Red Dawn

[Iamtdg]

Our success this year was the team basically limiting the three most controversial people on this team.

Limited Jerry on draft day, not letting him draft Manziel.

Limited Jason's playcalling and decision making with an army of former head coaches.

Limited Romo by cutting down his pass attempts, running the ball, which resulted in no longer having him in obvious throwing situations trying to come back late in the 4th quarters.

+1

 

[Doomsday]

Exactly. But I just can't figure out if it was Garrett woke up or was forced to wake up,...or if it was the stripping of his decision making. My point is that if the last three games are Garrett then keep him...even though he's more than demonstrated his recurring notoriety as HC idiot of the year all the way up until this year.

It's very possible that over the course of the season as he saw the effects of a successful run-first offense, that he started waking up to some of the other possibilities it generates?

 

[Omegasupreme]

And the ONLY reason it changed was due to Tony's back. Linehan was never a run-first guru. In fact most people assumed we would get MORE pass happy with Linehan calling the shots.

This wasn't any grand strategic plan. It was "Oh shit, Tony's hurt. Now what."

True. I'm agreeing with you. And Linehan was actually blamed for mismanaging Lions games last year, particularly with leads. But that's the mystery here: is Jones or Callahan more involved or has Jason turned a corner?

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

Tony said a few games ago they'd made some schematic changes and that was when we went on an offensive tear... But I doubt Jason had anything to do with it. The guy doesn't even talk on the headset anymore, and only gets in on the talks with Tony and Linehan at timeouts on their permission.

Linehan is just pretty good, and he and Tony have great rapport.

 

[Doomsday]

True. I'm agreeing with you. And Linehan was actually blamed for mismanaging Lions games last year, particularly with leads. But that's the mystery here: is Jones or Callahan more involved or has Jason turned a corner?

I think it's just more of, unforseen beneficial consequences and results of run-first. It wakes everybody up.

Success has many fathers, as the saying goes.

 

[Iamtdg]

And the ONLY reason it changed was due to Tony's back. Linehan was never a run-first guru. In fact most people assumed we would get MORE pass happy with Linehan calling the shots.

This wasn't any grand strategic plan. It was "Oh shit, Tony's hurt. Now what."

I don't agree. Hell, Linehan only had one OC stint before Dallas and had a shit line and shit RBs to work with. I think he is single-handedly responsible for our philosophy change.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

Linehan actually ran it quite a bit with Steven Jackson in St Louis...

But yeah, it's him. Too many clues. Linehan saying in preseason interviews he'd give Tony a run check instead of a pass check for a second play. Joe Buck (puke) saying Linehan has "done a great job of holding Tony accountable for his checks at the line."

And I actually do think Dooms' "Tony's bad back" has a little to do with it. Not that much, but a little.

 

[Doomsday]

I don't agree. Hell, Linehan only had one OC stint before Dallas and had a shit line and shit RBs to work with. I think he is single-handedly responsible for our philosophy change.

It's the motive I have doubts about. Actually, I have no doubt. Tony was stove up. Therefore we need to run the ball alot more. That was the philosophy.

The dominoes then started to fall as run-first improved everything.

 

[Iamtdg]

It's the motive I have doubts about. Actually, I have no doubt. Tony was stove up. Therefore we need to run the ball alot more. That was the philosophy.

The dominoes then started to fall as run-first improved everything.

Again, I don't agree that Romo being hurt forced it. I think Linehan brought an expertise with him that he utilized since he came into a great line to work with.

 

[Doomsday]

Again, I don't agree that Romo being hurt forced it. I think Linehan brought an expertise with him that he utilized since he came into a great line to work with.

It just so happened we had a stove up star QB and THEN we went run-first. Instead of doing it immediately, last year.

Not buying.

 

[Iamtdg]

It just so happened we had a stove up star QB and THEN we went run-first. Instead of doing it immediately, last year.

Not buying.

He has had bruised/broken ribs, punctured lungs and back problems before. Why didn't we run it more then? Oh yeah, Linehan.

 

[Doomsday]

He has had bruised/broken ribs, punctured lungs and back problems before. Why didn't we run it more then? Oh yeah, Linehan.

Where was this run-first philosophy last year then?

Okay, so Linehan was the smart guy in the room who meekly raised his hand in answer to Carrot Top's "Oh shit what now" question, when faced with the severity and degree of Tony's back. He meekly raised his hand and said "How about we just go run-first, and just beat people up like Dallas did backna 90s."

I'll concede.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

Linehan is in charge. If anyone is meekly raising his hand with a milquetoast question, it's

 

[peplaw06]

This is Lineman's first year here.

 

[Doomsday]

My hangup is I don't give any of these fucks credit for anything. I think they stumbled into all we're seeing. They found a acorn. Success has many fathers, again.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

My hangup is I don't give any of these fucks credit for anything. I think they stumbled into all we're seeing. They found a acorn. Success has many fathers, again.

Well there's a lot of truth to that, also. Murray's never been able to stay healthy for an entire season, but this year he has. If he gets hurt the fourth game of the year, who knows how things go. This whole year has been a perfect storm.

But still, I give most credit to Linehan. We ran for the same YPG last year, so the "crap OL that couldn't run block" is bogus. He got through to Tony to trust him and the run game, and it's worked.

 

[Doomsday]

Well there's a lot of truth to that, also. Murray's never been able to stay healthy for an entire season, but this year he has. If he gets hurt the fourth game of the year, who knows how things go. This whole year has been a perfect storm.

That attack philosophy seems to help RBs avoid injury as well. It's no coincidence that Murray has stayed more healthy in attack mode all the time, instead of half assed running game. It's made him more aggressive.

We ran for the same YPG last year, so the "crap OL that couldn't run block" is bogus.

Every time I mention that, people go apeshit for some reason. But it's true.

 

[Iamtdg]

Where was this run-first philosophy last year then?

Okay, so Linehan was the smart guy in the room who meekly raised his hand in answer to Carrot Top's "Oh shit what now" question, when faced with the severity and degree of Tony's back. He meekly raised his hand and said "How about we just go run-first, and just beat people up like Dallas did backna 90s."

I'll concede.

Linehan wasn't with us last year. He was still with the Lions and a shit OL and shit for RBs. Outside of that, this was a really good point.

 

[Doomsday]

Linehan wasn't with us last year. He was still with the Lions and a shit OL and shit for RBs.

He came to us after Tony's surgery, and the severity of the issue was known. And apparently had Carrot Top's answer.

Garrett sure as hell didn't have the answer.

 

[Iamtdg]

That attack philosophy seems to help RBs avoid injury as well. It's no coincidence that Murray has stayed more healthy in attack mode all the time, instead of half assed running game. It's made him more aggressive.

So running the ball less makes RBs more subject to injury? Come on, Dooms. You are approaching Bill Bates/ROH territory at this point.