Morons...uh, sorry: ESPN: Jason Garrett takes blame for play

[tr1]

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/news/story?id=5576305&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines

IRVING, Texas -- Coach Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett agree that the decision to try a Hail Mary from their own 36-yard line at the end of the first half of the Cowboys' 13-7 loss to the Redskins was foolish. But they're on different pages about who should get the blame for the awful result.

Phillips said Monday that Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall's game-changing fumble return for a touchdown was his fault, because major strategic decisions are the head coach's domain. A couple of days later, Garrett pinned the blame on himself.

"I called the play," Garrett said Wednesday. "It's my responsibility."

The Cowboys called a Hail Mary for the final play of the first half when they thought they had the ball at their 46. But a holding penalty on Alex Barron pushed them back 10 yards and created confusion. In hindsight, the Cowboys should then have taken a knee, but the play call stayed the same.

Tony Romo sits to pee felt pressure after the snap and made the questionable decision to dump a pass to Tashard Choice in the right flat. After he was stripped and Hall took the ball in for a score, the Redskins led 10-0.

Garrett took the blame.

"We've had an aggressive style here, really throughout our football team and on the offensive side of the ball, for the last three years and it's served us well," Garrett said. "Having said that, you have to manage situations better.

"That was a situation where we should have just taken a knee and should have gone into the locker room. We didn't do that. We put them in a situation where that could happen. That was unfortunate because it obviously made a difference in the game."

Garrett did not respond to a question about his relationship with Phillips, looking to another reporter who was asking about Barron. Phillips emphasized his authority over Garrett during Monday afternoon's press conference, and Garrett apparently didn't feel the need to publicly challenge that.

[tr1]

Is Garrett still making more money than Fatty?

Anyone?

[HeHateMe]

I hope they're both as willing to take the blame when they don't make the playoffs this season then they can both get canned.

[terrifNick21]

I think it's Romo sits to pee's fault. It was 4 seconds left. He ought to have known Choice wasn't going to score. Why not slide? Or perhaps throw the ball out of bounds? No. Instead, he tries to be super hero and it back fired. Had the last play of the game had stood, everyone would've been on Romo sits to pee's nuts for making a great play, not the head coach or offensive coordinator; so why blame them when Romo sits to pee makes a stupid play?

[TSO]

Nice thread title, tr1, lol.

[BillyKilmer]

The real blame lands at the feet of ... wait for it ... Jerry Jones these are his hand picked people making these mistakes the Buck stops with him.

[tr1]

I think it's Romo sits to pee's fault. It was 4 seconds left. He ought to have known Choice wasn't going to score. Why not slide? Or perhaps throw the ball out of bounds? No. Instead, he tries to be super hero and it back fired. Had the last play of the game had stood, everyone would've been on Romo sits to pee's nuts for making a great play, not the head coach or offensive coordinator; so why blame them when Romo sits to pee makes a stupid play?

You know, every interview I saw of Romo sits to pee this off-season, the subject was 'why has his play improved'...and he said, over and over, it's because he was making SMARTER decisions.

I think you're right. Once again, Romo sits to pee is given a PASS for a dumb play.

[brianm23]

Is Garrett still making more money than Fatty?

Anyone?

He was never making "more" money than Wade, but pretty much about the same money. I think both are being paid 3 mil/yr. Even so, you can't give your coordinator head coach money, tell him he's the coach in waiting, and expect good results.