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Bringing down Matthew Stafford won’t be easy task for Dallas Cowboys no-name defensive line
By Rainer Sabin
rsabin@dallasnews.com
4:37 pm on October 21, 2013 | Permalink
IRVING — The Detroit Lions’ offensive line is in tatters. Three of their tackles – Riley Reiff, Corey Hilliard and Jason Fox – are injured. But somehow, some way, Matthew Strafford has avoided punishment from opposing defensive fronts this season. Stafford, Highland Park’s own, has dropped back to throw 299 times in 2013 and has been sacked on nine of those occasions. In a loss to Cincinnati on Sunday, he didn’t go down once behind the line of scrimmage despite attempting 51 passes.
No other quarterback, including Denver’s Peyton Manning, has a lower sack-per-pass play ratio than Stafford.
It’s enough evidence to show that even against a battered and bruised Lions offensive line the Cowboys’ defense will be challenged this Sunday as they look to apply pressure to Stafford.
“It is what football is about,” Cowboys defensive line coach Rod Marinelli said. “At the end of the day, it’s still a blue collar game. Men want to go out and work, fight and compete.”
By Rainer Sabin
rsabin@dallasnews.com
4:37 pm on October 21, 2013 | Permalink
IRVING — The Detroit Lions’ offensive line is in tatters. Three of their tackles – Riley Reiff, Corey Hilliard and Jason Fox – are injured. But somehow, some way, Matthew Strafford has avoided punishment from opposing defensive fronts this season. Stafford, Highland Park’s own, has dropped back to throw 299 times in 2013 and has been sacked on nine of those occasions. In a loss to Cincinnati on Sunday, he didn’t go down once behind the line of scrimmage despite attempting 51 passes.
No other quarterback, including Denver’s Peyton Manning, has a lower sack-per-pass play ratio than Stafford.
It’s enough evidence to show that even against a battered and bruised Lions offensive line the Cowboys’ defense will be challenged this Sunday as they look to apply pressure to Stafford.
“It is what football is about,” Cowboys defensive line coach Rod Marinelli said. “At the end of the day, it’s still a blue collar game. Men want to go out and work, fight and compete.”