Fins' Porter ready for Owens, trash-talking
By Carl Kotala
news-press.com Sports bureau
DAVIE — Given the personalities of Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens, it's inevitable that at some point in Sunday's game between the two teams, a little trash-talking will be going on.
And if it comes down to that kind of battle, Porter's teammates have no doubt who would come out on top.
"I don't think T.O. can touch Joey when it comes to talking junk," said Dolphins defensive tackle Vonnie Holliday. "So probably Joey ... as long as he also wins the performance battle on the field."
Oh yeah — that.
Finding a way to slow down Owens will be a key for Miami, or any other defense that faces Dallas this season.
Though Owens caught only three passes for 87 yards against the New York Giants last week, two of them went for touchdowns. And it was on the second score when Owens' personality came out.
After lining up in the slot, something he hasn't done much in Dallas previously, he caught a pass from quarterback Tony Romo and ran away from the Giants' defense for 47 yards and a touchdown.
At the end of the play, New York safety Gibril Wilson took a swipe at Owens in the end zone, resulting in a personal foul.
Wilson reportedly took exception to a one-finger salute by Owens ... no, not that finger. At least one photo showed Owens extending his index finger to show who was No. 1.
Nevertheless, the Dolphins know they're going to have their hands full trying to cover Owens on Sunday.
"It's difficult," Miami coach Cam Cameron said. "You mix coverages. The best coverage on any receiver is pressure on the quarterback. There's just no two ways about it. A guy like Terrell, even from a scheme standpoint, when he's covered, he's still open because he's so big, he's so strong.
"You've got to mix things, you've got to create pressure. You try — and everybody knows the answer — to disrupt as much as you can, but there's nothing like pressure on a quarterback."
Pressuring quarterbacks is just one of the things that Porter likes to do.
And when he makes a big play, Porter's not afraid to put on a little show, either. Last week in Washington, for example, he made a first-half tackle deep in Redskins' territory, got up and kicked the air as if he had just kicked somebody's behind.
Porter's on-field antics are legendary. As a Pittsburgh Steeler in 2004, he was ejected, along with Cleveland running back William Green, for fighting ... before the game even started.
And while Owens has been relatively quiet this week, he might want to think twice about getting Porter stirred up. Because come Sunday, the trash talk could be flowing.
"That's my nature, so whoever they want to send over to do that, we can do that, but I'm definitely going to be ready to go out there and play come Sunday," Porter said. "(Owens is) not going to come over there talking to me, so I'm not even worried about it. He does his trash-talking in a different type of way. Mine is really not to make the media a part of it or whatever that situation might be, mine is strictly to the person who I'm talking to and it's really confidential. If it leaks out, he told it, not me.
"So mine is just trying to get inside your head, degrade you or whatever so I can win the football game. I'm not trying to make a media circus out of it, so if he comes over there and has something to say ... I know him off the field, but on game day nobody's really my friend, so that's how that works.''
news-press.com Sports bureau
DAVIE — Given the personalities of Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens, it's inevitable that at some point in Sunday's game between the two teams, a little trash-talking will be going on.
And if it comes down to that kind of battle, Porter's teammates have no doubt who would come out on top.
"I don't think T.O. can touch Joey when it comes to talking junk," said Dolphins defensive tackle Vonnie Holliday. "So probably Joey ... as long as he also wins the performance battle on the field."
Oh yeah — that.
Finding a way to slow down Owens will be a key for Miami, or any other defense that faces Dallas this season.
Though Owens caught only three passes for 87 yards against the New York Giants last week, two of them went for touchdowns. And it was on the second score when Owens' personality came out.
After lining up in the slot, something he hasn't done much in Dallas previously, he caught a pass from quarterback Tony Romo and ran away from the Giants' defense for 47 yards and a touchdown.
At the end of the play, New York safety Gibril Wilson took a swipe at Owens in the end zone, resulting in a personal foul.
Wilson reportedly took exception to a one-finger salute by Owens ... no, not that finger. At least one photo showed Owens extending his index finger to show who was No. 1.
Nevertheless, the Dolphins know they're going to have their hands full trying to cover Owens on Sunday.
"It's difficult," Miami coach Cam Cameron said. "You mix coverages. The best coverage on any receiver is pressure on the quarterback. There's just no two ways about it. A guy like Terrell, even from a scheme standpoint, when he's covered, he's still open because he's so big, he's so strong.
"You've got to mix things, you've got to create pressure. You try — and everybody knows the answer — to disrupt as much as you can, but there's nothing like pressure on a quarterback."
Pressuring quarterbacks is just one of the things that Porter likes to do.
And when he makes a big play, Porter's not afraid to put on a little show, either. Last week in Washington, for example, he made a first-half tackle deep in Redskins' territory, got up and kicked the air as if he had just kicked somebody's behind.
Porter's on-field antics are legendary. As a Pittsburgh Steeler in 2004, he was ejected, along with Cleveland running back William Green, for fighting ... before the game even started.
And while Owens has been relatively quiet this week, he might want to think twice about getting Porter stirred up. Because come Sunday, the trash talk could be flowing.
"That's my nature, so whoever they want to send over to do that, we can do that, but I'm definitely going to be ready to go out there and play come Sunday," Porter said. "(Owens is) not going to come over there talking to me, so I'm not even worried about it. He does his trash-talking in a different type of way. Mine is really not to make the media a part of it or whatever that situation might be, mine is strictly to the person who I'm talking to and it's really confidential. If it leaks out, he told it, not me.
"So mine is just trying to get inside your head, degrade you or whatever so I can win the football game. I'm not trying to make a media circus out of it, so if he comes over there and has something to say ... I know him off the field, but on game day nobody's really my friend, so that's how that works.''
posted by The Gryphon at 8:30 AM
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