My Thoughts: Monday Night

[Ingtar33]

I am still in stunned disbelief at the outcome last night, but the one thing that keeps coming back to me, is This was the classic case of a coaching staff snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

It has been a very long time since I've seen a loss, so clearly and definitively a result of poor COACHING decisions.

Simply put, the players played their heart out. There were a few mental errors on the field, but in general most of our issues were the direct result of the coaching staff putting our team in the position to fail.

*note the following critique is based off of just one watching of the game. It's mostly accurate, though might be mistaken in a few details. This is as close to a rant as you'll see from me.

The Offense

Who runs a reverse on 3rd and 1? We had a turnover, we WASTED a Romo turnover, with a reverse on 3rd in one?! I nearly barfed, my girlfriend, thought i was going to put a hole in the wall, when i saw that call. I was mad when i saw the pitch-out, but that anger turned into horror when i saw it was parish coming around to take the flip from lynch. and all i could think is... dear god who calls this? The worst part is lynch would have had the first down had he kept the ball. The cowboys LBs were actually well behind the play, stuck in our line, and all lynch had to beat was the CB on parish's side (i think it was Newman)

At one point the bills ran 7 straight Trap left runs on first down. 4 of them were to the strong side in an I. We ran 4 identical (out of 7) first down plays (all inside traps by a pulling right guard). Are you kidding me? I knew what the play was going to be. The cowboys knew what the play was going to be. Everyone in the stadium knew what the play was going to be. During this mind numbing stretch of conservatism, the bills lined up on 4th down. In a heavy formation, and what did they run? A ****** Dive, with the RG pulling into an inside trap. Are you kidding? Are Butler and Duke Preston that good of a pulling guard we had to run behind him time and time again?

Do we have a counter in our playbook? I kept expecting one, but they never called one. Every running play went to the side the flow started going to. Do we have a bootleg in the playbook? With all the running plays going with the flow, i kept expecting them to pull a play action and roll Trent out on a naked bootleg. Not one of those was called. Inexcusable.

Where was the motion? If you're going to spread the field, and line your QB up in shotgun, you might as well put someone in motion. Otherwise the defense can disguise it's coverage, and the whole point of being in shotgun and spreading the field (to make hiding the blitz and coverage hard) is negated. Mind blowing.

How many times are we going to watch a called Tight End Screen?

We ran one stretch play all game. Yet we play actioned a stretch play 5 times, more then any other running play we ran a play action for. Explain that.

The Defense

Largely i loved what they did most of the game. They played a near perfect game. I just want to point out one thing. What in the name of god was that defensive call on the last defensive play of the game?

That situation called for the corners to play a rolled up coverage (typically called cloud). 99% of high school football coaches would have their defense playing the right defense on the biggest play of the game. I'm not even a defensive coach, and I could have made the right call. I know romo looked like he just had Christmas early when he dropped back and watched the corners drop straight back, rather then cover the underneath zone.

Yet the staff had them playing a 4 deep "prevent", as if they expected the cowboys to go for a Hail Mary. Did they even know the score? The cowboys weren't down by 4, they were down by 2! I still can't believe that defensive call.

I know if my D-coordinator did that at the end of the game, he'd be packing his bags on Monday. I'm almost stunned the defensive players on the field didn't call their own play (or call a time out), and over-ride his asinine call. Period.

Special Teams
Can't really blame the special teams for this one. Sometimes the other side gets a lucky bounce. and that's all that happens on most recovered onsides kicks.

[northernbillfan]

:up: Well stated Ingtar.

[mchurchfie]

:bf1:Fewell and Fairchild should both be run out of town and Jauron should be too if he wants to keep them. They are ripping the hearts out of our young players because they are not giving them the best chance to win. How much longer before they stop playing their hearts out?

[Bulldog]

I can't understand why a passing play was called on the Edwards pick. Buffalo was up by eight and could have run the ball and burned more time off the clock and made it an eleven point game. Thus forcing Dallas to score a TD w/ 2-point coversion and a FG merely to tie. Can anyone explain that one to me?

[Historian]

Well put.

[TigerJ]

Being rather naive when it comes to football, I don't catch a lot of stuff you do. On that last play, I really didn't think about it at the time, but listend to the poat game show on WGR on the way home from the game. Mike Schope pointed out that they should have been protecting against an out pass to a receiver who would then try to get out of bounds. Sometimes he's a little over the top in his criticism, but that made perfect sense. Keep it in the middle of the field. Sound's like you're saying something similar.

[Mr. Pink]

I absolutely love Ingtar's posts on critiquing and breaking down the games.

He almost always nails eveything, hands down.

Another very accurate assessment of the game, Ingtar, and some of the very same questions I was thinking to myself during the course of the game. Of course, while we're winning those things aren't as big of a deal but everything completely magnifies when you completely flame out and blow it.

Only thing is, this designed TE screens actually work and get yardage...we call WR screens and they're stuffed constantly. Why don't we try screens to Lynch? That baffles me completely.

Why don't we throw more slants and quick outs to our speedy receivers? Embrace the fact that we have guys with speed and get the ball in their hands to try and make plays. Yes I realize WR screens are supposed to do that, but for whatever reason we can't run them to work, so you have to adapt and move on.

And that coverage on Dallas' last offensive play was the singlemost worst coverage I've ever seen called in an NFL game.

[Dcowboys#1]

nice write up man!!

[Ingtar33]

Being rather naive when it comes to football, I don't catch a lot of stuff you do. On that last play, I really didn't think about it at the time, but listend to the poat game show on WGR on the way home from the game. Mike Schope pointed out that they should have been protecting against an out pass to a receiver who would then try to get out of bounds. Sometimes he's a little over the top in his criticism, but that made perfect sense. Keep it in the middle of the field. Sound's like you're saying something similar.


that's what a rolled up (cloud) coverage is. The CB, will play the outside underneath zone, (imagine an area, basically the outside quarter of the field, with his heels about 5-8 yards back form the LOS) with the safety over top to kill the 20 yard outs (typically this is a cover three defense). had he been in this zone, that would have been a pick 6, or worse case the WR would have been tackled in bounds.

[JD]

I can't understand why a passing play was called on the Edwards pick. Buffalo was up by eight and could have run the ball and burned more time off the clock and made it an eleven point game. Thus forcing Dallas to score a TD w/ 2-point coversion and a FG merely to tie. Can anyone explain that one to me?
Ask Jauron, I hear the guy is a genius.

[JDSmith]

I thought the reverse on the third and 1 was especially baffling because it was where I consider to be no man's land. I think that's a punt or 4 down situation. So if you are going to set yourself up for four downs you run up the gut, even if you only pick up a half yard you put yourself in a position to call a QB sneak on 4th down and still have a legitimate shot at picking up the first. And if you are going to punt the ball then why not take a real chance and try a play action pass deep?

I consider this, from the Bills' perspective, to be a 'big gorilla' game. You were beat up, nobody was giving you a chance to win and you were not only in the game but leading it. When the Cowboys played the 11 - 0 Skins in 91 Jimmy Johnson pulled out all the stops and we won - and afterwards Jimmy was shown speaking to the team and he said,"When you fight a big gorilla you don't hit him lightly, you hit him with everything you've got." And that was kind of a defining moment for that young Cowboys team. I felt like this was one of those games for your team, and going for it with the fake punt showed that your coaches felt something similar.

But then late, it seemed like the coaches started to really think they could win. And they were scared to play aggressively and really pull the trigger. You either go or you don't go. You don't play half aggressive. If you are going to risk you risk, if you are going to play it close you play it close.

So on third and 1 I think the worst decision would be a reverse, just because the risk reward doesn't make sense. Demarcus Ware is among the best in the league at sniffing out and stuffing that type of play. I can't remember when anyone has pulled that off running at Ware, he's always in position and guys just don't get around him. So why risk losing yardage on that play with so little chance of success or a big gain? If you are going to playing it loose you go for it by throwing the ball down the field, preferably on play action. I can guarantee you nobody on the Cowboys was going to be looking for play action and a 40 yard pass to the endzone. And if you want to go conservative why not just line up and run it up the gut two times to move the chains?

I just felt like the coaches tried to get cute, but didn't have enough of the gunslinger in them to really go for the jugular.

[JDSmith]

On the onside kick the lucky bounce was actually off of Hurd's facemask. That's why the ball went so far downfield after he missed trying to catch it. Good job by Tony Curtis to chase it down, but a really lucky bounce because nobody on the Bills was expecting it to richocet that quickly past them when Hurd went up for it.

[Ingtar33]

generally i don't criticize single plays, but rather "play calling trends", so i left the int off the critique, only because on 3rd and 8, both the run and the pass are good calls (run because you're up and a field goal extends the lead into 2 score territory, pass because you want to be aggressive and lock up the win).

Even leaving the INT aside, the offensive game plan /call strategy was atrocious. Mind boggling. this was Gilbride all over again (all be it is a different system, and philosophy, but it was just as horrible)

[DraftBoy]

generally i don't criticize single plays, but rather "play calling trends", so i left the int off the critique, only because on 3rd and 8, both the run and the pass are good calls (run because you're up and a field goal extends the lead into 2 score territory, pass because you want to be aggressive and lock up the win).

Even leaving the INT aside, the offensive game plan /call strategy was atrocious. Mind boggling. this was Gilbride all over again (all be it is a different system, and philosophy, but it was just as horrible)

I love the idea of calling a pass in that situation however the play itself was a horrible call. Dont call a hitch route when they are playing a zone defense. I personally would of called the fade route to Evans there, he would of been 1 on 1 in the corner and you throw the ball so he either catches it or it goes out of bounds.

[Bulldog]

I love the idea of calling a pass in that situation however the play itself was a horrible call. Dont call a hitch route when they are playing a zone defense. I personally would of called the fade route to Evans there, he would of been 1 on 1 in the corner and you throw the ball so he either catches it or it goes out of bounds.

I hated the call at that point in the game. As I stated earlier, you run the ball and take more time off the clock, and take the three points.

[DraftBoy]

I hated the call at that point in the game. As I stated earlier, you run the ball and take more time off the clock, and take the three points.

What advatage do you gain? a FG does not put the game away a TD does. The play is not complicated, you throw it deep and if the pass misses the kick the FG anyways. You complete is the game is over.

[Bulldog]

What advatage do you gain? a FG does not put the game away a TD does. The play is not complicated, you throw it deep and if the pass misses the kick the FG anyways. You complete is the game is over.

I'm thinking if Buffalo kicks the FG the game is over. Given Romo's struggles and the fact that Dallas would need a TD w/2-point and a FG to tie.

[Ickybaluky]

What advatage do you gain? a FG does not put the game away a TD does. The play is not complicated, you throw it deep and if the pass misses the kick the FG anyways. You complete is the game is over.

A run takes another 40 seconds off the clock before the FG try. That proved to be a valuable 40 seconds.

[justasportsfan]

What advatage do you gain? a FG does not put the game away a TD does. The play is not complicated, you throw it deep and if the pass misses the kick the FG anyways. You complete is the game is over.
I would've treid to run for a TD. If it doesn't work, you kick the fg. The coaches screwed up by trusting a rookie too much.

[Philagape]

The rookie had earned their trust to that point. The passing game was working more than the 3.4 running game.

Although, a run was appealing because of the clock burning.

[justasportsfan]

The rookie had earned their trust to that point. The passing game was working more than the 3.4 running game.
.
WRONG! the dink and dunk was working. Trent to Evans was not.

[Wraith]

The rookie had earned their trust to that point. The passing game was working more than the 3.4 running game.

Although, a run was appealing because of the clock burning.

I disagree. The dump-off was working but I question how successful a passing game based on the dump-off can be from the 12 yard line. There is a lot of defenders in a very small area.

[Philagape]

WRONG! the dink and dunk was working. Trent to Evans was not.

You said run for a TD.

I said Trent had earned their trust to that point. He did let them down.

[justasportsfan]

You said run for a TD.

I said Trent had earned their trust to that point. He did let them down.

yes I said, I would've attempted to run it for a TD and also said the coaches trusted him too much which lost us the game. Not saying the run was working wither but it would've used up the clock (you and I agree) but we'd have a 80% chance at 3 points.

[DraftBoy]

A run takes another 40 seconds off the clock before the FG try. That proved to be a valuable 40 seconds.

hind sight is 20/20 Dallas could of called a TO there to stop the clock, not like they needed them at the end of the game when we were playing 20 yards off the ball.

[DraftBoy]

I would've treid to run for a TD. If it doesn't work, you kick the fg. The coaches screwed up by trusting a rookie too much.

But you just called for them to have handed the ball off to a rookie for the carry, why trust one rookie over another?

[don137]

hind sight is 20/20 Dallas could of called a TO there to stop the clock, not like they needed them at the end of the game when we were playing 20 yards off the ball.
But that would of burned one more of their timeouts thus eating up more clock. When you lose a game with a 53 yard FG with no time left every second mattered.

[justasportsfan]

But you just called for them to have handed the ball off to a rookie for the carry, why trust one rookie over another?
because the other rookie wouldn't have fumbled the ball and we could take time off the clock and gone for the field goal while the other rookie hasn't even proven to have a mid to long ball pass especially to Evans. If the play called for a dink and dunk to hi checkdown then by all means do it. But to make him throw in the endzone in traffic? Of all the times he should have stared his recivers down, it had to be the most critical moment.