Phillips, Capers Agree: Abandoning The Run Is Bad
By Scott Crisp
Yesterday, we may have harped on the fact that, during the Cowboys 17-7 loss to Green Bay on Sunday, Dallas ran the ball a total of 11 times. In a screed against a one-dimensional offense we decried the fact that, after running the ball four times for 27 yards in the first quarter, Marion Barber ran only once the rest of the way, compiling a meager 37 all-purpose yards.
It was justified, we felt, considering that Green Bay's corners blanketed the Dallas receivers completely, while Tony Romo was beaten down like Rocky Balboa in the early rounds of any of his six career fights (five sanctioned, one, against Tommy Gunn, street).
As of today, our thoughts on this exceedingly frustrating aspect of the loss were corroborated from both sides.
First, Dom Capers, Green Bay's defensive coordinator said yesterday, "We were able to pressure more because it became a one-dimensional game," alluding to the utter lack of a running game after the first quarter and, indirectly, that Romo was sacked five times.
Because Jason Garrett has been holed up in media neverland since the loss, head coach Wade Phillips took up the the issue yesterday in his press conference, saying pretty much (minus the vulgar language) what everyone in Dallas was thinking.
"We still want to play balanced," Phillips said, per ESPNDallas.com. "If we can run the ball, we want to be able to control the ball more. It'd help the defense, if nothing else."
Well, that and keep Romo from being consummately dismantled by the pass rush, but whatever works.
With Garrett scheduled to speak to the media on Wednesday (read: stand trial), we'll return tomorrow with a summary of the offensive coordinator's explanation.
Yesterday, we may have harped on the fact that, during the Cowboys 17-7 loss to Green Bay on Sunday, Dallas ran the ball a total of 11 times. In a screed against a one-dimensional offense we decried the fact that, after running the ball four times for 27 yards in the first quarter, Marion Barber ran only once the rest of the way, compiling a meager 37 all-purpose yards.
It was justified, we felt, considering that Green Bay's corners blanketed the Dallas receivers completely, while Tony Romo was beaten down like Rocky Balboa in the early rounds of any of his six career fights (five sanctioned, one, against Tommy Gunn, street).
As of today, our thoughts on this exceedingly frustrating aspect of the loss were corroborated from both sides.
First, Dom Capers, Green Bay's defensive coordinator said yesterday, "We were able to pressure more because it became a one-dimensional game," alluding to the utter lack of a running game after the first quarter and, indirectly, that Romo was sacked five times.
Because Jason Garrett has been holed up in media neverland since the loss, head coach Wade Phillips took up the the issue yesterday in his press conference, saying pretty much (minus the vulgar language) what everyone in Dallas was thinking.
"We still want to play balanced," Phillips said, per ESPNDallas.com. "If we can run the ball, we want to be able to control the ball more. It'd help the defense, if nothing else."
Well, that and keep Romo from being consummately dismantled by the pass rush, but whatever works.
With Garrett scheduled to speak to the media on Wednesday (read: stand trial), we'll return tomorrow with a summary of the offensive coordinator's explanation.
posted by The Gryphon at 5:22 PM
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