which ultimately doomed them.

 

Romo and the team had just moved the ball down the field very nicely. You have to trust your QB. At least run the ball a couple times. You had two timeouts, use them.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

lol at the kicker "needing a full clock"..

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

Romo and the team had just moved the ball down the field very nicely. You have to trust your QB. At least run the ball a couple times. You had two timeouts, use them.

 

Anything could of happened, we don't know. And even if your going to go through and move the ball afterwards, they should of called the timeout right after the first down... Instead of waiting a year and a half after you get the first down to spike the ball or calling a timeout.

 

The timeout is justified because if your gonna kick the all with the game on the line, you want to make sure that your set, not rushed, it was the smart move. What wasn't, was waiting until they rushed on to the field, scrambled to get set and THEN call a timeout... They should of called a timeout right after they got the first down instead of trying to spike it, they did have 2 timeouts.

 

Whether they should of tried to get in better position is another thing, the offensive line hadn't been playing all that well, so what would of happened if he was sacked? Or intercepted? This is Romo were talking about. And even if they ran the ball, who's to say they wouldn't of lost yards on the run? They did have a lot of plays that ended on the wrong side of the LOS, JG admitted he didn't have faith on that offensive line to get them in better position. Should they have been more aggressive? Maybe, but had it not been for the bad time management and misusing a timeout, the kicker probably would of hit it.

[funnygunny 521]

They had momentum on their side. Sure the RB could have been tackled for loss. But at least its smarter than running the clock down, spiking and then icing your own kicker O_O

 

Then again, whose to say they could not get another first down and get closer to a field goal? Trust your team.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Donavan: That strategy is playing not to lose. Surprisingly enough, it normally makes you lose.

 

You play to win the game. If you can't trust Romo, then run the ball. You would have had 24 seconds and a timeout in order to do so.

[Guest Phailadelphia]

reading between the lines I'm not sure he trusted Romo to not throw a pick: "You see so many situations where you have negative plays in those situations. We felt like we were in his range to give him a chance to kick the game-winner." Sounds like he trusted his kicker to make a 49 yard field goal more than he trusted his offense to not turn the ball over or take a loss of yardage, to be fair Bailey had made a 50 yarder earlier in the game and barely missed a 53 yarder wide, so the 49 yarder wasn't out of the question

 

The way Romo has played the last 5 weeks I think that's the LAST thing Garrett was thinking about. What he didn't trust was the OLine, who had been getting beat off and on all day on key plays. After a delay of game at 1:06 and false start at 1:01, Garrett was gunshy about the line not making another mistake and turning a 49 yard field goal into a 54 yard one.

 

I hope Jerry drafts a center in the 2012 draft. Phil Costa HAS to go.

[BC 331]

he's a dipshit

[RazorStar 4,025]

What we witnessed was just another benefit of Garrett's Princeton education. He's so smart, he's always one step ahead of his opponent. "You're going to ice my kicker? Not if I do it first, dummy!"

[Guest Phailadelphia]

I don't understand why such a big deal is being made about this. He fucked up, yeah. But it's the first time he's screwed up clock management and suddenly people are treating him like Andy Reid? Seriously?

[KiLaSix9+ 398]

I don't understand why such a big deal is being made about this. He fucked up, yeah. But it's the first time he's screwed up clock management and suddenly people are treating him like Andy Reid? Seriously?

It's a big deal because it probably cost them the game and in a division where every win right now matters, thats huge. Plus, every is bigger in Texas, including the attention you get when you fuck up.

Edited December 6, 2011 by KiLaSix9

[BwareDWare94 723]

I don't understand why such a big deal is being made about this. He fucked up, yeah. But it's the first time he's screwed up clock management and suddenly people are treating him like Andy Reid? Seriously?

 

Honestly, the thing that bothered me most about this game is that the Cardinals were in it. If we want to be a contender, we have to smash teams like this, even if they are hot.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

Donavan: That strategy is playing not to lose. Surprisingly enough, it normally makes you lose.

 

You play to win the game. If you can't trust Romo, then run the ball. You would have had 24 seconds and a timeout in order to do so.

 

There's a difference between playing 'conservative' or 'not to lose' and playing a game of 'chances' when the game's on the line.

 

2 of there last 5 plays went negative, Romo had been sacked 5 times, Murray averaged like 2 ypc, offense suffered two penalties in the last minute, one being a false start, Oline wasn't playing well, Dez Bryant was dropping passes. Why risk it?

 

If they did run a play or two, and the plays ended negative, and the Boys have to kick a 55 yarder or more and miss, some people would probably be all over Garrett for not kicking it initially.

 

It goes both ways.

Edited December 6, 2011 by DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F

[Thanatos 2,847]

There's a difference between playing 'conservative' or 'not to lose' and playing a game of 'chances' when the game's on the line.

 

2 of there last 5 plays went negative, Romo had been sacked 5 times, Murray averaged like 2 ypc, offense suffered two penalties in the last minute, one being a false start, Oline wasn't playing well, Dez Bryant was dropping passes. Why risk it?

 

If they did run a play or two, and the plays ended negative, and the Boys have to kick a 55 yarder or more and miss, some people would probably be all over Garrett for not kicking it initially.

 

It goes both ways.

 

I doubt anyone would be on Garrett for trying to get his kicker closer than 50 yards when he had missed a 53 yarder previously. Then the argument is that his players didn't execute. At least he would have made the right play call.

Edited December 6, 2011 by Thanatos19

[Bay 2,003]

Honestly, the thing that bothered me most about this game is that the Cardinals were in it. If we want to be a contender, we have to smash teams like this, even if they are hot.

 

Yep. It seems you guys are cursed when you play in their place.

[oochymp 2,393]

I doubt anyone would be on Garrett for trying to get his kicker closer than 50 yards when he had missed a 53 yarder previously. Then the argument is that his players didn't execute. At least he would have made the right play call.

yep, it's one thing if you turn a 33 yarder into a 38 yarder by pushing the issue, but if you turn a 50 yarder into a 55 yarder nobody's gonna say you should have just kicked it from 50

[BigBen07 285]

I have to agree with Bware. That entire situation should not have happened at all. The Cardinals should have been smacked around. There was no reason for Dallas to allow Arizona to stay close, let alone win the game.

Edited December 6, 2011 by BigBen07

[oochymp 2,393]

What we witnessed was just another benefit of Garrett's Princeton education. He's so smart, he's always one step ahead of his opponent. "You're going to ice my kicker? Not if I do it first, dummy!"

you may actually be on to something ...

 

Cards' Whisenhunt bluffed timeout call before Garrett stepped in

By Dan Hanzus NFL.com

Published: Dec. 6, 2011 at 02:50 p.m.Updated: Dec. 6, 2011 at 03:05 p.m

"The official came to me and asked (if I wanted a timeout)," Whisenhunt said Tuesday on NFL Network. "I said, "No, I'm not going to call a timeout, I'm going to stand her beside you and make itlook like I'm going to call a timeout, because you never know. Maybe the kicker looks over and sees and thinks you're going to and maybe it gets him a little bit out of his rhythm. You really don't have any other options at that time so you give it a try."

 

Full Article

Edited December 6, 2011 by oochymp

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Smart move by Wisenhunt...

 

The most painfully obvious thing about Garrett's decision is that he doesn't trust his QB... his offense. Forget the fact that he alone took the winning points off the board... But you don't trust your team enough to call a couple more plays and move in for an easier kill shot? It's kind of a disturbing realization in Dallas, in my opinion.

 

 

Look at the Packers / Giants game. Giants kick off with 58 seconds left... Game tied, and Randall Cobb downs it in the endzone. Packers start at the 20... and even Rodgers (post game comments) said he thought they would just run a couple draw plays, then maybe take a shot going into over time.... Is that what Mike McCarthy did? Hell no... He gave Aaron the football and told him to make plays. The goal for Crosby was to get to the 40 yard line.. Just to give us a shot. We passed the 40 on the 27 yard catch by Jordy Nelson... did the Packers just sit on their hands? Hell no... They threw it to Greg Jennings who ran for 18 yards and set up an easy 31 yard FG to win it in regulation...

[Guest Phailadelphia]

Green Bay doesn't have Phil Costa at Center facing Darnell Dockett so I imagine they have a lot more confidence in moving the ball like that.