Couple of keys for Eagles as they invade Dallas
By BOB GROTZ, bgrotz@comcast.net 09/14/2008
PHILADELPHIA - Attention to detail often separates the NFL's haves from its have-nots, and the Eagles are leaving no stone unturned as they prepare for the Dallas Cowboys.
There are a couple of subtleties the Eagles absolutely must defeat if they want to compete with the Cowboys Monday at Texas Stadium.
One is the almost deadly pump fake of quarterback Tony Romo, which freezes blitzers and pass defenders awkwardly in place.
The other is running back Marion "The Barbarian" Barber's brutal stiff arm, which is like getting slapped in the head with a blackjack.
Taking either for granted can lead to embarrassment.
Romo's pump fake caught the Eagles off guard the first time they met last season, the Cowboys passer buying extra time for his receivers to break open and his line to hold its blocks.
Mixing screen passes and runs with the pump, Romo set up shots down the field. Almost effortlessly he completed 20 of 25 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns, including a 45-yarder to Terrell Owens.
"He's really good at looking off (the receivers) and pumping," Eagles safety Quintin Mikell said. "It kind of makes you second-guess where you're going and it makes you hesitant and that's not what you want to be doing when you're playing deep middle, you know? He's really, really good at it. You can't jump on it. And I mean, you watch the film last year and he was really working that."
In short, the pump fake can turn an attacking, downhill style of defense like the one the Eagles play into uphill, read and react, spinning-your-wheels mode.
The Eagles played much better against Romo in the rematch last year, limiting him to just 13 completions on 36 attempts with Mikell, Lito Sheppard and Brian Dawkins getting interceptions in a 10-6 win at Dallas.
Barber also couldn't break loose in that game, the Eagles swarming to the 6-0, 224-pound power back to the point the Cowboys abandoned the run.
"He runs with an attitude," Eagles defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley said. "It's almost like he runs with a chip on his shoulder when he carries the ball. We've just got to key on him, make sure everyone is in their lanes."
The chip Barber carries along with the football manifests itself in one of the oldest tactics in football - the stiff arm.
With forearms cut and pasted from Muscle Magazine, Barber punches his free hand into the face, shoulder or whatever of the would-be tackler and the result is a blown tackle.
"I've never been in there with him but you can see he has a great stiff arm," Eagles safety J.R. Reed said. "That will stun you for a second and he'll be able to get by you. Basically it just stops you from getting to him. When you're trying to reach for him, he's trying to beat you up with it. He will catch you with it and you'll be reaching and you'll have no power after getting hit. You'll be arm tackling instead of actually being able to deliver a blow."
In the open field, the stiff arm can be almost lethal. It can add another five or 10 yards to a play and leave the defender wondering what the score is.
"You've just got to come at him aggressively," Reed said. "Everybody has to rally to the ball. You have to hold him up and hope your teammates are coming to help you."
PHILADELPHIA - Attention to detail often separates the NFL's haves from its have-nots, and the Eagles are leaving no stone unturned as they prepare for the Dallas Cowboys.
There are a couple of subtleties the Eagles absolutely must defeat if they want to compete with the Cowboys Monday at Texas Stadium.
One is the almost deadly pump fake of quarterback Tony Romo, which freezes blitzers and pass defenders awkwardly in place.
The other is running back Marion "The Barbarian" Barber's brutal stiff arm, which is like getting slapped in the head with a blackjack.
Taking either for granted can lead to embarrassment.
Romo's pump fake caught the Eagles off guard the first time they met last season, the Cowboys passer buying extra time for his receivers to break open and his line to hold its blocks.
Mixing screen passes and runs with the pump, Romo set up shots down the field. Almost effortlessly he completed 20 of 25 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns, including a 45-yarder to Terrell Owens.
"He's really good at looking off (the receivers) and pumping," Eagles safety Quintin Mikell said. "It kind of makes you second-guess where you're going and it makes you hesitant and that's not what you want to be doing when you're playing deep middle, you know? He's really, really good at it. You can't jump on it. And I mean, you watch the film last year and he was really working that."
In short, the pump fake can turn an attacking, downhill style of defense like the one the Eagles play into uphill, read and react, spinning-your-wheels mode.
The Eagles played much better against Romo in the rematch last year, limiting him to just 13 completions on 36 attempts with Mikell, Lito Sheppard and Brian Dawkins getting interceptions in a 10-6 win at Dallas.
Barber also couldn't break loose in that game, the Eagles swarming to the 6-0, 224-pound power back to the point the Cowboys abandoned the run.
"He runs with an attitude," Eagles defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley said. "It's almost like he runs with a chip on his shoulder when he carries the ball. We've just got to key on him, make sure everyone is in their lanes."
The chip Barber carries along with the football manifests itself in one of the oldest tactics in football - the stiff arm.
With forearms cut and pasted from Muscle Magazine, Barber punches his free hand into the face, shoulder or whatever of the would-be tackler and the result is a blown tackle.
"I've never been in there with him but you can see he has a great stiff arm," Eagles safety J.R. Reed said. "That will stun you for a second and he'll be able to get by you. Basically it just stops you from getting to him. When you're trying to reach for him, he's trying to beat you up with it. He will catch you with it and you'll be reaching and you'll have no power after getting hit. You'll be arm tackling instead of actually being able to deliver a blow."
In the open field, the stiff arm can be almost lethal. It can add another five or 10 yards to a play and leave the defender wondering what the score is.
"You've just got to come at him aggressively," Reed said. "Everybody has to rally to the ball. You have to hold him up and hope your teammates are coming to help you."
posted by The Gryphon at 9:16 AM
<< Home