Gosselin: Jason Garrett, staff let Cowboys down when they were needed most

p1_

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Gosselin: Jason Garrett, staff let Cowboys down when they were needed most

By Rick Gosselin , Staff Columnist Contact Rick Gosselin on Twitter: @RickGosselinDMN

I spent 19 years as the NFL columnist for this newspaper, and there's one game that stands out above all others in the 400-plus games I attended during that stretch.

It was played in November 1997 between the Green Bay Packers and the Colts at Indianapolis. The Packers were the defending NFL champions on their way to another Super Bowl that season. The Colts were 0-10 and playing a backup quarterback that day.

But Paul Justin, filling in for an injured Jim Harbaugh, outplayed Brett Favre at quarterback, and the Colts prevailed 41-38 on a field goal at the gun. It was a coaching victory, a game-planning victory, by Lindy Infante and his staff. The Colts ran the ball, milked the clock and Justin played turnover-free football for the upset. I saw that day how coaching can make a difference and help a team win a game it has no business winning.

Coaching has not made a difference for the Cowboys this season.

As we sift through the wreckage of a 4-10 season -- the 15th nonplayoff season in the 20 years since the Cowboys last won a Super Bowl -- we are left to wonder how a team can collapse from 12-4 to this in the span of 12 months.

It's convenient to blame the injury absence of Tony Romo, an MVP candidate a year ago when he won his first NFL passing title. The Cowboys were 3-1 with him this season and are now 1-9 without him.

But there is a flaw in that logic.

The Cowboys were in position to win games without Romo. Several games, in fact.

Let's start by eliminating the losses to New England, Carolina and Green Bay. All were lopsided defeats to division leaders. The Patriots and Panthers figure to be the top seeds come playoff time, and the Packers don't lose at home in December with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback (13-2). The Cowboys likely were going to lose those games with or without Romo.

That leaves seven other losses on the shoulders of backup quarterbacks. The Cowboys were ahead at halftime in five of those games and tied in another. In all seven of those defeats the Cowboys were either ahead or tied in the fourth quarter. But they couldn't close the deal. They didn't win any of them -- thus, 0-7.

Win four of those games and the Cowboys are 8-6 and sitting alone atop the division. Win three of them and the Cowboys are 7-7 and in control of their own playoff destiny. Win none of them and you have a fan base that is openly discussing the idea of tanking for the first overall draft pick next April.

The Cowboys led Atlanta 28-17 at the half and entered the fourth quarter of their September game with a 28-25 lead. But the Falcons scored two touchdowns in the final 15 minutes to put the game away, 39-28. How did an offense that scored 28 points in the first half disappear after the intermission?

The Cowboys led the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks 12-10 with 6:41 remaining. But the Seahawks mounted a 17-play, 79-yard, game-winning field-goal drive over the next six minutes. How did a defense that held Seattle to 244 yards in the opening 54 minutes wilt down the stretch?

The Cowboys led Tampa Bay 6-3 with four minutes remaining. But the Buccaneers mounted a 10-play, 56-yard drive with a rookie quarterback for the game-winning touchdown in the final minute. How did a defense that held the Buccaneers to a single field goal over the opening 56 minutes dissolve when it mattered most?

The Cowboys lost two other games in overtime to New Orleans and Philadelphia, each time on a defensive bust that allowed a long, game-winning touchdown. C.J. Spiller overmatched the linebacker coverage of rookie Damien Wilson for an 80-yard touchdown reception in the New Orleans overtime, and Jordan Matthews capitalized on a slip by rookie cornerback Byron Jones for a 41-yard TD catch in the Philadelphia overtime.

The other two fourth-quarter losses came on a special-teams bust against the Giants and another blown coverage assignment by Jones against the Jets.

After tying the Giants 20-20 with seven minutes remaining, Dwayne Harris returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for the game-winning touchdown for New York. After tying the Jets 16-16 with 1:55 left, Jones let Kembrell Thompkins escape down the victors' sideline for a 43-yard pass reception to the Dallas 26. That set up the game-winning field goal.

Players get paid to play games. Coaches get paid to win them. It's their job to put players in the best position to succeed. The proper play call, the proper substitution, the proper clock management, the strategic timeout -- it's the job of the coaching staff to find ways to win games. Regardless who the quarterback is.

Jason Garrett and his staff have let this franchise down. The Cowboys needed answers this season, needed solutions, and this coaching staff had none. Any coach can win when he's dealt a hand of aces. The rest must play the hand they are dealt -- and find a way to win with it. It's their job.
 

marsbennett

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Gosselin: Jason Garrett, staff let Cowboys down when they were needed most

By Rick Gosselin , Staff Columnist Contact Rick Gosselin on Twitter: @RickGosselinDMN

I spent 19 years as the NFL columnist for this newspaper, and there's one game that stands out above all others in the 400-plus games I attended during that stretch.

It was played in November 1997 between the Green Bay Packers and the Colts at Indianapolis. The Packers were the defending NFL champions on their way to another Super Bowl that season. The Colts were 0-10 and playing a backup quarterback that day.

But Paul Justin, filling in for an injured Jim Harbaugh, outplayed Brett Favre at quarterback, and the Colts prevailed 41-38 on a field goal at the gun. It was a coaching victory, a game-planning victory, by Lindy Infante and his staff. The Colts ran the ball, milked the clock and Justin played turnover-free football for the upset. I saw that day how coaching can make a difference and help a team win a game it has no business winning.

Coaching has not made a difference for the Cowboys this season.

As we sift through the wreckage of a 4-10 season -- the 15th nonplayoff season in the 20 years since the Cowboys last won a Super Bowl -- we are left to wonder how a team can collapse from 12-4 to this in the span of 12 months.

It's convenient to blame the injury absence of Tony Romo, an MVP candidate a year ago when he won his first NFL passing title. The Cowboys were 3-1 with him this season and are now 1-9 without him.

But there is a flaw in that logic.

The Cowboys were in position to win games without Romo. Several games, in fact.

Let's start by eliminating the losses to New England, Carolina and Green Bay. All were lopsided defeats to division leaders. The Patriots and Panthers figure to be the top seeds come playoff time, and the Packers don't lose at home in December with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback (13-2). The Cowboys likely were going to lose those games with or without Romo.

That leaves seven other losses on the shoulders of backup quarterbacks. The Cowboys were ahead at halftime in five of those games and tied in another. In all seven of those defeats the Cowboys were either ahead or tied in the fourth quarter. But they couldn't close the deal. They didn't win any of them -- thus, 0-7.

Win four of those games and the Cowboys are 8-6 and sitting alone atop the division. Win three of them and the Cowboys are 7-7 and in control of their own playoff destiny. Win none of them and you have a fan base that is openly discussing the idea of tanking for the first overall draft pick next April.

The Cowboys led Atlanta 28-17 at the half and entered the fourth quarter of their September game with a 28-25 lead. But the Falcons scored two touchdowns in the final 15 minutes to put the game away, 39-28. How did an offense that scored 28 points in the first half disappear after the intermission?

The Cowboys led the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks 12-10 with 6:41 remaining. But the Seahawks mounted a 17-play, 79-yard, game-winning field-goal drive over the next six minutes. How did a defense that held Seattle to 244 yards in the opening 54 minutes wilt down the stretch?

The Cowboys led Tampa Bay 6-3 with four minutes remaining. But the Buccaneers mounted a 10-play, 56-yard drive with a rookie quarterback for the game-winning touchdown in the final minute. How did a defense that held the Buccaneers to a single field goal over the opening 56 minutes dissolve when it mattered most?

The Cowboys lost two other games in overtime to New Orleans and Philadelphia, each time on a defensive bust that allowed a long, game-winning touchdown. C.J. Spiller overmatched the linebacker coverage of rookie Damien Wilson for an 80-yard touchdown reception in the New Orleans overtime, and Jordan Matthews capitalized on a slip by rookie cornerback Byron Jones for a 41-yard TD catch in the Philadelphia overtime.

The other two fourth-quarter losses came on a special-teams bust against the Giants and another blown coverage assignment by Jones against the Jets.

After tying the Giants 20-20 with seven minutes remaining, Dwayne Harris returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for the game-winning touchdown for New York. After tying the Jets 16-16 with 1:55 left, Jones let Kembrell Thompkins escape down the victors' sideline for a 43-yard pass reception to the Dallas 26. That set up the game-winning field goal.

Players get paid to play games. Coaches get paid to win them. It's their job to put players in the best position to succeed. The proper play call, the proper substitution, the proper clock management, the strategic timeout -- it's the job of the coaching staff to find ways to win games. Regardless who the quarterback is.

Jason Garrett and his staff have let this franchise down. The Cowboys needed answers this season, needed solutions, and this coaching staff had none. Any coach can win when he's dealt a hand of aces. The rest must play the hand they are dealt -- and find a way to win with it. It's their job.


Wow. Aikman lit the fuse I suppose. Thank God. He's not going to survive after two more losses.
 

Carp

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The target should be on Garrett. Too many times I have seen him talking about how hard the team plays and that they give everything they've got. If that is the case, then we should have been able to win more than 1 game with Romo down. Now Marinelli...he is getting the most out of his players. Certainly we have given up leads late, but the defense had to basically play perfect football to win.

I definitely think Garrett should be fired, but won't be fired. It is easy to go 12-4 when Romo is healthy. His inability to win without Romo shows the job is too big for him. I watched the Texans win yesterday with their 3rd strong QB...a player we could not win with. Fire Garrett.
 

L.T. Fan

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Garrett only knows one system. If it doesn't work he is sunk. It's painfully obvious that he cannot make adjustments during a game and even more obvious that he cannot devise schemes and game plans to fit the opponent each week. Further he doesn't know how to utilize personnel to minimize their shortcomings. He is stuck on the only way he knows to do and it may be months or years for him to first recognize his limitations notwithstanding the time to improve his knowledge base.

He is a goner sooner or later because even Jones will pull the plug at some point. Probably not this season's end but it could happen into next season if the team continues to come up empty. We have seen that Jones isn't reluctant to make a mid season change. His approach seems to be when he has someone lined up to step in. I don't think that person is on the staff yet. There may be a clandestine search going on now for a replacement coach if the situation doesn't change
 

p1_

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Sean Payton, come on down.
 

Simpleton

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I wouldn't be shocked to see him fired but I'd still put the likelihood around only about 20%. If we miss the playoffs next year he's fired almost regardless of circumstances I think.
 

Texas Ace

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Sean Payton, come on down.
That's the only coach that stands a chance to come here to replace Garrett, and even then, it's like a 10% chance at best.

If Jerry doesn't go after Payton, he won't go after anyone.

In other words, prepare yourself mentally to see Garrett return for another season.
 

Texas Ace

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I wouldn't be shocked to see him fired but I'd still put the likelihood around only about 20%. If we miss the playoffs next year he's fired almost regardless of circumstances I think.
I think 20% is being generous.
 

VA Cowboy

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Jerry will look at the man in the mirror and Garrett will be back clapping next year while we waste another season.
 

Carp

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That's the only coach that stands a chance to come here to replace Garrett, and even then, it's like a 10% chance at best.

If Jerry doesn't go after Payton, he won't go after anyone.

In other words, prepare yourself mentally to see Garrett return for another season.
I think Holmgren would get as much consideration as Payton. I mean he is a big time, respected coach...and he had interest before. You see many coaches shy away from Jerry, but Holmgren seemed ready to make his deal with the devil.
 

townsend

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I think Holmgren would get as much consideration as Payton. I mean he is a big time, respected coach...and he had interest before. You see many coaches shy away from Jerry, but Holmgren seemed ready to make his deal with the devil.
I wonder if he's been out of the game too long at this point. Kiffin should have been a good enough lessen to not chase coaches from a bygone era.
 

Texas Ace

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I wonder if he's been out of the game too long at this point. Kiffin should have been a good enough lessen to not chase coaches from a bygone era.
That's what I was going to say.

Two issues:

The first being that he's been out of the game for quite a while. And the second is, does Holmgren even have the desire to coach anymore?
 

NoDak

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In other words, prepare yourself mentally to see Garrett return for another season.
The new contract. Jerry's hand picked boy. The injury excuse.

There's nothing to prepare for. He'll be back. There is no doubt in my mind.
 

Texas Ace

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The new contract. Jerry's hand picked boy. The injury excuse.

There's nothing to prepare for. He'll be back. There is no doubt in my mind.
I agree, but that statement was aimed more towards those who actually believe Jerry might fire him.

I know most here don't think it's likely, but I'm sure some have that "What if" thought floating in their minds, and it's just not gonna happen.
 

NoDak

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I agree, but that statement was aimed more towards those who actually believe Jerry might fire him.

I know most here don't think it's likely, but I'm sure some have that "What if" thought floating in their minds, and it's just not gonna happen.
I admit, I have a little spot deep down in my mind where I am hoping for the entire coaching staff to be purged, too. Where I try to convince myself that Jerry will do it.

But honestly, I truly believe he won't. Just like I think the only kind of coach that WILL be let go will be a position coach. Somebody like Dooley or Henderson. Maybe Bisaccia.

I actually hope that Marinelli and Linehan are safe, as long as Garrett remains. For a couple reasons. First, might as well keep as much continuity as we can if we're staying with Garrett. But mostly because who could we hire to replace them? Any coordinator worth his salt wouldn't come here knowing they'd be working under a lame duck HC. If/when Garrett gets his pink slip, they know they'd be out the door with him.
 

Genghis Khan

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I wonder if he's been out of the game too long at this point. Kiffin should have been a good enough lessen to not chase coaches from a bygone era.
Dick Vermeil was out much longer and came back to win a super bowl.

Kiffin was like 90 when we brought him in. Holmgren I believe is 67. I could see him having another 4 or 5 years in him.
 

Texas Ace

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I admit, I have a little spot deep down in my mind where I am hoping for the entire coaching staff to be purged, too. Where I try to convince myself that Jerry will do it.
We all do.....that's what makes you a fan.

You don't think, but you still have that small hope that maybe, just maybe, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the team actually making the right decision for once. That's why I have a very small glimmer of hope that we may go after Payton if in fact he does leave New Orleans after the season.

With that said....

But honestly, I truly believe he won't. Just like I think the only kind of coach that WILL be let go will be a position coach. Somebody like Dooley or Henderson. Maybe Bisaccia.

I actually hope that Marinelli and Linehan are safe, as long as Garrett remains. For a couple reasons. First, might as well keep as much continuity as we can if we're staying with Garrett. But mostly because who could we hire to replace them? Any coordinator worth his salt wouldn't come here knowing they'd be working under a lame duck HC. If/when Garrett gets his pink slip, they know they'd be out the door with him.
Pretty much. I don't think Garrett is going anywehre.

Jerry will give his usual speech that he gives after a disappointing season, and we will in fact see changes, but they won't be the ones that need to be made.

A few assistants here and there will get the axe, we might even see some FA spending in the offseason, but that's about the extent of the "changes" we'll see.
 

Texas Ace

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I think whatever chance there is to bring in a new HC would be improved if clowns like Switzer and Lacewell got in Jerry's ear to tell him how poorly a job Garrett has done this year.

He still confides very much in those two bozos and talks to them every offseason. If they have any sense whatsoever, then they too will have noticed how teams all around the leagues have overcome injuries and poor QB situations to get a few wins here and there, while we immediately went to shit without Romo.

If they point these same things out to Jerry, then it might push him a bit more to make a change.
 

VA Cowboy

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I admit, I have a little spot deep down in my mind where I am hoping for the entire coaching staff to be purged, too. Where I try to convince myself that Jerry will do it.

But honestly, I truly believe he won't. Just like I think the only kind of coach that WILL be let go will be a position coach. Somebody like Dooley or Henderson. Maybe Bisaccia.

I actually hope that Marinelli and Linehan are safe, as long as Garrett remains. For a couple reasons. First, might as well keep as much continuity as we can if we're staying with Garrett. But mostly because who could we hire to replace them? Any coordinator worth his salt wouldn't come here knowing they'd be working under a lame duck HC. If/when Garrett gets his pink slip, they know they'd be out the door with him.
Pretty much. I want Garrett gone but we all know that isn't going to happen. I only even entertain the idea because of Payton floating out there but that thought fades quickly. And keeping JG but replacing a coordinator doesn't make sense since they aren't the weakest link and for reasons you noted.

I'm definitely in favor of getting rid of Dooley but replacing a lame WR coach is only a small bandaid. I think Garrett is here as long as Romo is, or unless we have another sub .500 season next year. But as long as Jerry is making the call I have no faith he'd bring in a quality HC even if we make a move then. Wouldn't surprise me the least if when the time comes he just promotes Linehan or Marinelli just for 'continuity' sake, not mention comfort level.

Looking more and more like it's always been, having to wait for JJ to be out of the picture before we get serious about a real HC.
 
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