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Cleveland Browns defensive back Brandon McDonald says he's ready for Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens
Saturday, September 06, 2008 Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter
Cowboys six-time Pro Bowl receiver Terrell Owens gave young Browns cornerback Brandon McDonald something to think about tonight when he's lying awake in the team hotel with visions of blue stars and No. 81s dancing in his head.
During a conference call with Cleveland media on Wednesday, Owens was careful not to bite on questions about the Browns' two young starting corners, who have 15 starts between them.
But in the cozy confines of Valley Ranch, Texas, with his own local media asking the same questions, Owens uttered what most folks are thinking about when they ponder this Browns-Cowboys matchup.
"It's an opportunity to try and take advantage of a little bit of inexperience back there," said Owens, a 13-year pro who's 34.
Just what McDonald and Eric Wright - roommates in the team hotel - needed to hear to help them get their game faces on for the likely future Hall of Famer, who had 81 catches and 15 touchdowns last year.
"I'm not going to back down from any challenge," said the ultra-confident McDonald, who figures to see a lot of Owens on Sunday. "It doesn't matter how big the receiver, how fast or how good he's supposed to be, I'm just going to do my job."
It's not as though McDonald never has seen the likes of an Owens before. Working on the scout team last year, he cut his teeth against Pro Bowler Braylon Edwards, which prepped him to become the biggest surprise on defense the second half of the season. Lucky for McDonald, Edwards is almost the exact same size as Owens (6-3, 215 for Edwards vs. 6-3, 218 for Owens), and both can make spectacular, acrobatic catches that take your breath away.
"I feel confident being able to maintain [Edwards] in practice and he's right up there with T.O., so I'm looking forward to competing with the guy," said McDonald, the Browns' fifth-round pick last year.
Neither the experience factor (Owens' has 158 starts to McDonald's 2) nor the height advantage (Owens is 6-3, McDonald 5-10) is enough to rattle the first-year starter.
"I'm sure I'll do well against the guy even though he's a bigger guy, because I feel like I'm a great technician," McDonald said. "At times I kind of slack off, but faced with the challenge, I'm sure I'll play well."
McDonald says he has watched so much film on Owens that he has his style and tendencies memorized.
"It's just little things I've been trying to pick up on to see if I could get a bead on the guy," McDonald said. "He does a lot of things consistently. He's a great route runner, he has great hands and he usually gets a lot of yards after the catch. He's also a big, physical guy."
If the film wasn't enough to get his attention, coach Romeo Crennel's scouting report probably was.
"To look at T.O., when you play off, he catches balls," Crennel said. "He's got a big frame, he can make you miss, break tackles and he can fall forward to gain yards there. If you press him, he can still make a tough catch against press - one-handed catches, back-shoulder catches - his game is still pretty good. He's a force you have to account for because he had [15] touchdowns last year."
McDonald and Wright, who both will cover Owens depending on what side he's on, know that Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will test them early, but they say they're ready.
"I like it," McDonald said. "I like when they think that way against me. If you come at me, I'm going to try to be in position to stop them every time. If I can get it done, it will be great for the team."
To help the youngsters gear up, Browns receiver Donte' Stallworth, a good friend of Owens, wore a T-shirt on Wednesday in the locker room and around the facility that read "I compete T.O. Win."
You can bet McDonald will, too.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670
plaindealer.com
Saturday, September 06, 2008 Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter
Cowboys six-time Pro Bowl receiver Terrell Owens gave young Browns cornerback Brandon McDonald something to think about tonight when he's lying awake in the team hotel with visions of blue stars and No. 81s dancing in his head.
During a conference call with Cleveland media on Wednesday, Owens was careful not to bite on questions about the Browns' two young starting corners, who have 15 starts between them.
But in the cozy confines of Valley Ranch, Texas, with his own local media asking the same questions, Owens uttered what most folks are thinking about when they ponder this Browns-Cowboys matchup.
"It's an opportunity to try and take advantage of a little bit of inexperience back there," said Owens, a 13-year pro who's 34.
Just what McDonald and Eric Wright - roommates in the team hotel - needed to hear to help them get their game faces on for the likely future Hall of Famer, who had 81 catches and 15 touchdowns last year.
"I'm not going to back down from any challenge," said the ultra-confident McDonald, who figures to see a lot of Owens on Sunday. "It doesn't matter how big the receiver, how fast or how good he's supposed to be, I'm just going to do my job."
It's not as though McDonald never has seen the likes of an Owens before. Working on the scout team last year, he cut his teeth against Pro Bowler Braylon Edwards, which prepped him to become the biggest surprise on defense the second half of the season. Lucky for McDonald, Edwards is almost the exact same size as Owens (6-3, 215 for Edwards vs. 6-3, 218 for Owens), and both can make spectacular, acrobatic catches that take your breath away.
"I feel confident being able to maintain [Edwards] in practice and he's right up there with T.O., so I'm looking forward to competing with the guy," said McDonald, the Browns' fifth-round pick last year.
Neither the experience factor (Owens' has 158 starts to McDonald's 2) nor the height advantage (Owens is 6-3, McDonald 5-10) is enough to rattle the first-year starter.
"I'm sure I'll do well against the guy even though he's a bigger guy, because I feel like I'm a great technician," McDonald said. "At times I kind of slack off, but faced with the challenge, I'm sure I'll play well."
McDonald says he has watched so much film on Owens that he has his style and tendencies memorized.
"It's just little things I've been trying to pick up on to see if I could get a bead on the guy," McDonald said. "He does a lot of things consistently. He's a great route runner, he has great hands and he usually gets a lot of yards after the catch. He's also a big, physical guy."
If the film wasn't enough to get his attention, coach Romeo Crennel's scouting report probably was.
"To look at T.O., when you play off, he catches balls," Crennel said. "He's got a big frame, he can make you miss, break tackles and he can fall forward to gain yards there. If you press him, he can still make a tough catch against press - one-handed catches, back-shoulder catches - his game is still pretty good. He's a force you have to account for because he had [15] touchdowns last year."
McDonald and Wright, who both will cover Owens depending on what side he's on, know that Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will test them early, but they say they're ready.
"I like it," McDonald said. "I like when they think that way against me. If you come at me, I'm going to try to be in position to stop them every time. If I can get it done, it will be great for the team."
To help the youngsters gear up, Browns receiver Donte' Stallworth, a good friend of Owens, wore a T-shirt on Wednesday in the locker room and around the facility that read "I compete T.O. Win."
You can bet McDonald will, too.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670
plaindealer.com
