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Jason Garrett did something against Bill Belichick and the Patriots on Sunday that you just can’t do against the Patriots and it ended up costing his team dearly – Jason Garrett coached scared.
I’m talking, of course, about his wild decision in the fourth quarter to kick a field goal instead of going for it on fourth-and-seven from the Patriots 11 yard line. The Cowboys were trailing by seven with just over six minutes left in the game. They were moving the ball against the Patriots’ stellar defense. This was their chance to have Dak Prescott make a huge a statement and make a big play in a huge situation.
Instead, Garrett called for the kicking team to take field.
Yuck.
I can only imagine Belichick was laughing so hard on the inside when he saw a kicker running onto the field. I mean, how embarrassing for Garrett.
The kick was good but the decision was not, as the Cowboys ended up losing by four points. Granted, an awful tripping call on their last drive didn’t help things but Garrett’s decision to kick a field goal is the one that should hurt the most and add only more fuel to the fire that is the Cowboys fanbase after Garrett does something stupid in a game.
Garrett should have learned something from Doug Pederson and the rival Eagles. Remember when they threw everything at the Patriots – including the “Philly Special” – in the Super Bowl a few years ago? Pederson never coached scared in that game, instead he did just the opposite and stepped down on the pedal and drove right over Belichick and the Pats on their way to winning the Super Bowl.
Garrett didn’t do that Sunday in New England and it could be what ultimately ends up costing him his job in Dallas. Jerry Jones needs a coach that isn’t afraid to go for it and make big moves. Garrett seems content with playing it safe and clapping his approval on the sideline.
Remember earlier in the season when Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson told his coach, John Harbaugh, that he wanted to go for it on fourth down inside the 10 yard line against Seattle? Jackson ran the ball in for a TD on the play and cemented his status as the leader of that team who will do whatever it takes to win. Baltimore hasn’t lost since that game and are now one of the best teams in the NFL.
Dak could have had that opportunity on Sunday, instead he had to watch some kicker run on the field and get the team three points.
Garrett didn’t coach to win on Sunday. He coached to not make mistakes.
And that was absolutely the biggest mistake that he could have made.
NFL Week 12 Awards: Eagles had the worst celebration.
Check out my weekly NFL awards, in which I take a gif-by-gif look back at the good, the bad, and the hilarious from Sunday’s NFL action. The Eagles’ defense had the worst celebration of the week – celebrating a fumble recovery while down 14 in the fourth quarter wasn’t a great look.
Quick hits: Gronk outfit jokes… Bears fan sneaks in a pie… Jefferson crushes Knicks… And more!
– Rob Gronkowski rocked a turtleneck on Fox on Sunday and fans had lots of good jokes.
– A Bears fan snuck a pumpkin pie into Sunday’s game and instantly became a hero.
– Richard Jefferson crushed the Knicks with a tremendous story about not wanting to play for the Knicks.
– Joe Theisman didn’t like seeing Dwayne Haskins taking selfies with fans at the end of Sunday’s Redskins game. Theisman really needs to calm down.
(Follow me on Twitter at @anezbitt. It might change your life. Just don’t tell me about your fantasy team.)