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Fraley: Cowboys defense ready to 'man up' against gritty Titans
12:52 AM CDT on Thursday, October 7, 2010
COLUMN By GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News
gfraley@dallasnews.com
Gerry Fraley
Archive | Bio | E-mail
IRVING – There are four NFL teams that have used the run more than the pass. The Cowboys take on one of those earth-bound clubs Sunday when they face Tennessee.
Defensive ends Igor Olshansky and Marcus Spears could not ask for anything more.
"I'm excited by the opportunity," Spears said. "Man up and see how good you are."
Said Olshanksy: "I definitely like this kind of game."
When the Cowboys face teams that primarily throw the football, Olshansky and Spears often come out of the game on passing downs in favor of Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher, who are better equipped to pressure the quarterback.
The substitutions will be less frequent against Tennessee. Stopping the run will be the name of the game for the Cowboys.
The Titans are not running as well as last season, but they still have the hold-your-breath threat of Chris Johnson, the defending NFL rushing champion. The Titans are ninth in the league in rushing, averaging 133.3 yards per game. Tennessee will try to win with the runs of Johnson rather than the passes of quarterback Vince Young.
That means a bigger role for Olshansky and Spears, the stout hearts of the run defense. In the Cowboys' defensive approach, ends do not pile up big individual statistics. If the Cowboys stop the run, it is because Olshansky and Spears are playing well and unselfishly.
"It's a good challenge," Spears said. "He [Johnson] can break big plays. We have to be real responsible. And when we get to him, we have to wrap him up and make sure he goes to the ground."
Said Olshansky: "I like teams that will test me. It's the kind of game where our role is more important."
The two sacrifice themselves on each play. Their task is to go muscle-on-muscle with the Titans, controlling the gaps at the line and keeping blockers from reaching outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer.
Johnson has struggled in two games this season against teams that run the 3-4 defense, which the Cowboys use. Denver's and Pittsburgh's outside linebackers kept him from getting to the corner, and the ends were waiting when Johnson tried to cut back. He gained only 87 yards on 35 combined carries in the games, both Titans losses.
"You've got to be aware of him bouncing it outside because he is faster than almost anybody in the league," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. "He'll pop it inside and break it outside, too. You have to come inside and outside."
In the small sample of three games, the Cowboys have handled the run. They rank eighth in the NFL with 83.7 yards allowed per game. A year ago, they ranked fourth with 90.5 yards allowed.
Houston, the league's top rushing team, ran for 124 yards in a loss to the Cowboys. The Texans have averaged 188 yards rushing in their other games, and Houston isn't nearly as dependent upon the run as the Titans.
Houston's Arian Foster gained 106 yards in 17 carries against the Cowboys. That ended a streak of 21 consecutive games, regular season and playoffs, in which the Cowboys had not allowed a 100-yard rusher.
Foster's performance serves as a cautionary tale for the Cowboys.
Foster gained 47 yards on two carries in which the Cowboys' run defense had massive breakdowns as multiple players got out of position. The Cowboys survived those mistakes against Houston. Repeat those mistakes against Tennessee, and Johnson goes the distance.
"I love this kind of game," inside linebacker Keith Brooking said. "As a defensive player, you like to accept this kind of challenge."
It will be a game made for Olshansky and Spears, the underpinnings of the Cowboys' defense.
Run or pass?
Teams that have the most and the least reliance on the run:
RUN HEAVY
Team Runs Pass* Rec
Pittsburgh 123 90 3-1
Kansas City 104 79 3-0
NY Jets 131 110 3-1
Tennessee 124 105 2-2
Jacksonville 125 125 2-2
PASS HEAVY
Team Pass* Runs Rec.
Detroit 184 87 0-4
Arizona 143 74 2-2
San Francisco 159 83 0-4
Cowboys 130 69 1-2
Indianapolis 176 94 2-2
*Note: Passes are pass plays
• • •
12:52 AM CDT on Thursday, October 7, 2010
COLUMN By GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News
gfraley@dallasnews.com
Gerry Fraley
Archive | Bio | E-mail
IRVING – There are four NFL teams that have used the run more than the pass. The Cowboys take on one of those earth-bound clubs Sunday when they face Tennessee.
Defensive ends Igor Olshansky and Marcus Spears could not ask for anything more.
"I'm excited by the opportunity," Spears said. "Man up and see how good you are."
Said Olshanksy: "I definitely like this kind of game."
When the Cowboys face teams that primarily throw the football, Olshansky and Spears often come out of the game on passing downs in favor of Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher, who are better equipped to pressure the quarterback.
The substitutions will be less frequent against Tennessee. Stopping the run will be the name of the game for the Cowboys.
The Titans are not running as well as last season, but they still have the hold-your-breath threat of Chris Johnson, the defending NFL rushing champion. The Titans are ninth in the league in rushing, averaging 133.3 yards per game. Tennessee will try to win with the runs of Johnson rather than the passes of quarterback Vince Young.
That means a bigger role for Olshansky and Spears, the stout hearts of the run defense. In the Cowboys' defensive approach, ends do not pile up big individual statistics. If the Cowboys stop the run, it is because Olshansky and Spears are playing well and unselfishly.
"It's a good challenge," Spears said. "He [Johnson] can break big plays. We have to be real responsible. And when we get to him, we have to wrap him up and make sure he goes to the ground."
Said Olshansky: "I like teams that will test me. It's the kind of game where our role is more important."
The two sacrifice themselves on each play. Their task is to go muscle-on-muscle with the Titans, controlling the gaps at the line and keeping blockers from reaching outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer.
Johnson has struggled in two games this season against teams that run the 3-4 defense, which the Cowboys use. Denver's and Pittsburgh's outside linebackers kept him from getting to the corner, and the ends were waiting when Johnson tried to cut back. He gained only 87 yards on 35 combined carries in the games, both Titans losses.
"You've got to be aware of him bouncing it outside because he is faster than almost anybody in the league," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. "He'll pop it inside and break it outside, too. You have to come inside and outside."
In the small sample of three games, the Cowboys have handled the run. They rank eighth in the NFL with 83.7 yards allowed per game. A year ago, they ranked fourth with 90.5 yards allowed.
Houston, the league's top rushing team, ran for 124 yards in a loss to the Cowboys. The Texans have averaged 188 yards rushing in their other games, and Houston isn't nearly as dependent upon the run as the Titans.
Houston's Arian Foster gained 106 yards in 17 carries against the Cowboys. That ended a streak of 21 consecutive games, regular season and playoffs, in which the Cowboys had not allowed a 100-yard rusher.
Foster's performance serves as a cautionary tale for the Cowboys.
Foster gained 47 yards on two carries in which the Cowboys' run defense had massive breakdowns as multiple players got out of position. The Cowboys survived those mistakes against Houston. Repeat those mistakes against Tennessee, and Johnson goes the distance.
"I love this kind of game," inside linebacker Keith Brooking said. "As a defensive player, you like to accept this kind of challenge."
It will be a game made for Olshansky and Spears, the underpinnings of the Cowboys' defense.
Run or pass?
Teams that have the most and the least reliance on the run:
RUN HEAVY
Team Runs Pass* Rec
Pittsburgh 123 90 3-1
Kansas City 104 79 3-0
NY Jets 131 110 3-1
Tennessee 124 105 2-2
Jacksonville 125 125 2-2
PASS HEAVY
Team Pass* Runs Rec.
Detroit 184 87 0-4
Arizona 143 74 2-2
San Francisco 159 83 0-4
Cowboys 130 69 1-2
Indianapolis 176 94 2-2
*Note: Passes are pass plays
• • •