Madden's take
Patriots Blog - Reiss Pieces
By Mike Reiss, Globe Staff
Analyst John Madden, speaking on Sirius radio today, shared his thoughts on the Patriots-Cowboys matchup. Here are some of his comments with host Adam Schein, courtesy of Sirius' media relations staff:
“I’d like to be there. I’d like to see this one. I think that Tony Romo used up all his interceptions Monday night. When you’re a good team and you can play a lousy game where you have so many turnovers and still win I think you can learn so much from that. Usually, when you have a lot of turnovers, your QB throws a lot of interceptions, you lose the game and everyone’s down. Here you can say, ‘Well, we dodged a bullet there. I was really lucky and I’m never going to let that happen again.’ So I think that was a big, big plus that they could have so many things go wrong and still win because as a coach you can really get on your team now. It’s not one of those things where everyone’s celebrating and pouring champagne on their heads because they played lousy. ... So you can really correct a lot of things and get the players attention and they know if they’re going to be a top team they have to play a heck of a lot better. And I think they will. Short week and then playing lousy I think equals great, great concentration by the Dallas Cowboys this week."
How about the challenge for the Dallas defense going up against Tom Brady, Randy Moss and the New England Patriots offense?
"That’s going to be tough. They really haven’t been a great pass rush team this year. They get some pass rush from DeMarcus Ware but they haven’t really gotten enough to really put pressure on the QB. I don’t know that there’s an answer for Tom Brady. It’s like Peyton Manning. You say, ‘How do you stop Tom Brady? How do you stop Peyton Manning?’ You don’t. The answer isn’t you rush them, you blitz them, you zone them, you drop eight. I’ve seen them do everything to Tom Brady and he’s still going to get you. You just have to play your technique and when he completes passes, tackle the guy. Don’t get fooled. Don’t give him easy plays. Just play him hard. Play him tough. As far as an answer to how you take away Tom Brady I don’t know that there is one. I kind of think that one of the things you can do is just play the pass. Let them have the run and if they’re going to beat you with the run, so be it. But do everything in your defense for the pass defense."
As you go over match-ups in this game, are there match-ups, when Tom Brady has the football, that favor the Cowboys?
"I don’t think they have any. The closest one that they would have would be DeMarcus Ware rushing and I don’t even know that that would be anything except even."
By Mike Reiss, Globe Staff
Analyst John Madden, speaking on Sirius radio today, shared his thoughts on the Patriots-Cowboys matchup. Here are some of his comments with host Adam Schein, courtesy of Sirius' media relations staff:
“I’d like to be there. I’d like to see this one. I think that Tony Romo used up all his interceptions Monday night. When you’re a good team and you can play a lousy game where you have so many turnovers and still win I think you can learn so much from that. Usually, when you have a lot of turnovers, your QB throws a lot of interceptions, you lose the game and everyone’s down. Here you can say, ‘Well, we dodged a bullet there. I was really lucky and I’m never going to let that happen again.’ So I think that was a big, big plus that they could have so many things go wrong and still win because as a coach you can really get on your team now. It’s not one of those things where everyone’s celebrating and pouring champagne on their heads because they played lousy. ... So you can really correct a lot of things and get the players attention and they know if they’re going to be a top team they have to play a heck of a lot better. And I think they will. Short week and then playing lousy I think equals great, great concentration by the Dallas Cowboys this week."
How about the challenge for the Dallas defense going up against Tom Brady, Randy Moss and the New England Patriots offense?
"That’s going to be tough. They really haven’t been a great pass rush team this year. They get some pass rush from DeMarcus Ware but they haven’t really gotten enough to really put pressure on the QB. I don’t know that there’s an answer for Tom Brady. It’s like Peyton Manning. You say, ‘How do you stop Tom Brady? How do you stop Peyton Manning?’ You don’t. The answer isn’t you rush them, you blitz them, you zone them, you drop eight. I’ve seen them do everything to Tom Brady and he’s still going to get you. You just have to play your technique and when he completes passes, tackle the guy. Don’t get fooled. Don’t give him easy plays. Just play him hard. Play him tough. As far as an answer to how you take away Tom Brady I don’t know that there is one. I kind of think that one of the things you can do is just play the pass. Let them have the run and if they’re going to beat you with the run, so be it. But do everything in your defense for the pass defense."
As you go over match-ups in this game, are there match-ups, when Tom Brady has the football, that favor the Cowboys?
"I don’t think they have any. The closest one that they would have would be DeMarcus Ware rushing and I don’t even know that that would be anything except even."
posted by The Gryphon at 7:30 PM
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