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By Kevin Patra
Around the NFL writer
Published: Jan. 16, 2017 at 08:15 a.m.

After a last-second loss, every decision by the losing coach is open to being critiqued. The Dallas Cowboys' decision to spike the ball with 47 seconds remaining on the clock turned out to be a game-changer in the Green Bay Packers' 34-31 win.

Not only did the spike give the Cowboys only two shots to gain 10 yards for another first down -- which they failed to accomplish, settling for a Dan Bailey 52-yard field goal to tie the game -- it ultimately preserved enough time for Aaron Rodgers to help set up the Packers' winning field goal.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett defended the spike following the loss.

"We just felt that was the right thing to do at that time," Garrett said. "Keeping the timeout to be able to kick a field goal is really important if you can do it. So in those situations when you make a first down, we believe clock it there so you keep the timeout in your back pocket. Obviously, in that situation we're trying to go down there and score a touchdown, so you want to keep as much time on the clock as you can. If the clock is going and you need a timeout to get yourself in field goal range, you have that one still available to you."

There is a difficult balance between trying to win the game and ensuring a dominant player like Rodgers is left with as little time as possible. The Cowboys used the final timeout on a fruitless freeze attempt of Packers kicker Mason Crosby on the game winner. It's easy to second-guess now, but even the Packers QB thinks the Cowboys played it wrong, leaving 35 seconds for one final drive.

"A little too much time on the clock," Rodgers said.

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He just doesn't get it.

After being in his position for the past 7 years, Garrett still comes up small in critical moments because he just doesn't get it.

It's a damned shame so many seasons have been, and continue to be wasted, with this guy as our head coach.
 
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cockstrong

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I remember the play so vividly and thinking when they did it initially I didnt have a problem with it but I made a mental note about it for some reason. After the next play when they flashed that it was 3rd down I immediately realized that it was a bad call to spike the ball for a bunch of reasons.
Green Bay was on its heals
We had PLENTY of time
We had a Time out in our pocket


Some people may say "how can you give Garret shit if you yourself didn't have a problem with it"

The difference

Im a fan who was on my couch with my 2 kids playing in front of me with distractions everywhere and even I had an inkling something was off.

I wasnt the coach of this team whose sole purpose is to prepare for these very instances and make the right call

Thats why Garrett is a major problem
 
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When we rushed to the line and spiked it, my first reaction was "why the fuck did we do that?" We had plenty of time, the defense was on their heels, and we still had a time out. It literally made zero sense to me.

I thought it was a rookie mistake and would've given Dak a pass. To find out that decision came from the head fucking coach, its inexcusable.
 

dbair1967

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Hindsight is definitely 20-20, but if they weren't going to hurry up and run a play then the smarter thing to do would have been conserve even more time and use the last TO. They still had plenty of time from where they were on the field to get into FG range and stop the clock, and calling TO immediately would have saved more seconds.

Just another example of our HC not putting us into the right position. And its really not just seven yrs now. Its TEN. Yes he's only been a HC for 6 1/2, but he's been on the staff for 10 and he was a fucking Ivy League QB who PLAYED in this league, and he still hasn't figured out stuff like this.

Its just fucking sad.
 
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Remember 8 weeks ago when the Steelers faked a spike and threw it to Brown for the touchdown pass?

Why couldn't that have been in our arsenal? The Packers never would've seen it coming and odds are LaQuanda Gunter or whatever the hell his name was would not have been able to defend Dez, as he wasn't able to all game long. We potentially get a game leading TD, or at worst waste what, 2-3 more seconds?

Just a horrible mismanagement of the situation.
 

NoMoRedJ

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The spike allowed GB's defense to regroup and catch their breath. It did more to help them than than it did us.
 

ThoughtExperiment

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It was so bad. Couldn't Garrett have watched how a goober like Dabo Swinney did it last week? Or I guess even if he did he wouldn't be able to implement it.

Maybe Dak will study this extra hard this offseason and manage all this himself. We've taken almost everything out of Garrett's hands, need to go all the way and take this out of his hands as well.
 

Dustdevil

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As much as it pains me to say it, I would have spiked it too.

Imagine a pass down to the 10 across the middle with the clock running out or a Doug Free holding penalty with 9 sec. on the clock. Having that time out opens up the playbook to plays to the middle of the field or even a run. Besides, there's no guarantee they pick up the first down with another play.

The real problem is, 21 pts in the 1st quarter and not being able to stop Rogers in the last 35 sec. Today sucks.
 

dbair1967

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As much as it pains me to say it, I would have spiked it too.

Imagine a pass down to the 10 across the middle with the clock running out or a Doug Free holding penalty with 9 sec. on the clock. Having that time out opens up the playbook to plays to the middle of the field or even a run. Besides, there's no guarantee they pick up the first down with another play.

.

This is why the TO (or just running the play quickly instead of a spike was the right call IMO)

1st and 10 at DAL 49
(1:07 - 4th) (No Huddle, Shotgun) D.Prescott pass short middle to J.Witten to GB 40 for 11 yards (M.Hyde).
1st and 10 at GB 40
(1:07 - 4th) (No Huddle) D.Prescott spiked the ball to stop the clock.

I'd have to go back and look at exactly the time left after the spike (I don't think it was 1:07 like this says above)

But there were 47 seconds left AFTER the short completion to Beasley to get us to 3rd down. Had they called TO immediately after the Witten completion, they'd definitely would have had over a minute left from the GB 40 yd line. That's way more than enough time to keep trying to score a TD, even with completing passes into the middle of the field. And they wouldn't have wasted a play spiking the ball after Witten's catch.
 
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Well rest assured that won't happen. Congratulations on buying the team.

First you admit you are a fucking idiot just like Garrett was with the spike decision, then you resort to this stupid assed response when called on it? You've moved passed stupid into a whole new category.
 

Doomsday

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"We just felt that was the right thing to do at that time," Garrett said.
Because, you're stupid and have NO sense of in-game decisions.
 

LAZARUS_LOGAN

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When we rushed to the line and spiked it, my first reaction was "why the fuck did we do that?" We had plenty of time, the defense was on their heels, and we still had a time out. It literally made zero sense to me.

I thought it was a rookie mistake and would've given Dak a pass. To find out that decision came from the head fucking coach, its inexcusable.


Just like we had plenty of time on the last possession of the first half, and on the Packers 15 yard line. Three consecutive passes, and they were all rushed. Zeke on the sidelines.

It's unforgivable and inexcusable at the level of incompetence that this fool continuously demonstrates. And worse... nobody in the media calls him upon it, and when they do they soft-shoe kit.
 

LAZARUS_LOGAN

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Jason Garrett said:
"We just felt that was the right thing to do at that time."

Who is this 'we'? You cannot convince any sane person who has watched the Cowboys for the past decade at least, that this was anything other than a UNILATERAL decision. Garrett was making these dumb decisions before either Linehan and Marinelli got here. Once again, he takes no (sole) responsibility for HIS fuck-ups. And obviously he didn't consult the players.
 
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NoMoRedJ

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Who is this 'we'? You cannot convince any sane person who has watched the Cowboys for the past decade at least, that this was a UNILATERAL decision. Garrett was making these dumb decisions before either Linehan and Marinelli got here. Once again, he takes no (sole) responsibility for HIS fuck-ups. And obviously he didn't consult the players.



We=Jerry + Red Clown
 

Scot

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I didn't feel like reading this this entire thread. Not that it isn't worthy of my time. It just boils down to one thing, my response will and would be the same regardless of what else may have been discussed in this thread.

And that is.......

FUCK YOU GARRETT
 
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