Rob0729

Jason Garrett is getting a lot of crap for being conservative at the end of the game from everyone including the owner of the Cowboys. I don't necessarily agree with the particular play calls, but I think he actually employed the right strategy on that drive before Brady's game winner. Here are my reasonings:

1.) The Cowboys had the lead and had an opportunity to force the Pats to burn their last two time outs and one first down would have at best given the Pats less than one minute and no timeouts to tie or beat the Cowboys.
2.) The Cowboys defense has been giving Brady and the offense fits all day. It wasn't like the Pats were scoring at will yesterday. The way the defense was playing, the safe bet was to play conservatively on offense avoiding the big turnover and letting the defense win the game.
3.) It is these situations where Romo usually spits the bit.

Maybe I just am not head coach material, but the way the game was going. I would have trusted by defense to stop the Pats more than trusting Romo.

You can argue that the particular running plays were the wrong ones to run, but I thought it was the smart move to be conservative and take away the clock and time outs.

I guarantee you if they aired it out and Romo threw three incomplete passes allowing the Pats to keep all their time outs, Garrett would have been killed for not just running the ball.

SyN65

Not really, Cowboys could have won that game but they didn't play to win. Giving the ball to Brady with that much time was a huge mistake that falls on Garret's shoulders.

ctpatsfan77

It's like 4th-and-2.

If it works, everyone's talking about it; if it fails, it's pitchfork-and-torches time.

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Rob0729

But if they passes and failed, they would have given the Pats more time and more time outs.

I would agree if the Pats' offense wasn't sputtering, but prior to that game winning drive no one on this board had confidence that Brady could lead a game winning drive like he did.

Fball

He was in "play not to lose" mentality. A more aggressive coach - like a Sean Payton - wouldn't have played it that way.

First, the decision not to take advantage of 1-1 w/ Dez near the goal was inexplicable. That's on Romo, but he may be coached that way.

And the decision to just run 3x, even after losing yards, and being content punting the ball away, was waaaaaay too conservative. You can do that against teams like the Redskins or Bucs...not against the Pats. You have to put a team like the Pats away when you can, and not give Brady any time (see: Bills).

PATSNUTme

I've heard the second guessing on D&C and Mike & Mike this morning and I consider it bull.

You have have held the Patriots to 1 TD all game. You have the 4th rated defense. So why take the chance of a turnover, giving the Patriots a short field to work with.

The Patriots had to go 80 yards against a top defense. Garrett did not make a bad call, Brady just is MR. Clutch when the stakes are high.

everlong

Can you imagine what these same people would be saying today had Romo been picked? They would be killing Garrett given Romo's recent 4th quarter meltdowns and he already had a pick and could have had two more.

The one thing they could have done was to go play action to the left and have Romo roll out to the right with the instructions that if his one and only read is covered tuck it down and run. I was actually worried before the series started that Dallas might make this call and then Romo runs for 8 setting up a situation where they run it twice up the gut trying to get the two yards.

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There's only two conclusions for Patriots fans on rookies. They are either a bust or being fitted for their bust in Canton.


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Rob0729

BTW, the play calling didn't cause a false start penalty on third down making it a difficult situation of 3rd and 18. If it was 3rd and 13, they might have passed, but 3rd and 18 is too much to risk to air it out protecting a lead inside the 2 minute warning with the Pats' offense sputtering.

Rob0729

That's my take. If they let Romo throw and he had three incompletions or an interception, Garrett would have been killed for not being conservative and letting his defense who has stopped Brady most of the game win the game for the Cowboys.

captain insano

isnt this the pats area of the board? visiting lockerroom?

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