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Terrell McClain comes to life in third quarter
October, 20, 2014
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- In the offseason Terrell McClain was one of the Dallas Cowboys' biggest surprises, but then the defensive tackle suffered a high ankle sprain in training camp that kept him out of the preseason games.
The ankle injury kept him out of the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. He then suffered a concussion against the St. Louis Rams in Week 3 and did not play the following week against the New Orleans Saints.
In three games he was credited with five tackles and a quarterback pressure.
But in the third quarter of Sunday’s 31-21 win against the New York Giants, McClain had three tackles and two tackles for a loss. He should have been credited with a forced fumble and recovery if not for the officials incorrectly ruling forward progress stopped.
“I don’t know what it was,” McClain said. “It was just something that hit me. We came in at halftime and say, ‘That wasn’t us in the first half. We’ve got to come out and play our ball.’ Just had to go out there and let it go.”
There was some outcry over the weekend when the Cowboys released defensive tackle Ken Bishop instead of McClain to make room for linebacker Keith Smith on the active roster, but McClain showed in the third quarter he can be a disruptive player.
“He was just driven out there,” Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. “He's playing for a jersey in practice. Rod (Marinelli) has got him wondering if he's going to get (one of the eight) jerseys to come in there and play on the defensive line.”
October, 20, 2014
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- In the offseason Terrell McClain was one of the Dallas Cowboys' biggest surprises, but then the defensive tackle suffered a high ankle sprain in training camp that kept him out of the preseason games.
The ankle injury kept him out of the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. He then suffered a concussion against the St. Louis Rams in Week 3 and did not play the following week against the New Orleans Saints.
In three games he was credited with five tackles and a quarterback pressure.
But in the third quarter of Sunday’s 31-21 win against the New York Giants, McClain had three tackles and two tackles for a loss. He should have been credited with a forced fumble and recovery if not for the officials incorrectly ruling forward progress stopped.
“I don’t know what it was,” McClain said. “It was just something that hit me. We came in at halftime and say, ‘That wasn’t us in the first half. We’ve got to come out and play our ball.’ Just had to go out there and let it go.”
There was some outcry over the weekend when the Cowboys released defensive tackle Ken Bishop instead of McClain to make room for linebacker Keith Smith on the active roster, but McClain showed in the third quarter he can be a disruptive player.
“He was just driven out there,” Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. “He's playing for a jersey in practice. Rod (Marinelli) has got him wondering if he's going to get (one of the eight) jerseys to come in there and play on the defensive line.”
