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Cowboys linebackers have work cut out for them
11:07 AM Fri, Dec 11, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
David Moore/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips
I'd hate to be a linebacker for the Cowboys this Sunday.
Not as much as the Cowboys would hate to use me at linebacker, but you know where I'm coming from. The thought of matching up against running back Darren Sproles and tight end Antonio Gates all afternoon is frightening.
We'll let Keith Brooking tell you what lies ahead. First, Gates. Safety Gerald Sensabaugh will spend time on Gates and the Cowboys may even throw a cornerback his way in some situations. But there will be times when the Chargers isolate him on the linebackers.
"He has great body control,'' Brooking said. "He goes up and makes the tough catch with guys draped all over him. When the ball is in the air, at the moment of truth, we've got to take the ball away from them in those situations. We talked about it all week and that's something we're conscious of.''
And Sproles?
"They run a lot of screens with Sproles out of a lot of formations,'' Brooking said. "They do a good job of disguising it, the way their receivers run routes to make it look like a normal pass play to take you out of your progression, take the focus off Sporles.
"We have to be prepared and not allow the big play. A guy like Sproles, he's going to make some plays, but they can't be those back-breakers. You can't let him leak out of the backfield and run 75 yards downfield.''
Like the Cowboys did Brandon Jacobs.
11:07 AM Fri, Dec 11, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
David Moore/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips
I'd hate to be a linebacker for the Cowboys this Sunday.
Not as much as the Cowboys would hate to use me at linebacker, but you know where I'm coming from. The thought of matching up against running back Darren Sproles and tight end Antonio Gates all afternoon is frightening.
We'll let Keith Brooking tell you what lies ahead. First, Gates. Safety Gerald Sensabaugh will spend time on Gates and the Cowboys may even throw a cornerback his way in some situations. But there will be times when the Chargers isolate him on the linebackers.
"He has great body control,'' Brooking said. "He goes up and makes the tough catch with guys draped all over him. When the ball is in the air, at the moment of truth, we've got to take the ball away from them in those situations. We talked about it all week and that's something we're conscious of.''
And Sproles?
"They run a lot of screens with Sproles out of a lot of formations,'' Brooking said. "They do a good job of disguising it, the way their receivers run routes to make it look like a normal pass play to take you out of your progression, take the focus off Sporles.
"We have to be prepared and not allow the big play. A guy like Sproles, he's going to make some plays, but they can't be those back-breakers. You can't let him leak out of the backfield and run 75 yards downfield.''
Like the Cowboys did Brandon Jacobs.
