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Return of Rolando McClain has Anthony Hitchens in new spot
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas – If Anthony Hitchens played baseball, he would have a utility title. He can do just about anything.
For the Dallas Cowboys, Hitchens is listed as a linebacker, and at different times this season he has played middle linebacker and weakside linebacker. He has played in the nickel package and even the dime package.
With the return of Rolando McClain from a four-game suspension, Hitchens is expected to slide over to strongside linebacker.
As a rookie, Hitchens started 11 games. Seven came at weakside linebacker, three came at middle linebacker and one came at strongside linebacker.
“[McClain] is one of our best defenders, so he’s probably going to be back in the middle,” Hitchens said. “I’ve just got to be ready to go at all the positions once again and go back to my [strongside] rules again. I just got to go back to my books and get to studying again.”
When Sean Lee was lost in the first half of last Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints, Hitchens took over as the defensive signal-caller. He played 69 of the 72 defensive snaps, a season-high. In the previous week against the Atlanta Falcons, he played 63 snaps. In the first two games, he played 86 of 123 snaps.
With the return of McClain, Hitchens' playing time should decrease if McClain assumes a three-down role. Sunday’s foe, the New England Patriots, spreads the field, so the Cowboys will be in their sub packages a lot more.
Regardless, Hitchens knows he will have to be ready for everything.
“The good thing about me [is] it happened to me last year before and I switched a little here and there in camp,” Hitchens said. “I should be all right.”
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas – If Anthony Hitchens played baseball, he would have a utility title. He can do just about anything.
For the Dallas Cowboys, Hitchens is listed as a linebacker, and at different times this season he has played middle linebacker and weakside linebacker. He has played in the nickel package and even the dime package.
With the return of Rolando McClain from a four-game suspension, Hitchens is expected to slide over to strongside linebacker.
As a rookie, Hitchens started 11 games. Seven came at weakside linebacker, three came at middle linebacker and one came at strongside linebacker.
“[McClain] is one of our best defenders, so he’s probably going to be back in the middle,” Hitchens said. “I’ve just got to be ready to go at all the positions once again and go back to my [strongside] rules again. I just got to go back to my books and get to studying again.”
When Sean Lee was lost in the first half of last Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints, Hitchens took over as the defensive signal-caller. He played 69 of the 72 defensive snaps, a season-high. In the previous week against the Atlanta Falcons, he played 63 snaps. In the first two games, he played 86 of 123 snaps.
With the return of McClain, Hitchens' playing time should decrease if McClain assumes a three-down role. Sunday’s foe, the New England Patriots, spreads the field, so the Cowboys will be in their sub packages a lot more.
Regardless, Hitchens knows he will have to be ready for everything.
“The good thing about me [is] it happened to me last year before and I switched a little here and there in camp,” Hitchens said. “I should be all right.”