Clay_Allison
Old Bastard
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2013
- Messages
- 5,488
When was Wade Phillips HC in San Diego?We have 2 variables we can definitely nail down between the 2013-2015. Linehan who usually attempts to rush 400 or more times, and Murray who's top # of attempts was 217 times before 2014, Reggie Bush attempted 223 times the same year (there were another 228 attempts spread among a committee).
Also Jim Schwartz is a defensive coach. While the rushing game is an important part of defense, it'd be equivalent to say that Wade Phillips was somehow responsible for Schottenheimer's rushing offense in San Diego. If Jim Schwartz is the variable and Garrett is the pass happy true overlord of this offense, why did the 2014 Cowboys rush 50 times more than the 2013 Lions? If it was Murray's success that drove us to be less pass happy, overlord Garrett wouldn't have pooped his pants and abandoned the run vs. the Packers in 2013.
My current hypothesis is that Garrett believes in rushing the ball as much or more than all of the former Titans defensive coordinators. He also is a bit of a softy and lets his best pal Romo dictate to him playcalling (this would account for the more conservative offense in 2010). He needs another play caller to play bad cop.
Alternately in the heat of the moment, Garrett may not be able to control his QB tendencies, and default to pass plays under stress. Linehan was calling plays as an OC before Garrett was ever drafted, and is a more disciplined play-caller.
If Garrett was going to freakout and grab the reigns, forcing Romo to pass 55 times, it would have happened against St. Louis last year. In the midst of a blowout, we kept running and only passed 23 times. Would Garret ever have done that? What would have happened down 21-0 in that same situation in 2011-2013? Oh, it happened a bunch, we abandoned the run, and passed like f***ing crazy (Even though we had Murray in the lineup!)
I think Garrett didn't force Linehan to abandon the run in St Louis last year because he knew his job was on the line and not running the ball in Green Bay had a lot to do with that. Now his job's not on the line. If Linehan hadn't come back, I'd guarantee you he'd have the playcalling duties again. This is the same guy who scoffed at the idea of not calling plays until Jerry basically told him it was the only way he would keep his job. With a big shiny new contract, I don't trust him not to be his old arrogant self again.