Jason Garrett.Why have Austin on the team if you won’t let him return a kick with that much space?
Don’t want time off the clock. Tough to know punt is going to be that badWhy have Austin on the team if you won’t let him return a kick with that much space?
It was a max protect punt, though, so coverage was going to be late.Don’t want time off the clock. Tough to know punt is going to be that bad
I know this is right but it’s more fun to bash Garrett.Don’t want time off the clock. Tough to know punt is going to be that bad
Austin had at least ten yards there, how was Dallas moving the ball more efficiently on offense than that?Don’t want time off the clock. Tough to know punt is going to be that bad
That whole end of game strategy from both teams confused me. I thought Vikes should have tried taking timeouts in case Dallas scored. Dallas took the clock way down and if the would have scored Vikes would have been in a bad spotStill can’t believe those 2 runs to Zeke after they got to like the 10. Hadn’t been there all game.
It was definitely Austin’s decision because they only threw five-yard ours, which take just as long.Don’t want time off the clock. Tough to know punt is going to be that bad
That was unreal. I can maybe understand on 2nd down trying to sneak a run in there when you only need 2-3 yards. But doing it again on 3rd down after you get stuffed is just totally inexplicable. Especially since the Vikings were getting absolutely shredded in the passing game. Why only make them defense one passing play?Still can’t believe those 2 runs to Zeke after they got to like the 10. Hadn’t been there all game.
I don’t think what you are saying is logically true. You are presupposing the knowledge that was only gained once the punt occurred. The offensive play calls were made once the Cowboys saw where they were on the field. The decision to fair catch the punt is made before this.It was definitely Austin’s decision because they only threw five-yard ours, which take just as long.
Get ready for the Ravens to be the pundit darlings. And right now, they deserve it. I know its the Bengals and a rookie QB but that won't change the takes that they are now the team to beat in the AFC. As it should be.
Sorry for being so late to the party here, but I've been on airplanes all day coming home from Saudi Arabia . . . but I can't help but notice the many parallels between the 2019 Ravens and the 2018 Chiefs.And this is with the defense falling off from last year, but crap they will eventually get the defense right. When that happens, if Lamar continues to progress, watch out.
The quirky things about this: someone like Lamar has to land in the right place. He landed in exactly the right place with the right coaching staff for him. In NE, he’d still be relegated to trick plays.
Welcome. Parallels, sure. Some things are not.Sorry for being so late to the party here, but I've been on airplanes all day coming home from Saudi Arabia . . . but I can't help but notice the many parallels between the 2019 Ravens and the 2018 Chiefs.
Zimmer had guts there to leave the clock running. It’s a bit like Belichick at the end of the Seattle Super Bowl. If Zimmer uses the time outs, he gives his team time if Dallas scores. But what he also does is gives Dalls a possible second chance.That whole end of game strategy from both teams confused me. I thought Vikes should have tried taking timeouts in case Dallas scored. Dallas took the clock way down and if the would have scored Vikes would have been in a bad spot
Dallas playcalling, maybe they wanted to keep the clock running so they run a couple plays but they needed to do better on on 3rd and 4th down
Goff is legit. I love his contract, one of the best team friendly deals in sports.
The mysteries of the Goff. Praise be.The Goff contract is a disaster, and I don't know what the Rams really can do about it.
I'd be more than happy with a Pats' OT win in Baltimore in the AFCCG this coming January.Sorry for being so late to the party here, but I've been on airplanes all day coming home from Saudi Arabia . . . but I can't help but notice the many parallels between the 2019 Ravens and the 2018 Chiefs.
That's where designed runs for Prescott are lethal to the defense. On the 4th down, I was sitting there Romo-style calling for a Dak run up the gut. The Vikings were playing man-to-man all night long so they would have been vulnerable to the QB run. Didn't even happen once the entire game.Zimmer had guts there to leave the clock running. It’s a bit like Belichick at the end of the Seattle Super Bowl. If Zimmer uses the time outs, he gives his team time if Dallas scores. But what he also does is gives Dalls a possible second chance.
Dallas had all three time outs. If Zimmer stops the clock, and they stop Dallas on fourth down with, say 1:30 left, the game is still not over. Dallas forces a punt on a three and out and the get field position and more than a minute to try again. Zimmer bet on the stop right there and also kind of seduced Dallas into trying to use clock.
One thing that was interesting is that Dallas’ passing game advantage disappeared just a little when the field compressed and they had 11 defenders in a 15-20 yard space. The defense was committing to run stops at the expense of the longer, slow developing routes, where Cooper and Cobb had lots of open space for late breaks and double moves. Inside the 10, there are no long routes.
The Vikings got an uncharacteristic number of false start penalties last night (2, vs 7 in the previous 9 games). Qualitatively, they also appeared to be a bit hurried or panicked at various points, as if they couldn't get on the same page fast enough before the snap and everything had to be rushed. I think the crowd noise levels were pretty good.Also, that stat about them being 11-3 in their last 14 games at home made me laugh. That place is the worst home field advantage (if you can even call it an advantage) in all of sports. There were several points during the game where you could hear a pin drop while the Vikings were on offense or the crowd was inexcusably loud while the Cowboys were on offense. Everything about that franchise is a fucking joke.
Contrast that with the effects of, say, Arrowhead. That's an outdoor stadium and yet provides a much better home field advantage. I didn't mean to imply it didn't get loud at times (I recall a moment in the 4th quarter where you could see Jaylon Smith cover his ear holes because he couldn't hear the calls on his headset) but there were instances early in the game when it was far too quiet and the Vikings offense was able to get a rhythm. It is what it is and that's not like to change anytime soon but the NBC implication that the stadium somehow magically evolved into a formidable home field advantage was laughable. That 11-3 record is far more a function of the team getting better - and the Giants slipping into the abyss - than the platinum seat crowd deciding it's ok to get loud at a football game.The Vikings got an uncharacteristic number of false start penalties last night (2, vs 7 in the previous 9 games). Qualitatively, they also appeared to be a bit hurried or panicked at various points, as if they couldn't get on the same page fast enough before the snap and everything had to be rushed. I think the crowd noise levels were pretty good.
Also, the Cowboys lead the league this year in fewest false start penalties (4).
That's a fun site I just found.
I made a comment to my friend when the Cowboys got inside the 20 on that final real drive....."the only thing I'm worried about here is the play calling. I'm paranoid they are going to try and sneak in too many runs even though the Vikings haven't covered anyone all night".That's where designed runs for Prescott are lethal to the defense. On the 4th down, I was sitting there Romo-style calling for a Dak run up the gut. The Vikings were playing man-to-man all night long so they would have been vulnerable to the QB run. Didn't even happen once the entire game.
We can dissect the 4th quarter and second-guess the play calling all we want but the truth of the matter is this game, like so many others this season, was lost before the opening whistle. They keep coming out flat and I've been saying it all season: that's going to bite them in the ass whenever playing a team not named Giants, Dolphins, or Washington. You can't keep digging a hole for yourself like that and expect to play any better than .500 ball.
Also, that stat about them being 11-3 in their last 14 games at home made me laugh. That place is the worst home field advantage (if you can even call it an advantage) in all of sports. There were several points during the game where you could hear a pin drop while the Vikings were on offense or the crowd was inexcusably loud while the Cowboys were on offense. Everything about that franchise is a fucking joke.
That situation was screaming for a RPO by Dak. Cowboys with Belichick would be like 7-2 or 8-1 right now. The talent is real.I too thought the runs on 2nd & 2 and 3rd & 3 were bad calls. That said, the much shorter field at that point negates a fair amount of what was working for them last night in the passing game. I was waiting for the designed Dak run for the TD too, though.
Can you imagine this team with a Belichick at the helm?
The Saints game turned on some fluky turnovers but their fate was sealed when Garrett decided to punt on 4th and 2 from their own 42 early in the 4th quarter. In a game where they could move the ball only once the entire game, it was criminal to punt when all they needed was 20 or so yards for the go-ahead FG.Which of their losses to-date have been situations where the Cowboys lost it, as opposed to the opponents winning it?
Last night the Vikings played a hell of a game, both sides played turnover-free, there weren't huge plays on blown coverage, and it's not clear to me that the Belichick hallmarks of don't-beat-yourself, do-your-job, know-the-situations, and preferring player intelligence over talent when forced to choose, would have made a decisive difference. Okay, Belichick would have let Austin take the 10-15 yards of punt return. And maybe managed the previous drive so he had 1:30-2:00 left instead of 0:24. Would you have bet your mortgage on Dak getting into the endzone with 1:30 left there starting from the plus-40? I'd give him 30-40% chance, but no sure thing.
I guess Belichick probably beats the Jets, but even the B/B Pats have WTF losses once every year or two. I doubt he overturns the 12-point Green Bay loss by himself. Saints over Cowboys 12-10? Who the hell knows, that game was weird.
Maybe running Zeke up the middle for the 25th time will work. Sheesh. Dak was Picasso out there last night and Moore kept wasting plays.The Cowboys have been plagued by slow starts the entire season both offensively and defensively and that reeks of the coaching staff not having them prepped and/or ready to play.
They were down 14-0 again last night before they decided to flip on the switch, and even then continued to stubbornly time and again run the ball on first down when the Vikings were swarming Elliott and the passing game was moving all night long.
With the toys the Cowboys have on offense there is no doubt that Belichick goes for it both times with 4-6 yards to go from the Vikings 40-41 instead of a punt and a 57 yard FG attempt. Kind of amazing that Garrett picks different options each time and somehow still avoided picking the right one.The Saints game turned on some fluky turnovers but their fate was sealed when Garrett decided to punt on 4th and 2 from their own 42 early in the 4th quarter. In a game where they could move the ball only once the entire game, it was criminal to punt when all they needed was 20 or so yards for the go-ahead FG.
The Packers game is hard to say would turn with a different coach but I find it very hard to believe that a well-coached team goes out and lays an egg like that in the first half at home. Green Bay probably still wins due to the inability to stop Aaron Jones but the frantic comeback shouldn't have been necessary.
I have zero doubt, none, that Belichick coaching the Cowboys results in them kicking the shit out of the Jets. That game looked like they didn't even prepare for Darnold to play.
Last night is also tough to say goes differently but the 57-yard FG was beyond stupid and the play calling at the end was a staple of the Garrett offense. Which is to say, they stuck with what they do, regardless of whether it's working or not, at the expense of doing something different that might actually work. Frankly, I'd take the 30-40% chance of winning. The Vikings had some pretty high profile injuries and didn't miss a beat. The Cowboys have one injury and it's "oh, Gallup was out so that's why the offense shat the bed". That's shitty coaching and even worse roster construction.
This is the key and it's why Garrett still has this job. You can't point to a single, catastrophic mistake that would lead to his ultimate demise. Instead, it's death by a thousand paper cuts. A punt here and a blitz there doesn't really stand out much because they are a pretty good team and have the ability to play above their coaching level.It's usually a string of both in-game and pregame planning strategy errors that can be pointed to with the Cowboys coaching staff. Any single one might not be fatal but adding them up costs them these close games.
Nope, none. The only outside-the-box play I can remember was that odd reverse pass by Cobb. But since the play took about two decades to develop, it was doomed from the start.As a guy rooting for Zeke to win my fantasy week, where was the invention, it was 1st down power run through middle most of the game. I'm pretty sure I could have game planned against that level of deception. I'm not sure where too look quickly on my break but did they even run PA on first down a few times to keep the Vikings linebackers honest? Really bizarre play calling.
In the third quarter, with the offense stalled, all of a sudden Blake Bortles was in the game at quarterback. He ran a really awkward read option and was stuffed for 1 yard on third-and-2. This was the plan. There was a plan to remove Jared Goff for Bortles in a key situation.
On fourth down, punter Johnny Hekker came on. He lined up at shotgun depth and not his usual spot to kick. The Rams practically announced Hekker was going to throw it; it’s hard to even call it a fake. Hekker’s pass was intercepted by running back Trey Edmunds.
So on a key sequence McVay took Jared Goff off the field to run with Bortles, then pass with his punter. That’s ... something. Just to show he hadn’t gone temporarily insane, McVay didn’t give Todd Gurley one touch in the fourth quarter of a close game. Gurley averaged 6.1 yards per carry over the first three quarters.
If Freddie Kitchens or Adam Gase had a similar decision-making process, we’d want them fired before they got on the team plane.