The Dallas Cowboys sit at 2-3 following their overtime loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football. Once again, the coaching staff, Dak Prescott, and the offense were the subject of criticisms for the performance. In particular, the Cowboys decision to punt the ball on 4th-and-1 in overtime, just on the outside edge of field goal range, sparked a media firestorm. Here’s some of the hot takes concerning the sequence of events:
The Cowboys punted on 4th and 1 at the Houston 42-yard line.
Read that again. And again. And again. And again.
Arrogance. Ignorance. Humiliation.
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) October 8, 2018
The #Cowboys built their team to run the ball and they punted on 4th and 1 from their opponents 42-yard line.
Tells you EVERYTHING you need to know about the coach in charge. Everything.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) October 8, 2018
I can't believe how gutless a decision that is with all of this invested in your RB and OL. That is horrendous.
— Bob Sturm (@SportsSturm) October 8, 2018
Jason Garrett has since spoken to the media to give his thoughts on the play:
Jason Garrett is not second-guessing his decision to punt on 4th and 1 in OT. “It just made sense to force them to drive the football.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 8, 2018
While the defense of the Cowboys has been fine this season, and played well Sunday night, a team which is built around the identity of being able to push you around up front has no excuse for not trying to get 1-yard on 4th down. If anything, Brett Maher would’ve been in position to attempt a long (60) yard field goal. While definitely a big ask, Maher drilled a 56 yard field goal just weeks ago in the Cowboys’ preseason game against these Texans. Maher’s leg played a role in the jettisoning of Dan Bailey.
Final Thought:
The team’s decision to punt the ball there on 4th down is a questionable call that is magnified by the performance of the team this year. In a make or break season, Jason Garrett’s time as the captain of the Dallas Cowboys ship is in danger of sinking.
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