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Carr’s Strong Outings Prepare Him For Biggest Test Yet
Posted 1 hour ago
Rowan Kavner
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas – Jason Hatcher understands the buzz this week surrounding Calvin Johnson. He just doesn’t get why more of it isn’t about the player guarding “Megatron.”
Brandon Carr’s coming off his two most complete games of the season against the Redskins and Eagles, combining for six passes defended, two tackles for loss and an interception in those games. He’ll have his hands full this week, but Hatcher’s sticking up for his corner while everyone else talks about the challenge Johnson poses this week.
“It should be the other way around, in my book, how difficult Megatron’s job is going to be,” Hatcher said. “That’s what I think, because Brandon’s playing lights out. It’s going to be a battle, and I’m looking forward to it. I really appreciate what those guys do, but I’m pretty sure Megatron’s on tape right now thinking about Brandon Carr because he’s playing unbelievable. There’s not a corner playing like him right now.”
Carr had just two passes defended through the first three games and three through the first five games, but he’s been all around the ball in recent matchups and helped hold deep threat DeSean Jackson to just three catches and 21 yards last week.
Johnson provides a much different challenge, having been timed in the low 4.3 40-yard dash range while standing at 6-5. But Carr still believes the key is the same: Don’t get beat deep.
“A guy with that size and speed, it’s easy for him to get past you, and the ball’s going up,” Carr said. “You may anticipate what’s coming and you can jump the route or get a head start on him trying to run downfield and things like that. It’s just everything that I’ve learned thus far in my career, and the things I’m learning still are going to come into play this game.
“This is, by far, the best receiver I’ve faced in my career in Dallas.”
Carr has gone against some good ones. He saw A.J. Green, Vincent Jackson, Brandon Marshall and Steve Smith last year, among others. He sees Jackson and the Eagles’ weapons, along with Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, Pierre Garcon and other NFC East foes every year, and he’s gone against DeMaryius Thomas this season.
But it’s hard to compare many receivers to the star in Detroit, who’s finished with more than 1,600 receiving yards each of the last two years and whose massive size makes him a mismatch all over the field. Johnson was just 36 yards short of a 2,000-yard receiving campaign in 2012, and the year prior he had 16 touchdowns.
Carr saw him in 2011 while he was a Kansas City cornerback. Johnson had just three catches for 29 yards, but he also finished with two touchdowns.
“It’s a big challenge, a big task ahead of me, but that’s what you play the game for,” Carr said. “You play for these big games against these elite receivers, against the big names. You get a chance to go out there and show your ability.”
Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin hasn’t divulged how exactly he’ll use Carr this week, but the Cowboys have had him follow star receivers before. With the groove Carr’s in right now, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see at least some of the same.
“That’s got a lot to do with Brandon,” Kiffin said. “You don’t necessarily make those decisions, and we may, we may not. But he’s having a heck of a year and doing a great job.”
Everyone expected Johnson to be a star in the NFL after getting drafted as the second pick in 2007. If it’s possible to exceed expectations as a top-three draft pick, he’s certainly done that.
His expectations far exceeded those of Carr, a fifth-round pick from Grand Valley State in 2008, but Carr’s garnering attention from more players every week.
"He's a good corner, obviously,” Johnson said. “He's the best corner they’ve got over there. He's hands on. They changed up their defensive philosophy a little bit with their new defensive coordinator, but just from watching the film right now: pretty good hips, pretty good at breaking on the ball. So you've got to be sharp getting out of your breaks."
Carr may have earned a five-year deal worth upward of $50 million to come to Dallas, but he still has a bit of that small-school mentality that head coach Jason Garrett likes to refer to with some of his players who came from lesser-known universities.
“I had to make a way once I got my foot in the door. It was up to me,” Carr said. “I’m always going to keep that in me, but at the same time, I’m working to get to that next level.”
That next level is an elite category, a place the player Carr is lining up against has already reached. A strong performance against Johnson would mark Carr’s third straight stellar performance and would vault him closer to that level.
“You want to be the best of the best,” Carr said. “You want to be the best at your craft and what you do, so it’s always an ongoing process of me trying to get better, me trying to work something different. Whatever weakness I may have, I’m trying to exploit it on myself and get better in practice, so in the game, I can be that complete corner, complete package one day.”
Posted 1 hour ago
Rowan Kavner
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas – Jason Hatcher understands the buzz this week surrounding Calvin Johnson. He just doesn’t get why more of it isn’t about the player guarding “Megatron.”
Brandon Carr’s coming off his two most complete games of the season against the Redskins and Eagles, combining for six passes defended, two tackles for loss and an interception in those games. He’ll have his hands full this week, but Hatcher’s sticking up for his corner while everyone else talks about the challenge Johnson poses this week.
“It should be the other way around, in my book, how difficult Megatron’s job is going to be,” Hatcher said. “That’s what I think, because Brandon’s playing lights out. It’s going to be a battle, and I’m looking forward to it. I really appreciate what those guys do, but I’m pretty sure Megatron’s on tape right now thinking about Brandon Carr because he’s playing unbelievable. There’s not a corner playing like him right now.”
Carr had just two passes defended through the first three games and three through the first five games, but he’s been all around the ball in recent matchups and helped hold deep threat DeSean Jackson to just three catches and 21 yards last week.
Johnson provides a much different challenge, having been timed in the low 4.3 40-yard dash range while standing at 6-5. But Carr still believes the key is the same: Don’t get beat deep.
“A guy with that size and speed, it’s easy for him to get past you, and the ball’s going up,” Carr said. “You may anticipate what’s coming and you can jump the route or get a head start on him trying to run downfield and things like that. It’s just everything that I’ve learned thus far in my career, and the things I’m learning still are going to come into play this game.
“This is, by far, the best receiver I’ve faced in my career in Dallas.”
Carr has gone against some good ones. He saw A.J. Green, Vincent Jackson, Brandon Marshall and Steve Smith last year, among others. He sees Jackson and the Eagles’ weapons, along with Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, Pierre Garcon and other NFC East foes every year, and he’s gone against DeMaryius Thomas this season.
But it’s hard to compare many receivers to the star in Detroit, who’s finished with more than 1,600 receiving yards each of the last two years and whose massive size makes him a mismatch all over the field. Johnson was just 36 yards short of a 2,000-yard receiving campaign in 2012, and the year prior he had 16 touchdowns.
Carr saw him in 2011 while he was a Kansas City cornerback. Johnson had just three catches for 29 yards, but he also finished with two touchdowns.
“It’s a big challenge, a big task ahead of me, but that’s what you play the game for,” Carr said. “You play for these big games against these elite receivers, against the big names. You get a chance to go out there and show your ability.”
Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin hasn’t divulged how exactly he’ll use Carr this week, but the Cowboys have had him follow star receivers before. With the groove Carr’s in right now, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see at least some of the same.
“That’s got a lot to do with Brandon,” Kiffin said. “You don’t necessarily make those decisions, and we may, we may not. But he’s having a heck of a year and doing a great job.”
Everyone expected Johnson to be a star in the NFL after getting drafted as the second pick in 2007. If it’s possible to exceed expectations as a top-three draft pick, he’s certainly done that.
His expectations far exceeded those of Carr, a fifth-round pick from Grand Valley State in 2008, but Carr’s garnering attention from more players every week.
"He's a good corner, obviously,” Johnson said. “He's the best corner they’ve got over there. He's hands on. They changed up their defensive philosophy a little bit with their new defensive coordinator, but just from watching the film right now: pretty good hips, pretty good at breaking on the ball. So you've got to be sharp getting out of your breaks."
Carr may have earned a five-year deal worth upward of $50 million to come to Dallas, but he still has a bit of that small-school mentality that head coach Jason Garrett likes to refer to with some of his players who came from lesser-known universities.
“I had to make a way once I got my foot in the door. It was up to me,” Carr said. “I’m always going to keep that in me, but at the same time, I’m working to get to that next level.”
That next level is an elite category, a place the player Carr is lining up against has already reached. A strong performance against Johnson would mark Carr’s third straight stellar performance and would vault him closer to that level.
“You want to be the best of the best,” Carr said. “You want to be the best at your craft and what you do, so it’s always an ongoing process of me trying to get better, me trying to work something different. Whatever weakness I may have, I’m trying to exploit it on myself and get better in practice, so in the game, I can be that complete corner, complete package one day.”
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Scout’s Eye: Lions Give Up Yards, But Front-4 Is Stellar
Posted 2 hours ago
Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout
If you are one of those people that believe that numbers tell you the story of how a team is playing, the Lions will fool you. There are some talented players on this defense but those numbers will tell you that as a group, they are not playing well.
I believe the strength of this defense is their front four. Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, Ziggy Ansah and Willie Young if not handled well, can cause some problems when rushing the passer. Suh and Fairley are both a load to deal with inside at the tackle spot. For a man the size of Suh, it is surprising how athletic he really is. There was not one play where he appeared to be laboring or struggling to either get off and block or get up the field in a pass rush.
Where Suh causes the most problems is with his power and how he makes blockers to have to deal with it. I have seen him carry a blocker to the quarterback and with one arm, reach around that blocker to pull the quarterback down. In the past, teams have tried to take advantage of using his aggressive nature against him by allowing him up the field and trying to work the ball under him. There have been times where this has been the right way to attack him.
Ziggy Ansah is a raw rookie from BYU that can bring some pressure off the edge. Where I thought it would take Ansah some time, it was going to be how he needed to learn to play the run but this is an area, where he has not struggled as badly. Now on the other side, Willie Young, is a lighter looking player on film and like Ansah, really wants to get up the field in a hurry. What the Cowboys like to do scheme wise against these four man lines is try and trap these tackles and ends to create some running opportunities. The draw with DeMarco Murray, is also a play that should be in the game plan.
Like when this Cowboys offense faced the Eagles last week, it is another group of aggressive linebackers. Stephen
Tulloch plays in the middle, with Ashlee Palmer and DeAndre Levy on the outside. Levy did a nice job of securing an interception against the Browns, carrying a route down the sideline, but keep an eye on how these coaches attack these linebackers. Tulloch will tend to overrun plays and teams have used boots and waggles to take advantage of these linebackers and with the mobile of Tony Romo and these tight ends, it might make for some simple throws.
I was a fan of Chris Houston while he was playing with the Falcons and since has been traded to the Lions and is the starter at left corner. Rashean Mathis is the starter on the right side and on tape is not as good as Houston is. Mathis doesn’t transition as well as Houston does in coverage and when he has to get out of his pedal, there are some struggles. Mathis tends to let receivers get inside of him more than Houston on routes. I also felt like that Houston did a much better job of battling for the ball instead of Mathis. Look for Bill Callahan and this offensive staff, to take some vertical shots on Mathis who struggled against the Browns on some “9” routes.
At safety, Louis Delmas is a much better player against the run, than he is on the pass. Glover Quin did not show up as much in the games that I studied. The one shot that he had to make a tackle in space, he was unable to wrap up and make the play. These Cowboys tight ends, will be a ton of pressure on these linebackers and safeties to have to match them in coverage.
Posted 2 hours ago
Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout
If you are one of those people that believe that numbers tell you the story of how a team is playing, the Lions will fool you. There are some talented players on this defense but those numbers will tell you that as a group, they are not playing well.
I believe the strength of this defense is their front four. Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, Ziggy Ansah and Willie Young if not handled well, can cause some problems when rushing the passer. Suh and Fairley are both a load to deal with inside at the tackle spot. For a man the size of Suh, it is surprising how athletic he really is. There was not one play where he appeared to be laboring or struggling to either get off and block or get up the field in a pass rush.
Where Suh causes the most problems is with his power and how he makes blockers to have to deal with it. I have seen him carry a blocker to the quarterback and with one arm, reach around that blocker to pull the quarterback down. In the past, teams have tried to take advantage of using his aggressive nature against him by allowing him up the field and trying to work the ball under him. There have been times where this has been the right way to attack him.
Ziggy Ansah is a raw rookie from BYU that can bring some pressure off the edge. Where I thought it would take Ansah some time, it was going to be how he needed to learn to play the run but this is an area, where he has not struggled as badly. Now on the other side, Willie Young, is a lighter looking player on film and like Ansah, really wants to get up the field in a hurry. What the Cowboys like to do scheme wise against these four man lines is try and trap these tackles and ends to create some running opportunities. The draw with DeMarco Murray, is also a play that should be in the game plan.
Like when this Cowboys offense faced the Eagles last week, it is another group of aggressive linebackers. Stephen
Tulloch plays in the middle, with Ashlee Palmer and DeAndre Levy on the outside. Levy did a nice job of securing an interception against the Browns, carrying a route down the sideline, but keep an eye on how these coaches attack these linebackers. Tulloch will tend to overrun plays and teams have used boots and waggles to take advantage of these linebackers and with the mobile of Tony Romo and these tight ends, it might make for some simple throws.
I was a fan of Chris Houston while he was playing with the Falcons and since has been traded to the Lions and is the starter at left corner. Rashean Mathis is the starter on the right side and on tape is not as good as Houston is. Mathis doesn’t transition as well as Houston does in coverage and when he has to get out of his pedal, there are some struggles. Mathis tends to let receivers get inside of him more than Houston on routes. I also felt like that Houston did a much better job of battling for the ball instead of Mathis. Look for Bill Callahan and this offensive staff, to take some vertical shots on Mathis who struggled against the Browns on some “9” routes.
At safety, Louis Delmas is a much better player against the run, than he is on the pass. Glover Quin did not show up as much in the games that I studied. The one shot that he had to make a tackle in space, he was unable to wrap up and make the play. These Cowboys tight ends, will be a ton of pressure on these linebackers and safeties to have to match them in coverage.
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Cowboys eye rare three-game win streak
October, 23, 2013
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The funny thing that happens when a team wins two games in a row is, the next question is whether they can win three in a row.
After back-to-back victories against the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys will look for their first three-game winning streak Sunday since Weeks 13-15 of 2012 when they play the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
Last year's three-game winning streak -- against Philadelphia, the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers -- put the Cowboys in contention for a playoff spot that they ultimately lost with defeats to the New Orleans Saints and Redskins to close the season.
Since Jason Garrett took over as head coach midway through the 2010 season, the Cowboys have had one three-game winning streak and one four-game winning streak.
"It would be a huge for our team, go on the road and get another big win," tight end Jason Witten said. "I think Jason has done really good job of keep getting better and learn ways to play better. Offensively, we can clean up a lot from last week and they're a good football team. On the road it's going to be a tough challenge. But it would be big. This is the period of time we've talked about a lot of stacking wins together and it's not just two, you know? You're trying to put a handful of those together so you can really play your best football moving forward."
While the NFC East looks to be a one-playoff team division, the Lions are in the thick of the NFC North race with the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. Coach Jim Schwartz admitted there is some thought about wild-card tie-breaker possibilities this week.
"We can't worry about that stuff now," Schwartz said. "The Dallas Cowboys coming to town is enough things to worry about. They're leading the NFC East. They're coming off two wins in a row after having a tough loss to Denver so I think they've really responded well there. They lost that really tough game and bounced back and won two games in a row. They're coming here with the same record we have. It's going to be a tough, physical game. There's going to be some outstanding players on the field. We're going to have to play our very best to come out with a win and that's the only thing we can worry about right now."
October, 23, 2013
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The funny thing that happens when a team wins two games in a row is, the next question is whether they can win three in a row.
After back-to-back victories against the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys will look for their first three-game winning streak Sunday since Weeks 13-15 of 2012 when they play the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
Last year's three-game winning streak -- against Philadelphia, the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers -- put the Cowboys in contention for a playoff spot that they ultimately lost with defeats to the New Orleans Saints and Redskins to close the season.
Since Jason Garrett took over as head coach midway through the 2010 season, the Cowboys have had one three-game winning streak and one four-game winning streak.
"It would be a huge for our team, go on the road and get another big win," tight end Jason Witten said. "I think Jason has done really good job of keep getting better and learn ways to play better. Offensively, we can clean up a lot from last week and they're a good football team. On the road it's going to be a tough challenge. But it would be big. This is the period of time we've talked about a lot of stacking wins together and it's not just two, you know? You're trying to put a handful of those together so you can really play your best football moving forward."
While the NFC East looks to be a one-playoff team division, the Lions are in the thick of the NFC North race with the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. Coach Jim Schwartz admitted there is some thought about wild-card tie-breaker possibilities this week.
"We can't worry about that stuff now," Schwartz said. "The Dallas Cowboys coming to town is enough things to worry about. They're leading the NFC East. They're coming off two wins in a row after having a tough loss to Denver so I think they've really responded well there. They lost that really tough game and bounced back and won two games in a row. They're coming here with the same record we have. It's going to be a tough, physical game. There's going to be some outstanding players on the field. We're going to have to play our very best to come out with a win and that's the only thing we can worry about right now."
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Homecoming not as costly for Heath
October, 24, 2013
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas – Dallas Cowboys safety Jeff Heath grew up around 40 minutes from Ford Field, in Lake Orion, Mich. He attended at least one Detroit Lions game a year growing up and played at the Lions' home for a state championship.
Heath’s return has not gone unnoticed by those in his hometown. He needed to get 80 tickets for Sunday’s game. While he makes $405,000 a year as an undrafted rookie, that’s still some serious coin. But he didn’t have to buy them all.
“My mom had so many people asking her, so she contacted [director of player development] Bryan Wansley and ordered through him and she’s getting money from friends,” Heath said. “I don’t have to pay for them all. My mom is too nice to say no to people, too, so everybody is coming.”
And Heath figures to play a defensive role for the second straight week. He mixed in withJ.J. Wilcox and Barry Church in last week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Heath finished that game with a tackle and with a sore right wrist that he said is not an issue even if it's in a brace. The Eagles game also allowed him to get some nerves out of the way the week before he returned home.
“It’s going to be fun,” Heath said. “Any time you get an opportunity to play a game in the NFL it’s awesome, and this is going to be extra special because all of my friends back home are going to get to see me play and my family who I haven’t seen since I came down here, so I’m excited to see all of them.”
October, 24, 2013
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas – Dallas Cowboys safety Jeff Heath grew up around 40 minutes from Ford Field, in Lake Orion, Mich. He attended at least one Detroit Lions game a year growing up and played at the Lions' home for a state championship.
Heath’s return has not gone unnoticed by those in his hometown. He needed to get 80 tickets for Sunday’s game. While he makes $405,000 a year as an undrafted rookie, that’s still some serious coin. But he didn’t have to buy them all.
“My mom had so many people asking her, so she contacted [director of player development] Bryan Wansley and ordered through him and she’s getting money from friends,” Heath said. “I don’t have to pay for them all. My mom is too nice to say no to people, too, so everybody is coming.”
And Heath figures to play a defensive role for the second straight week. He mixed in withJ.J. Wilcox and Barry Church in last week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Heath finished that game with a tackle and with a sore right wrist that he said is not an issue even if it's in a brace. The Eagles game also allowed him to get some nerves out of the way the week before he returned home.
“It’s going to be fun,” Heath said. “Any time you get an opportunity to play a game in the NFL it’s awesome, and this is going to be extra special because all of my friends back home are going to get to see me play and my family who I haven’t seen since I came down here, so I’m excited to see all of them.”
Simpleton
DCC 4Life
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I saw alot of Heath in there against the Eagles, I think we're basically running a 4-2-5 with 3 CB's and 2 safeties in passing situations and 2 CB's and 3 safeties in running situations with the third safety, usually Church, dropping into the box.
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Cowboys think Lions have solid D-line
October, 24, 2013
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The interior of the Dallas Cowboys offensive line will be challenged by theDetroit Lions front four on Sunday. Veteran guard Brian Waters said its the best defensive line he's seen this season.
The line consists of two tackles, Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley, who weigh a combined 605 pounds and each have 6-foot-4 frames.
"It's good, one of the better fronts in the league," Waters said. "Good against the run and the pass, to be honest with you I feel it’s the best part of their defense. They got some good players at other positions, but the best players are on that defense (front)."
Waters has emerged as a calming presence for rookie center Travis Frederick and second-year guard Ronald Leary, who missed Wednesday's practice with a sore knee. The two young players will need Waters because of what Suh has represented in the past.
He's been fined seven times in his career for questionable hits on players. Last week, Suh was fined $31,500 for a hit on Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden.
"He's helped me tremendously," Frederick said of Waters. "He's been part of my development, he's been around for so long, he can teach you the little things, as a rookie you might not see until your fourth-year or your sixth-year or 10th year. He's been through all that, he can help guide you through all that. He can kinda help guide you through that."
On the season, the Lions projected starters along the defensive line have produced 10 sacks this season. While Suh gets the attention for his antics on the field, Fairley is a productive player as well.
"He's doing pretty good, an explosive guy," Waters said. "He's finally gotten himself in a rhythm. I think injuries played a little part (of his struggles) early in his career. I think that now he's been healthy and producing like they expected him too."
October, 24, 2013
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The interior of the Dallas Cowboys offensive line will be challenged by theDetroit Lions front four on Sunday. Veteran guard Brian Waters said its the best defensive line he's seen this season.
The line consists of two tackles, Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley, who weigh a combined 605 pounds and each have 6-foot-4 frames.
"It's good, one of the better fronts in the league," Waters said. "Good against the run and the pass, to be honest with you I feel it’s the best part of their defense. They got some good players at other positions, but the best players are on that defense (front)."
Waters has emerged as a calming presence for rookie center Travis Frederick and second-year guard Ronald Leary, who missed Wednesday's practice with a sore knee. The two young players will need Waters because of what Suh has represented in the past.
He's been fined seven times in his career for questionable hits on players. Last week, Suh was fined $31,500 for a hit on Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden.
"He's helped me tremendously," Frederick said of Waters. "He's been part of my development, he's been around for so long, he can teach you the little things, as a rookie you might not see until your fourth-year or your sixth-year or 10th year. He's been through all that, he can help guide you through all that. He can kinda help guide you through that."
On the season, the Lions projected starters along the defensive line have produced 10 sacks this season. While Suh gets the attention for his antics on the field, Fairley is a productive player as well.
"He's doing pretty good, an explosive guy," Waters said. "He's finally gotten himself in a rhythm. I think injuries played a little part (of his struggles) early in his career. I think that now he's been healthy and producing like they expected him too."
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That was for McCoy. It will be different this week.
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We may want the extra DB in there to cover Bush this week.
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Ernie Sims returns to Detroit
October, 24, 2013
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- On Sunday, Ernie Sims returns to the place where he was a first-round pick and part of a disastrous time in franchise history: Detroit.
It's not the first time, Sims, the ninth-overall pick of the 2006 draft by the Lions, has played there. But in four seasons with the Lions, Sims started every game for three seasons before he was traded to Philadelphia for tight end Tony Sheffler and a seventh-round pick in 2010.
Fans in Detroit felt Sims was part of some rough times. In four seasons, Sims' teams had a 0-16 season and two more seasons with fewer than three victories. The best season with Sims on the team was 2007, when the Lions finished 7-9.
Some fans would consider Sims a bust, but he deems that unfair.
"As far as me being a bust and fans hearing and saying that, in all honestly, I could care less," Sims said. "That's just from the bottom of my heart. I know the type of athlete I am, I know what I've been through, I know what its been [like] behind those closed doors and there's no doubt about it, the fans or whoever else says that, knows this [little] much about what I've been through. That’s why I could care less what they said."
Sims attributes his time in Detroit as a learning experience and part of his maturity now. Sims says then coach Rod Marinelli, who is also visiting the Lions, as the Cowboys' defensive line coach, had a big influence on his life as a man.
Sims' career turned from highly-regarding draft pick from Florida State, to a man who has bounced around from Detroit, Philadelphia, Indianapolis and the Cowboys.
Sims has played against the Lions in the past. In 2010, while a member of the Eagles, Sims recorded four tackles and a pass breakup. As the Lions progress, Sims said he's proud to see the franchise put a difficult time behind them because he's with a franchise trying to move forward as well.
"Every time I play Detroit, any the team I play for, every time I play them I have a little something about me," Sims said. "I feel some sort of attachment to Detroit. I got drafted there so it's something different for me than playing anywhere else. It's going to be exciting obviously they have turned that program around, it's good to see. But I'm on the other side of the fence and I want to get this win."
October, 24, 2013
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- On Sunday, Ernie Sims returns to the place where he was a first-round pick and part of a disastrous time in franchise history: Detroit.
It's not the first time, Sims, the ninth-overall pick of the 2006 draft by the Lions, has played there. But in four seasons with the Lions, Sims started every game for three seasons before he was traded to Philadelphia for tight end Tony Sheffler and a seventh-round pick in 2010.
Fans in Detroit felt Sims was part of some rough times. In four seasons, Sims' teams had a 0-16 season and two more seasons with fewer than three victories. The best season with Sims on the team was 2007, when the Lions finished 7-9.
Some fans would consider Sims a bust, but he deems that unfair.
"As far as me being a bust and fans hearing and saying that, in all honestly, I could care less," Sims said. "That's just from the bottom of my heart. I know the type of athlete I am, I know what I've been through, I know what its been [like] behind those closed doors and there's no doubt about it, the fans or whoever else says that, knows this [little] much about what I've been through. That’s why I could care less what they said."
Sims attributes his time in Detroit as a learning experience and part of his maturity now. Sims says then coach Rod Marinelli, who is also visiting the Lions, as the Cowboys' defensive line coach, had a big influence on his life as a man.
Sims' career turned from highly-regarding draft pick from Florida State, to a man who has bounced around from Detroit, Philadelphia, Indianapolis and the Cowboys.
Sims has played against the Lions in the past. In 2010, while a member of the Eagles, Sims recorded four tackles and a pass breakup. As the Lions progress, Sims said he's proud to see the franchise put a difficult time behind them because he's with a franchise trying to move forward as well.
"Every time I play Detroit, any the team I play for, every time I play them I have a little something about me," Sims said. "I feel some sort of attachment to Detroit. I got drafted there so it's something different for me than playing anywhere else. It's going to be exciting obviously they have turned that program around, it's good to see. But I'm on the other side of the fence and I want to get this win."
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Double Coverage: Cowboys at Lions
October, 24, 2013
By Michael Rothstein and Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
It is a matchup between two potential playoff teams and two of the best wide receivers in the game, Calvin Johnson and Dez Bryant.
But the Dallas-Detroit matchup Sunday has other twists, too. For the Lions, Sunday is a chance to grab back some momentum from a strong start to the season. For the Cowboys, it could be a chance to widen their lead on their NFC East opponents.
Dallas NFL Nation reporter Todd Archer and Detroit NFL Nation reporter Michael Rothstein break down what you might see Sunday afternoon.
Rothstein: Let's start here -- last week in Detroit there was a lot of discussion of A.J. Green and Johnson as two of the best receivers in the league. Now it is Bryant and Johnson this week. What is it that Bryant does that should really concern Detroit's cornerbacks, who let Green go for 155 yards Sunday?
Archer: Bryant can go get the ball. He is virtually impossible to defend in the red zone (and sometimes he'll push off too), but cornerbacks just don't have a chance on him. He's a better route runner now than he was last year and the Cowboys are using him on more varied routes. When he came into the league he would make the spectacular play but couldn't make the boring play consistently. Now he's doing both. But his No. 1 attribute is his physical style. He will fight for the ball and fight for yardage. He's special in that regard.
The Cowboys have had Brandon Carr follow Demaryius Thomas, Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson the past three games. I'm sure they'll do the same with Calvin Johnson. When teams have matched up with Johnson like that, how has or hasn't it worked?
Rothstein: There haven't been too many teams that have single-covered Johnson -- at least not for extended periods of the game. The closest would have been against Arizona in Week 2, but the Cardinals have Patrick Peterson and Johnson had six catches for 116 yards and a touchdown against him. Really, the only thing that has slowed Johnson this season was a knee issue that kept him out of the loss to Green Bay and limited him against Cleveland a week later. Not surprisingly, Johnson still draws a ton of attention with a safety rolling to him over the top.
What that has done is opened up the offense underneath for Reggie Bush and, to an extent, Joique Bell. When both are healthy and playing well, the Lions have had a pretty strong offensive threat from deep threats to short bursts. How does Dallas plan on dealing with that, especially considering DeMarcus Ware's questionable status?
Archer: Running backs and tight ends have hurt the Cowboys in the passing game this year. The safeties have been only OK but are coming off a pretty good game at Philadelphia against LeSean McCoy, who's as shifty or more than Bush. The Cowboys had their best tackling game last season against the Eagles. Sean Lee and Bruce Carter have played better here lately and will be largely responsible for the backs, but safeties Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox will be a presence too. Losing Ware would be a big blow to a defense that has to get pressure on Matthew Stafford. The Cowboys have been rolling in new guys pretty much every week across the defensive line, and added Marvin Austin this week to help at tackle.
Speaking about the defensive line allows me to talk about Rod Marinelli. He has been nothing but great here with those no-name guys, but what's the feeling of him up there considering that 0-16 season?
Rothstein: That was before my time -- I was still covering the Charlie Weis Notre Dame years when Marinelli was in Detroit -- but I can say I have not heard anything about that season in my short time here and most of the current team arrived in 2009 or later.
But the 0-16 season contributes to the typical angst the Lions fan base has over any success the team has -- as in waiting for the bottom to drop out. But most of this team is so new, there isn't much of that feeling. Plus, as injured receiver Nate Burleson said earlier this year, when you go to play in Detroit, you know there are going to be questions about losing streaks to be broken and demons to be exorcised.
Since we're chatting a little bit about defense, Tony Romo is being sacked on 6 percent of his attempts, so is Dallas' line doing a good job protecting him or are these more coverage sacks? What's going on with the protections?
Archer: The line has improved a lot from recent years, especially in pass protection. They revamped their interior line with Travis Frederick, their first-round pick at center, Ronald Leary at left guard and Brian Waters, who did not play last season, at right guard. Tackles Tyron Smith and Doug Free are performing better than they did a year ago. Romo has taken a number of coverage sacks this year, and he's also elusive for a guy who does not appear to be the most athletic. He has terrific vision and a quick release that can bail him out of trouble. As strange as it sounds, I think Romo also has seen the value of taking a sack and not forcing a throw.
Let's stick with the quarterback play. Stafford is a Dallas kid, so we know his background. He likes to throw it around, but like Romo, his interceptions are down. Is he just being more careful with the ball or has the attack changed a little?
Rothstein: Having Reggie Bush in the offense has allowed Stafford to throw the ball shorter more often and as an old coach I used to cover once said, "Short passes are happy passes." They are also more likely to be completed passes. Here's something to consider with Stafford as well. His numbers could be much better, but his receivers have dropped 6.9 percent of his passes. Hold on to even half those and he's completing around 65 percent of his passes this season. He also has gotten much better at throwing the ball away instead of forcing passes. That's been a big change. There is an accuracy component to it as well, but he isn't taking nearly as many downfield chances.
Speaking of semi-homecomings, you mentioned Carr earlier. Does this game mean more to him because he is coming home as he grew up and played his college ball in Michigan? And second thing on that, has Dallas changed a lot from last season or can a guy like Kevin Ogletree help this week?
Archer: I'm sure it does but Carr will attempt to downplay it. He still carries that Grand Valley State/fifth-round pick chip on his shoulder even if the Cowboys gave him a $50 million deal last year as a free agent. He has done a terrific job here the past three weeks as we talked about earlier. Jason Garrett even went out of his way to praise Carr's work on special teams, so you can see the Flint in him hasn't left. As for the Ogletree angle, he had a hard enough time with the offense that I don't think he would help with the defense. The Cowboys have a completely different scheme from Rob Ryan's 3-4 to Monte Kiffin's 4-3. Ogletree will know some personnel, but the corners are playing a little different than they did a year ago so I don't think it will matter much.
I haven't asked about the Lions defense yet. Just by looking at the numbers they seem to be pretty good situationally: third down, red zone. Is that the wrong read here?
Rothstein: The defense is kind of a little bit of everywhere. Great in third down over the first month of the season -- not as much over the past three weeks. Perhaps a corollary here is the defensive line not getting quite as much pressure on opposing quarterbacks the past three weeks as it did during the first month of the season. Red zone defense has been pretty good. Overall, it is a decent Lions defense. DeAndre Levy is having a Pro Bowl-caliber season at linebacker and the defensive line and safeties have been good. Cornerback has been a bit up-and-down, though.
My final question to you sticks with this theme. We touched on the Dallas offensive line earlier, but how do the Cowboys deal with Ndamukong Suh? He is a guy who can change games on his own.
Archer: This is part of the reason why the Cowboys wanted Frederick, Waters and Leary. They're stout players. The Cowboys have not had much power in the middle and it has hurt the running game as well as pass protection. Suh, obviously, offers a different challenge. Waters has the strength necessary but he does not move like he did a few years ago. The Cowboys will give him some help but not all the time. And I think Romo can help out the line as well by getting rid of the ball quickly. The Cowboys only take a handful of downfield shots a game, relying mostly on underneath stuff to work their way down the field.
The Lions are 4-3 like the Cowboys and this is a huge game for both when you start thinking about December and playoff chases. You touched on this earlier, but is the town ready to get behind the Lions, especially because the Tigers aren't in the World Series and it's still early in the Red Wings' season?
Rothstein: I think there is some of that, for sure, and I think there is the hope among the fan base that this year’s Lions team is for real. But as I mentioned earlier, there is going to be that sense of dread -- which is why a win for Detroit on Sunday would really go a long way to bolster that fan base confidence. And probably to maintain the confidence in the locker room as well.
October, 24, 2013
By Michael Rothstein and Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
It is a matchup between two potential playoff teams and two of the best wide receivers in the game, Calvin Johnson and Dez Bryant.
But the Dallas-Detroit matchup Sunday has other twists, too. For the Lions, Sunday is a chance to grab back some momentum from a strong start to the season. For the Cowboys, it could be a chance to widen their lead on their NFC East opponents.
Dallas NFL Nation reporter Todd Archer and Detroit NFL Nation reporter Michael Rothstein break down what you might see Sunday afternoon.
Rothstein: Let's start here -- last week in Detroit there was a lot of discussion of A.J. Green and Johnson as two of the best receivers in the league. Now it is Bryant and Johnson this week. What is it that Bryant does that should really concern Detroit's cornerbacks, who let Green go for 155 yards Sunday?
Archer: Bryant can go get the ball. He is virtually impossible to defend in the red zone (and sometimes he'll push off too), but cornerbacks just don't have a chance on him. He's a better route runner now than he was last year and the Cowboys are using him on more varied routes. When he came into the league he would make the spectacular play but couldn't make the boring play consistently. Now he's doing both. But his No. 1 attribute is his physical style. He will fight for the ball and fight for yardage. He's special in that regard.
The Cowboys have had Brandon Carr follow Demaryius Thomas, Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson the past three games. I'm sure they'll do the same with Calvin Johnson. When teams have matched up with Johnson like that, how has or hasn't it worked?
Rothstein: There haven't been too many teams that have single-covered Johnson -- at least not for extended periods of the game. The closest would have been against Arizona in Week 2, but the Cardinals have Patrick Peterson and Johnson had six catches for 116 yards and a touchdown against him. Really, the only thing that has slowed Johnson this season was a knee issue that kept him out of the loss to Green Bay and limited him against Cleveland a week later. Not surprisingly, Johnson still draws a ton of attention with a safety rolling to him over the top.
What that has done is opened up the offense underneath for Reggie Bush and, to an extent, Joique Bell. When both are healthy and playing well, the Lions have had a pretty strong offensive threat from deep threats to short bursts. How does Dallas plan on dealing with that, especially considering DeMarcus Ware's questionable status?
Archer: Running backs and tight ends have hurt the Cowboys in the passing game this year. The safeties have been only OK but are coming off a pretty good game at Philadelphia against LeSean McCoy, who's as shifty or more than Bush. The Cowboys had their best tackling game last season against the Eagles. Sean Lee and Bruce Carter have played better here lately and will be largely responsible for the backs, but safeties Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox will be a presence too. Losing Ware would be a big blow to a defense that has to get pressure on Matthew Stafford. The Cowboys have been rolling in new guys pretty much every week across the defensive line, and added Marvin Austin this week to help at tackle.
Speaking about the defensive line allows me to talk about Rod Marinelli. He has been nothing but great here with those no-name guys, but what's the feeling of him up there considering that 0-16 season?
Rothstein: That was before my time -- I was still covering the Charlie Weis Notre Dame years when Marinelli was in Detroit -- but I can say I have not heard anything about that season in my short time here and most of the current team arrived in 2009 or later.
But the 0-16 season contributes to the typical angst the Lions fan base has over any success the team has -- as in waiting for the bottom to drop out. But most of this team is so new, there isn't much of that feeling. Plus, as injured receiver Nate Burleson said earlier this year, when you go to play in Detroit, you know there are going to be questions about losing streaks to be broken and demons to be exorcised.
Since we're chatting a little bit about defense, Tony Romo is being sacked on 6 percent of his attempts, so is Dallas' line doing a good job protecting him or are these more coverage sacks? What's going on with the protections?
Archer: The line has improved a lot from recent years, especially in pass protection. They revamped their interior line with Travis Frederick, their first-round pick at center, Ronald Leary at left guard and Brian Waters, who did not play last season, at right guard. Tackles Tyron Smith and Doug Free are performing better than they did a year ago. Romo has taken a number of coverage sacks this year, and he's also elusive for a guy who does not appear to be the most athletic. He has terrific vision and a quick release that can bail him out of trouble. As strange as it sounds, I think Romo also has seen the value of taking a sack and not forcing a throw.
Let's stick with the quarterback play. Stafford is a Dallas kid, so we know his background. He likes to throw it around, but like Romo, his interceptions are down. Is he just being more careful with the ball or has the attack changed a little?
Rothstein: Having Reggie Bush in the offense has allowed Stafford to throw the ball shorter more often and as an old coach I used to cover once said, "Short passes are happy passes." They are also more likely to be completed passes. Here's something to consider with Stafford as well. His numbers could be much better, but his receivers have dropped 6.9 percent of his passes. Hold on to even half those and he's completing around 65 percent of his passes this season. He also has gotten much better at throwing the ball away instead of forcing passes. That's been a big change. There is an accuracy component to it as well, but he isn't taking nearly as many downfield chances.
Speaking of semi-homecomings, you mentioned Carr earlier. Does this game mean more to him because he is coming home as he grew up and played his college ball in Michigan? And second thing on that, has Dallas changed a lot from last season or can a guy like Kevin Ogletree help this week?
Archer: I'm sure it does but Carr will attempt to downplay it. He still carries that Grand Valley State/fifth-round pick chip on his shoulder even if the Cowboys gave him a $50 million deal last year as a free agent. He has done a terrific job here the past three weeks as we talked about earlier. Jason Garrett even went out of his way to praise Carr's work on special teams, so you can see the Flint in him hasn't left. As for the Ogletree angle, he had a hard enough time with the offense that I don't think he would help with the defense. The Cowboys have a completely different scheme from Rob Ryan's 3-4 to Monte Kiffin's 4-3. Ogletree will know some personnel, but the corners are playing a little different than they did a year ago so I don't think it will matter much.
I haven't asked about the Lions defense yet. Just by looking at the numbers they seem to be pretty good situationally: third down, red zone. Is that the wrong read here?
Rothstein: The defense is kind of a little bit of everywhere. Great in third down over the first month of the season -- not as much over the past three weeks. Perhaps a corollary here is the defensive line not getting quite as much pressure on opposing quarterbacks the past three weeks as it did during the first month of the season. Red zone defense has been pretty good. Overall, it is a decent Lions defense. DeAndre Levy is having a Pro Bowl-caliber season at linebacker and the defensive line and safeties have been good. Cornerback has been a bit up-and-down, though.
My final question to you sticks with this theme. We touched on the Dallas offensive line earlier, but how do the Cowboys deal with Ndamukong Suh? He is a guy who can change games on his own.
Archer: This is part of the reason why the Cowboys wanted Frederick, Waters and Leary. They're stout players. The Cowboys have not had much power in the middle and it has hurt the running game as well as pass protection. Suh, obviously, offers a different challenge. Waters has the strength necessary but he does not move like he did a few years ago. The Cowboys will give him some help but not all the time. And I think Romo can help out the line as well by getting rid of the ball quickly. The Cowboys only take a handful of downfield shots a game, relying mostly on underneath stuff to work their way down the field.
The Lions are 4-3 like the Cowboys and this is a huge game for both when you start thinking about December and playoff chases. You touched on this earlier, but is the town ready to get behind the Lions, especially because the Tigers aren't in the World Series and it's still early in the Red Wings' season?
Rothstein: I think there is some of that, for sure, and I think there is the hope among the fan base that this year’s Lions team is for real. But as I mentioned earlier, there is going to be that sense of dread -- which is why a win for Detroit on Sunday would really go a long way to bolster that fan base confidence. And probably to maintain the confidence in the locker room as well.
ravidubey
DCC 4Life
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Exactly the kind of game the Cowboys find ways to lose. Every conference win is huge and we are undefeated so far.
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Cowboys plan for Bush same as McCoy
October, 24, 2013
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- Last week the Dallas Cowboys had a simple game plan for Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy: contain and corral.
The plan remains the same this week for Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush.
“They can get outside really quick,” defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin said. “They can hit the hole really quick. They both have good hands. They both play on third downs. Very similar.”
The Cowboys limited McCoy to 55 yards rushing on 18 carries and caught six passes for 26 yards.
Bush leads the Lions with 426 yards on 98 rushes with one touchdown. He has caught 23 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns.
“They both fall into the same category of shifty and elusive running backs coming out of the backfield,” linebacker Bruce Carter said. “They move just as quick as wide receivers, so you really have to be tuned into your keys and really stay on top of your technique because if you don’t you can be exposed.”
October, 24, 2013
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- Last week the Dallas Cowboys had a simple game plan for Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy: contain and corral.
The plan remains the same this week for Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush.
“They can get outside really quick,” defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin said. “They can hit the hole really quick. They both have good hands. They both play on third downs. Very similar.”
The Cowboys limited McCoy to 55 yards rushing on 18 carries and caught six passes for 26 yards.
Bush leads the Lions with 426 yards on 98 rushes with one touchdown. He has caught 23 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns.
“They both fall into the same category of shifty and elusive running backs coming out of the backfield,” linebacker Bruce Carter said. “They move just as quick as wide receivers, so you really have to be tuned into your keys and really stay on top of your technique because if you don’t you can be exposed.”
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