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Head to Head: Cowboys QB Tony Romo vs. Steelers S Troy Polamalu
A closer look at the game within the game
Sunday, December 07, 2008
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
New England's Matt Cassel came into last week's game against the Steelers toting a pair of back-to-back 400-yard passing games and three touchdowns in his pocket. He left with four turnovers, five sacks and a season-low passer rating of 39.4.
Now along comes quarterback Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys, packing a pair of back-to-back 300-yard games and three touchdowns in his saddlebag and looking to slice a Steelers secondary that has been harder than a granite block to carve this season.
Of course, those passing games of 341 yards and 331 yards were against the San Francsico 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, teams who rank 28th and 32nd, respectively, against the pass.
Not the same as trying to throw against the Steelers, who have the NFL's No. 1 ranked pass defense in the league and yield big plays about once every clock change.
"I think they're fantastic," Romo said. "When you watch them on tape and see what they have personnel-wise and scheme, it's going to be an incredible challenge for us to move the ball. They're number one against the pass and run. They're every bit as good as people say."
Stopping Romo and a diverse but talented Cowboys offense that has averaged 27.6 points since his return will be a priority for the Steelers when the teams meet today at Heinz Field.
Preventing the big play will be the No. 1 priority. It always is for the Steelers defense.
"Their scheme is just very good," Romo said. ""If you can get personnel and scheme together, that's what makes it difficult. Dick LeBeau has done a phenomenal job, over the years, of coming up with different ways to attack offenses. We don't play against these guys every year or even every two years. We're not going to be used to some of the things that some of the people in the division might."
Romo already has six 300-yard passing games this season, one shy of the club record he set last season. He also has 17 pass plays of 30 yards or longer, including eight of 50 yards or longer. Three of those have been touchdowns to wide receiver Terrell Owens, the player who will be the primary focus for the Steelers defense.
"He's fast and he gets the ball downfield," safety Troy Polamalu said, referring to Owens. "It helps to always have a good quarterback who gets the ball in a good spot. But they have more than one weapon. When you have a running attack, a good quarterback, another receiver, a good tight end, that's all a star receiver [like Owens] needs to ask for because everything is not just revolving around him."
Owens turns 35 today, and is still a prolific receiver. After setting club records for receiving yards (1,355) and touchdown catches (15) in 2007, he is second on the team with 52 catches but leads with 816 receiving yards and eight touchdowns this season.
Against the 49ers (his former team), Owens caught seven passes for 213 yards and one touchdown. But the 49ers didn't try to bump Owens at the line of scrimmage with their cornerbacks.
"Some teams try to distract him and have someone over him," said cornerback Bryant McFadden, who will return after missing six games with a broken forearm. "The 49ers stayed off him and he had a big game, a lot of big passes. But Romo made plays with his feet, and you have to realize you're playing against one of the premier receivers, but also his quarterback is putting him in good positions."
"When you look at it, you're not going to put up a ton of points on these guys," Romo said.
Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com.
First published on December 7, 2008 at 12:00 am
A closer look at the game within the game
Sunday, December 07, 2008
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
New England's Matt Cassel came into last week's game against the Steelers toting a pair of back-to-back 400-yard passing games and three touchdowns in his pocket. He left with four turnovers, five sacks and a season-low passer rating of 39.4.
Now along comes quarterback Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys, packing a pair of back-to-back 300-yard games and three touchdowns in his saddlebag and looking to slice a Steelers secondary that has been harder than a granite block to carve this season.
Of course, those passing games of 341 yards and 331 yards were against the San Francsico 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, teams who rank 28th and 32nd, respectively, against the pass.
Not the same as trying to throw against the Steelers, who have the NFL's No. 1 ranked pass defense in the league and yield big plays about once every clock change.
"I think they're fantastic," Romo said. "When you watch them on tape and see what they have personnel-wise and scheme, it's going to be an incredible challenge for us to move the ball. They're number one against the pass and run. They're every bit as good as people say."
Stopping Romo and a diverse but talented Cowboys offense that has averaged 27.6 points since his return will be a priority for the Steelers when the teams meet today at Heinz Field.
Preventing the big play will be the No. 1 priority. It always is for the Steelers defense.
"Their scheme is just very good," Romo said. ""If you can get personnel and scheme together, that's what makes it difficult. Dick LeBeau has done a phenomenal job, over the years, of coming up with different ways to attack offenses. We don't play against these guys every year or even every two years. We're not going to be used to some of the things that some of the people in the division might."
Romo already has six 300-yard passing games this season, one shy of the club record he set last season. He also has 17 pass plays of 30 yards or longer, including eight of 50 yards or longer. Three of those have been touchdowns to wide receiver Terrell Owens, the player who will be the primary focus for the Steelers defense.
"He's fast and he gets the ball downfield," safety Troy Polamalu said, referring to Owens. "It helps to always have a good quarterback who gets the ball in a good spot. But they have more than one weapon. When you have a running attack, a good quarterback, another receiver, a good tight end, that's all a star receiver [like Owens] needs to ask for because everything is not just revolving around him."
Owens turns 35 today, and is still a prolific receiver. After setting club records for receiving yards (1,355) and touchdown catches (15) in 2007, he is second on the team with 52 catches but leads with 816 receiving yards and eight touchdowns this season.
Against the 49ers (his former team), Owens caught seven passes for 213 yards and one touchdown. But the 49ers didn't try to bump Owens at the line of scrimmage with their cornerbacks.
"Some teams try to distract him and have someone over him," said cornerback Bryant McFadden, who will return after missing six games with a broken forearm. "The 49ers stayed off him and he had a big game, a lot of big passes. But Romo made plays with his feet, and you have to realize you're playing against one of the premier receivers, but also his quarterback is putting him in good positions."
"When you look at it, you're not going to put up a ton of points on these guys," Romo said.
Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com.
First published on December 7, 2008 at 12:00 am
