Archer: Jason Garrett again vows to run it better, more

Jason Garrett again vows to run it better, more

February, 21, 2014

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


INDIANAPOLIS – A year ago, coach Jason Garrett's mantra was that the Dallas Cowboysneeded to run the ball more and run it better in 2013 than they did in 2012.

The Cowboys ran it a lot better with DeMarco Murray rushing for more than 1,000 yards and earning a Pro Bowl spot, but they did not run it more.

In 2013, Dallas ran it 336 times for 1,507 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. The season before, they rushed for 1,265 yards on 355 carries with eight touchdowns.

On Thursday Garrett said the Cowboys must run it more in 2014, however, the new playcaller, Scott Linehan, ran the ball even less than the Cowboys when he was the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions.

"Scott's been around teams that have run the ball really well, if you look at his track record back to Minnesota, they were a top five rushing team," Garrett said. "All those years when they had Daunte Culpepper and Randy Moss, they always ran the ball very, very well. You like to get to a point where you can do that, where you have that kind of balance. You can be really productive in the passing game, but you can control the game by running the football."

As head coach of the St. Louis Rams, Linehan had Steven Jackson rush for 1,528 yards but the team finished ranked 17th in the NFL in rushing. In three years as the Vikings' coordinator he oversaw the NFL's ninth, fourth and second ranked run offenses form 2002-04. In five years with the Lions, Linehan's rush offense's best finish was 17th.

With a developing offensive line, highlighted by first-round picks Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick, and Murray, Garrett said the Cowboys simply have to trust the running game more.

"We're stronger up front than we've been in the last few years, and hopefully we can continue to add to that, control the line of scrimmage more," Garrett said. "The best teams in the league are able to do that, and we're hoping to be able to do that, have the kind of balance we want for our team."

Oh fuck you, Garrett.

More like ruin it better.

Bull fucking shit.

Maybe in February he really believes what he's saying but when push comes to shove this dipshit freezes and goes back to his comfort zone. Can you even ponder a more obvious situation to go run heavy than up by about 14-20 or so points, your defense is playing like shit and you're averaging 6-7 YPC?

No, and this guy went full retard, not just passing a few times too much, but almost on damn near every down in that Packer game.

Almost 15 mins and no Scmitty. He must have his hands full.

jsmith6919 said:

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That pic just pisses me off. Red headed asshole, douche.

Garrett Points To Linehan’s Vikings For Run Loyalty
Posted 15 minutes ago

Rowan Kavner
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer

INDIANAPOLIS– Head coach Jason Garrett doesn’t believe Scott Linehan’s recent penchant for passing is an indication the Cowboys won’t run the ball this year.
Garrett pointed back before Linehan’s days as the Lions offensive coordinator, the Rams head coach and the Dolphins offensive coordinator to a time when Linehan’s offense demonstrated a strong belief and dedication to the run.

“Scott’s been around teams that have run the ball really well,” Garrett said. “If you look at his track record back to Minnesota, they were a top five rushing team.”

Linehan was the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach in Minnesota from 2002-04, and the Vikings finished in the top 10 in rushing attempts and the top five in rushing yards two of those three seasons.

“All those years when they had Daunte Culpepper and Randy Moss, they always ran the ball very, very well,” Garrett said. “You like to get to a point where you can do that, where you have that kind of balance. You can be really productive in the passing game, but you can control the game by running the football.”

The Cowboys were criticized last year for finishing in the bottom 10 in the league in rushing attempts despite finishing in the top 10 in average per rushing attempt. Bill Callahan has subsequently been removed as the play-caller in favor of Linehan, whose offenses have also favored the pass in recent years.


The Lions finished 24th in the league or worse in rushing attempts from 2009-12 under Linehan before jumping to 14th in the offensive coordinator’s final and most recent season in Detroit. Linehan’s Rams finished 22nd or worse in rushing attempts each year from 2006-08 when he was the head coach. The Dolphins were 17th in rushing attempts Linehan’s one season as offensive coordinator in Miami in 2005, when he teamed with Garrett.

But when Linehan was in Minnesota prior to that, the Vikings dedicated themselves to the running game the first two seasons to be among the league’s best before falling back to 28th in rushing attempts in 2004, which was Linehan’s last year with the Vikings.

Garrett said numerous times last season that the Cowboys have to run it more and run it better, and he reiterated those sentiments Thursday. He said he believes the Cowboys can find balance with Linehan after a strong showing from the new-look offensive line last year, and he said the coaches have to trust that line, play to it and allow the linemen a chance to control the line of scrimmage.

“I feel like the addition of Travis Frederick and some of the other young guys on the offensive line last year allowed us to run the ball better than we have in recent years,” Garrett said. “We’re stronger up front than we’ve been in the last few years, and hopefully we can continue to add to that, control the line of scrimmage more. The best teams in the league are able to do that, and we’re hoping to be able to do that, to have the kind of balance we want for our team.”

Dolphins OC

2005 - 17

Rams head coach

2006 - 23

2007 - 24

2008 - 22

Lions OC

2009 - 24

2010 - 24

2011 - 31

2012 - 25

2013 - 14

Yeah, the Vikings were a rushing dynamo during his tenure.

Why? Why the hell would he say this? We're not going to run the ball more, but more importantly, he doesn't believe we should run the ball more. He believes that the best chance for this team to win is throwing the ball and we have his entire tenure as evidence. In the last game of the season with a back-up QB needing a win to make the playoffs, he calls 46 passes to 18 runs in a 1 score game. And then we go get a coordiantor who's even more pass happy than he is.

Just own it already.

GShock said:

And then we go get a coordiantor who's even more pass happy than he is.

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Linehan has only recently become that pass-heavy, and probably with good reason with Megatron, Stafford's cannon of an arm and little else on the team. Garrett's been a pass-happy bastard since he started calling plays in 2007. Bill Callahan totally blew the 2002-2003 Superbowl by refusing to run.

Compared with those two, Linehan is Chuck Knox.

Texas Ace said:

Oh fuck you, Garrett.

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This. So very much this.