Behind the Steel Curtain - Steelers vs. Cowboys Pregame CoverageA level-headed news-discussion site with a sense of history and communityhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47293/steel_curtain_fave.png2012-12-16T08:45:49-05:00http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/rss/stream/35365352012-12-16T08:45:49-05:002012-12-16T08:45:49-05:00Cortez Allen out, David DeCastro will start at RG
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<figcaption>Jason Bridge-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The Youth of Steeler Nation must stand up and be recognized, even if the various combinations of young players aren't the ones the team expected to be playing this season.</p> <p>It wouldn't dared to be discussed in August.</p>
<p>Highly touted rookie <span>David DeCastro</span> making his first career start with less experience than afterthought seventh round pick <span>Kelvin Beachum</span>; it wouldn't have shocked many back then to predict the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a> having two rookies starting on the right side of the offensive line by Week 14.</p>
<p>No one would have bet on those two being the combination.</p>
<p>Equally, it wasn't a stretch at all to suggest <span>Cortez Allen</span> would have been a starting cornerback for the Steelers in 2012. But very few would have said it would be opposite <span>Keenan Lewis</span>, his battery mate in a competitive fight for the starting job opposite <span>Ike Taylor</span>. But no one would have said the starting cornerback tandem in Week 15 would have been Lewis and either <span>Curtis Brown</span> or <span>Josh Victorian</span> - another in a seemingly long line of 7th round picks and undrafted free agents to see significant time this season.</p>
<p>Mike Adams is out, moving Beachum to the starting role. Allen is out, the second starting cornerback to go down with injury in the last three weeks. <span>Ramon Foster</span>, who was to be replaced by DeCastro after the draft, moves to left guard (replacing injured <span>Willie Colon</span>) so the Youth of Steeler Nation can take over. Even if this isn't how it was drawn up.</p>
<p>However it gets sliced, this team was supposed to be young at cornerback and along its offensive line. The pairings may be a bit odd, but this is how the Steelers must roll in Week 15 - maybe even beyond.</p>
<p>Victorian and even fellow undrafted free agent <span>Robert Golden</span> will be locked on the outstanding receivers of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a> at various points today. DeCastro and Beachum will likely be asked at some point to combo block Cowboys' outside linebacker <span>Anthony Spencer</span> - who's having a career year. Foster and Beachum must find whatever it is that Colon and Adams were doing that led the Steelers to run for 4.8 yards a carry when they started. They must also stop a disturbing trend showing a 3.1 yards per carry average when those two do not start.</p>
<p>The younger players were brought in for the future, but their present ability will be what determines whether the Steelers win this game, and even whether they advance to the playoffs for a third consecutive year.</p>
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https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/12/16/3772450/steelers-cowboys-week-15-active-starters-depth-chart-cornerback-offensive-line-injuries-replacementNeal Coolong2012-12-16T08:17:08-05:002012-12-16T08:17:08-05:00Dallas represents both fire and ice for Pittsburgh
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<figcaption>Al Bello</figcaption>
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<p>Dallas obviously has historical ties to the Steelers, but their team and their stadium bring back both hot and icy memories for Pittsburgh since 2008. </p> <p>I remember <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cowboys</a> Stadium covered in ice.</p>
<p>Looked a lot like where I live, and it's sometimes hard to remember not everywhere else in the country looks like Hoth in February.</p>
<p>Despite that, it looked unusual. The <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Steelers</a> were in the Super Bowl, facing the surging <a href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Green Bay Packers</a>, and the AFC Championship win over the <a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jets</a> was much like the divisional win over the <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Ravens</a>.</p>
<p>One great half of football overcame one bad half of football.</p>
<p>The Steelers were down 21-7 to Baltimore at halftime, and powered through the Ravens on the strength of <span>James Harrison</span> and a few <span>Joe Flacco</span> turnovers. Pittsburgh ran over the Jets in the first half behind <span>Rashard Mendenhall</span> and a huge sack and forced fumble by <span>Ike Taylor</span> and the subsequent touchdown off the fumble recovery by <span>William Gay</span>.</p>
<p><span>Maurkice Pouncey</span> went down in the first half, and the Steelers weren't running as well in the second half. The Jets clawed their way back into it, but not enough to pull off a dramatic comeback victory.</p>
<p>It's not that I felt any less confident in the Steelers, that team just didn't have the same level of consistency its Super Bowl champion counterpart did in 2008.</p>
<p>Much of that stemmed from the last time the Steelers played the Cowboys.</p>
<p>A similarly painful winter storm hit the area in which I live before the Steelers and Cowboys kicked off at Heinz Field. Not related, but the Steelers found themselves on the wrong side of another Tale of Two Halves kind of game. They trailed the Cowboys by 10 points in the fourth quarter despite forcing four Cowboys turnovers in the first half. Dallas stuffed <span>Gary Russell</span> on 4th and goal from the 1-yard line, and they began celebrating madly.</p>
<p>They were in position to pull off a huge road victory; knocking off the 10-2 Steelers in Pittsburgh would have pushed them to 9-4.</p>
<p>That Steelers team was good; their typically outstanding defense was the best in football, and their offense had weapons at its disposal. But the defining characteristic of that team was its grit. As cliche as it is to suggest, they willed their way into several wins that year.</p>
<p>Games like that Week 14 win over the Cowboys were perhaps at the top of a list of grittiest wins in 2008.</p>
<p>The Steelers rattled off 13 4th quarter points, the final seven coming off a <span>Deshea Townsend</span> interception return touchdown off Cowboys quarterback <span>Tony Romo</span>. It legitimized the Steelers' assertion it's a title contender, even if the following week's win over Baltimore overshadowed it, and a crushing defeat at Tennessee in Week 16 pushed them down a peg.</p>
<p>They melted the ice covering them several times that year. The proverbial fire defeated that ice that year.</p>
<p>They'd go on to win the Super Bowl and it showed the Steelers as the quintessential "sum of its whole is greater than the sum of its parts" team. It can be traced directly back to that win over the Cowboys.</p>
<p>Dallas had the ball with the game on the line, tied at 13 with under two minutes to play. The familiar pangs of anxiety overtook all those watching, wondering if the Steelers were going to get that big defensive play.</p>
<p>Cowboys tight end <span>Jason Witten</span> ran the wrong route on a second-and-8 pass. Townsend was there for the pick, and outran Dallas's offense to the pylon for the score. The pick six came just two plays after <span>Ben Roethlisberger</span> had hit <span>Heath Miller</span> (who apparently ran the correct route) for a six yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 13.</p>
<p>Just like that, a game Dallas had all but won through the first 58 minutes of play turned into a loss. It turned the Steelers defense into an offense. The following week, the Steelers got interceptions from William Gay and <span>Ryan Clark</span>, and held Flacco to a 39.2 completion percentage in a 13-9 win.</p>
<p>The AFC Championship game was even more dramatic. The Steelers would harass Flacco in what had to be the most physical game since the league implemented rules to boost offense in the 1980s. Polamalu wold pick Flacco off and run it back for the game-ending touchdown.</p>
<p>James Harrison would take a <span>Kurt Warner</span> pass into the end zone all the way back for a touchdown at the end of the first half in the Super Bowl.</p>
<p>It all started off Townsend's interception. The defense was plenty confident all year, having prevented opposing offenses from gaining 300 yards just once in the regular season. But it became lethal after Townsend's pylon dive against Dallas.</p>
<p>That defense died off in 2009. But it came back even more powerfully in 2010. Behind its strength, it started the 2010 season 3-1 despite the absence of Roethlisberger. The Ravens had all but won the second meeting between those teams. Then Polamalu went unblocked, and he tomahawked the ball from Flacco in the fourth quarter. <span>LaMarr Woodley</span> recovered it and rumbled inside the 20. Roethlisberger would hit <span>Isaac Redman</span> for one of the more memorable touchdown catch-and-runs in recent memory, stealing a 13-9 win.</p>
<p>Those big defensive plays were there all season, but it always seemed like the team needed them more than what would be comfortable. Down 21-7 to Baltimore, they needed Harrison to destroy anything the Ravens threw at him in the second half (three sacks, two QB hits). The Steelers' offense responded, pulling out a 31-24 win.</p>
<p>The defense got the big play against the Jets - Taylor swatted <span>Mark Sanchez's</span> arm, and Gay's touchdown put them up 24-0 in the second quarter.</p>
<p>Then it went silent. The Jets battled back, and Roethlisberger backyarded his way from third down completion to third down completion. They were able to kneel it out, having failed to score in the second half.</p>
<p>The Steelers were white-hot in the first half, but the ice won the second half. That ice followed them to Dallas, an area perhaps still bitter from Townsend's touchdown two years earlier. The ice covered the stadium, and covered the Steelers in the first half.</p>
<p>Trailing 21-3 at one point, Green Bay made every play; the Steelers made none.</p>
<p>A gallant comeback effort in the fourth quarter was put up, but as Steeler Nation turned its collective head toward their heroes - the defense - to make a big play, it wasn't there. It didn't come. They did enough to slow down Green Bay's offense (a unit that looked like it could score from 200 yards out in that game), but in the fourth quarter, trailing 28-25, the defense failed to make that play.</p>
<p>They held the Packers to a field goal, and the flummoxed offense seemed to wilt under the situation, going nowhere on their final drive.</p>
<p>It seems like Taylor's sack and Gay's touchdown was the last big play this defense made. While that's obviously not true, it makes Townsend's touchdown stand out even more. It melted the ice that was forming around the team. It fended off a potential loss.</p>
<p>Since Townsend's interception, the Steelers are 48-23, but those big plays - however you want to define them - have happened less frequently. The Steelers have 18 interceptions in 2011 and 2012 combined, meaning they need three more to equal their 2010 total (21). And interceptions from cornerbacks? It's less than an afterthought.</p>
<p>The ice has taken over.</p>
<p>Townsend is probably too busy in his job as an assistant secondary coach under former Steelers secondary coach Ray Horton in Arizona to notice the Steelers game in Dallas today. But he no doubt remembers his biggest career moment, that icy Sunday in 2008.</p>
<p>The Cowboys and Cowboys Stadium represents two defining points in recent Steelers history - both hot and cold. The ice appears to be winning right now, staring at 7-6 with a non-playmaking defense going against one of the best passing teams in football.</p>
<p>Will someone bring the heat today? That's unclear, but it sure would be nice.</p>
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https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/12/16/3772382/steelers-vs-cowboys-dallas-represents-both-fire-and-ice-forNeal Coolong2012-12-16T06:49:47-05:002012-12-16T06:49:47-05:00Week 15 pregame focus: Return of Woodley
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<figcaption>Jason Bridge-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Steelers outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley returns to the field for the first time since Week 12, having missed a third of the Steelers' last 30 games. He owes this defense an outstanding performance against Dallas. </p> <p><a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Steelers</a> outside linebacker <span>LaMarr Woodley</span> is back and he'll play Sunday against the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dallas Cowboys</a>.</p>
<p>Hearing Woodley will play is almost as common as hearing he won't. Having missed a third of the Steelers' last 30 games (spanning back to Week 8 of the 2011 season), Woodley hasn't gotten himself back to the point he was at when he injured his hamstring for the first time while chasing New England's <span>Tom Brady</span> out of the pocket (again) in the Steelers' Week 8 win over the <a href="https://www.patspulpit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Patriots</a> last year.</p>
<p>He had two sacks in that game, was on his way to a third, and was tied among the top sack artists in the league when he went down.</p>
<p>The Steelers simply have not gotten the kind of pass rush they had when they went to the Super Bowl at the end of the 2010 season - incidentally, that was also the last time they played in Dallas. The on-again-off-again nature of both Woodley and <span>James Harrison</span> have been the cause of a lot of that, but they're both healthy today, and facing a team that wants to throw the ball despite not being the greatest pass protection unit in the league.</p>
<p>Woodley absolutely has to win his 1-on-1 today. Throw out the contract, he has to dominate his position because he can, and his team needs him to dominate it. Cowboys right tackle <span>Doug Free</span> has struggled this season, and appears to handle bullrushing ends and outside linebackers with a high technique. That's something Woodley can exploit</p>
<p>Despite the game's average sized tackle still outweighing Woodley by a good 60 pounds, Woodley's size and power wears most of them down to the point he can exploit their weaknesses in the second half. If the Steelers can keep this close through the first three quarters, Woodley will have the situation he wants - a worn down tackle being the only thing standing between him and the quarterback.</p>
<p>He needs to make plays today. If he can do that, the Steelers have just as good a chance of winning this game as anyone would.</p>
<p>The defensive scheme the Steelers employ can crush one-dimensional offenses like Dallas. Even with outstanding weapons like <span>Tony Romo</span>, <span>Miles Austin</span>, <span>Dez Bryant</span> and <span>Jason Witten</span>, it's hard for teams to move the ball consistently against them. Coming off a week in which the Steelers allowed their opponents to move the ball, they still allowed under 300 total yards, and Phillip Rivers became the eighth straight quarterback to fail to throw for more than 200 yards (he hit 200 on the button).</p>
<p>And it was a bad game for the Steelers' defense.</p>
<p>Expect Romo to attack the Steelers much in the same way Rivers did; short, quick and rhythmic. Woodley, as well as right defensive end <span>Ziggy Hood</span>, need to squeeze their side of the pocket, get their hands in passing lanes and try to contain Romo. More than anything, though, they need to find a way to get him on the ground or at least force him to throw off-balance.</p>
<p>It's a huge game for Woodley in terms of his value on this team. He owes this defense a big game, considering they've done well without him. It's time for him to take over, and get back on the path he was on toward becoming one of the best defensive players in the game.</p>
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https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/12/16/3772348/steelers-cowboys-nfl-week-15-preview-fantasy-football-injury-report-lamarr-woodley-statusNeal Coolong2012-12-16T06:31:34-05:002012-12-16T06:31:34-05:005 reasons the Steelers can beat the Cowboys
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<figcaption>Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sport</figcaption>
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<p>The Cowboys have a few fairly large matchup advantages on paper, but the Steelers have an odd way of turning those into strengths on game day. There are still plenty of reasons to feel the Steelers will defeat Dallas in Week 15. </p> <p>Two of the game's most injured teams face off in the House That Jerral Wayne Built. Both teams have had to fight with depth instead of their main arsenals, and both have had varying success in doing it.</p>
<p>All of that is secondary to fighting through the pain that comes with the end of the season.</p>
<h5>Runnin' With The Devil</h5>
<p>While the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cowboys</a> have a distinct and obvious advantage on paper with their offense throwing against Pittsburgh's banged up secondary, the <a href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Steelers</a> conversely are at a point where they can get back to doing what they've done to all three other "Beast" teams of the NFC East - run all over them. It was <span>Rashard Mendenhall</span> against the <a href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Eagles</a>. <span>Jonathan Dwyer</span> racked up yards against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins" class="sbn-auto-link">Redskins</a> and <span>Isaac Redman</span> dominated the <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Giants</a>. Contrary to what Cowboys fans might want to think, Mendenhall has barely factored into any game plan outside that Week 5 game, and the Steelers have shown they can run with success with either Dwyer or Redman.</p>
<h5>And The Cradle Will Rock</h5>
<p>Pittsburgh will employ the "step back to take two steps forward" mentality after a weekend that saw <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers" class="sbn-auto-link">Chargers</a> QB Phillip Rivers decimate <span>Curtis Brown</span> on third downs, helping the Chargers score the upset in Pittsburgh. Still, Rivers lost most battles en route to winning the war. Brown's inexperience in preparation held him back but that's not a mistake he'll make again - not in his home state. The younger players of the Steelers' roster saw what happens when preparation is less than exact; they will draw on the experience from the veterans of this team.</p>
<h5>Unchained</h5>
<p>Cowboys right tackle <span>Doug Free</span> has struggled this season having moved from the left side. Steelers outside linebacker <span>LaMarr Woodley</span> is back for the first time since early in Week 12. It's time for Woodley to get himself some. He can overpower Free and he can get into the side of the passer. He'll have plenty of opportunity, given how often Dallas throws the ball, and the key on defense today will be Woodley's ability to wear Free down as the game progresses.</p>
<h5>Top Jimmy</h5>
<p>Let's not forget <span>James Harrison</span>, either. While Dallas certainly can make a claim for having the best combination of outside linebackers, Harrison is still the most outstanding of the four against the run. His surgically repaired knee is coming back into form, and his flexibility and lower body strength are the biggest reasons for that.</p>
<h5>Sunday Afternoon In The Park</h5>
<p>The Steelers have played plenty of these kinds of games recently; season more or less on the line, needing a win in what's basically a regular season playoff game. The pressure is more on Dallas, though. It's the team trailing the wild card race, and needing a win to keep pace with the Giants in the hunt for the divisional crown. The Steelers need two wins in their next three games, provided one of those wins comes over Cincinnati next week. It doesn't trivialize today's game at all (they still need a win), but Dallas can still win out and miss the postseason.</p>
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https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/12/16/3772344/5-reasons-the-steelers-can-beat-the-cowboys-in-week-15Neal Coolong2012-12-16T05:55:18-05:002012-12-16T05:55:18-05:00Week 15 game time, TV broadcast Info, and more
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<figcaption>Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sport</figcaption>
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<p>The Steelers and Cowboys are as rich in winning history as anyone, but when they square off Sunday in Dallas, both are mired in underachievement as the 2012 season winds down. </p> <p><b>Teams:</b> <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a> vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a></p>
<p><b>Time:</b> 4:25 p.m. ET</p>
<p><b>Date: </b>Dec. 16, 2012</p>
<p><b>Location:</b> Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas</p>
<p><b>Matchups:</b> <a target="_blank" href="http://pit.scout.com/2/1249732.html">Steel City Insider</a></p>
<p><b>TV Schedule:</b> CBS national broadcast</p>
<p><b>Announcers:</b> Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Phil Simms (color)</p>
<p><b>Radio stream:</b> Steelers Radio Network WDVE-FM (102.5)/WBGG-AM (970)</p>
<p><b>Odds: </b>Steelers -2.5</p>
<p><b>Weather: </b>73 degrees, winds 14 m.p.h. west/southwest</p>
<p>History vs. history. America's Team vs. the Steel Curtain. The bulk of this rivalry may have taken shape decades ago, there are still plenty around to bear witness to planting seeds that grew into the continuation of animosity between these two franchises.</p>
<p>While the Cowboys' history is not steeped in Jerry Jones (nor would Steelers fans ever have a reason to circulate a petition requesting <a href="https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/remove-jerry-jones-gm-and-owner-dallas-cowboys/Jnlqsjl6" target="_blank">Presidential assistance in removing their team's owner</a>), Jones won plenty not long after purchasing the team in 1989, including a victory over the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX.</p>
<p>He just hasn't won anything since.</p>
<p>The Cowboys are starting to turn it on as the season gets closer to its end, and the Steelers took a setback loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers">Chargers</a> last week. Two teams that have been dogged by inconsistency this season.</p>
<p>Two seasons are on the line when the Steelers take on the Cowboys in Big D.</p>
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https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/12/16/3772338/steelers-vs-cowboys-week-15-game-time-tv-broadcast-info-and-moreNeal Coolong2012-12-16T05:26:11-05:002012-12-16T05:26:11-05:00I actually liked the Dallas Cowboys as a kid
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<figcaption>Malcolm Emmons-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Growing up in the 80's, I was obviously a huge Steelers fan. However, I was also a fan of the NFL, in general, and knew about the history of a lot of the great teams, including the Dallas Cowboys and their roster full of legends. </p> <p>I know what you're going to say, "What respectable Steelers fan could possibly have any admiration for those stinkin' Cowboys?" But you have to understand, I was young and impressionable in the late 70's/early 80's. Speaking of impressions, the "good guys in white vs. bad guys in black" theme of television shows and movies certainly rubbed off on me, and it was in full effect when I was about six years old and saw some commercial involving the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a> and Cowboys--I don't remember the spot, but it included highlights of either Super Bowl X or XIII. Anyway, back then, in my naive little mind, I associated people wearing black with the evil "bad guys" that I watched on TV--Star Wars came out when I was five--and the first thing I thought at that time was that I wanted the team wearing white to vanquish those Darth Vaders and ride off into the sunset.</p>
<p>You should probably know that I really didn't care about football or the Steelers at that time. In fact, during Super Bowl XIII between Pittsburgh and Dallas, I was watching Tarzan in the living room while my mother was watching the game on her kitchen TV as she did the dishes.</p>
<p>Everything soon changed, fortunately, and by the time the Steelers faced the Los Angeles <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams">Rams</a> in Super Bowl XIV, I was a full-fledged Black and Gold fan who somehow knew the recent history of the team, and I was glued to my little black and white television as I witnessed the guys win their fourth title in six seasons.</p>
<p>In the ensuing years, my fandom was so intense, it wasn't uncommon for me to cry after a Terry Bradshaw interception, and I was usually depressed after a Pittsburgh loss, which was more frequent in the early 80's, as the team grew older and the dynasty of the 70's became a thing of the past.</p>
<p>It didn't matter, though, I was hooked. And in addition to the Steelers, I became a huge fan of the NFL. I loved everything about it, and I quickly familiarized myself with the top teams in the league, and that included those "good guys" in white, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a>.</p>
<p>I don't know if it was because they were in the NFC and on CBS all the time, or because I really loved that star on the helmet, but I actually became fond of "America's Team." Don't get me wrong, my fondness wasn't nearly on the same level as my passion for the Steelers---they were still the home team--but I certainly rooted hard for Dallas, especially during big games.</p>
<p>I don't know what you were doing during "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFsBSbx5UKY" target="_blank">The Catch</a>," but I was pretty upset after Joe Montana hit Dwight Clark for the game-winning touchdown with 58 seconds left in the 1981 NFC championship game that launched the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">49ers</a>' dynasty of the 80's and prevented Dallas from going to the Super Bowl for a second straight season--the Cowboys would lose three straight NFC title games from 1980-'82.</p>
<p>I was a fan of Tom Landry, the Cowboys' legendary head coach who wore the famous fedora on the sidelines, and I was aware that Dallas had some tough times getting over the hump in the late 60's before finally capturing two Lombardi trophies in the 70's.</p>
<p>Speaking of which, one of my favorite NFL Films programs as a kid was the highlight show of Super Bowl XII, where the Cowboys defeated the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.milehighreport.com/">Denver Broncos</a>, 27-10. Today, I like Super Bowl XII because I think the 1977 Broncos were a great story, but when I was young, I enjoyed the highlights of that game because I really admired those guys in white and their dominating "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRA8nKxxBcY" target="_blank">Doomsday Defense</a>," led by Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Randy White, <span>Cliff Harris</span> and Charlie Waters.</p>
<p>I was a fan of Danny White, who spent four seasons as the team's punter and back-up quarterback while he waited for future Hall of Famer Roger Staubach to finally retire, which he did following the '79 season. .</p>
<p>I loved Tony Dorsett and thought he was one of the best running backs in the NFL.</p>
<p>While I really didn't lose much sleep over any Dallas loss, I certainly followed the team closely all throughout the 80's (I even liked <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sportscelebs.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/NFL/EversonWallsDynamic.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.sportscelebs.com/sportscelebritymarketing_nfl.html&h=2976&w=2384&sz=1529&tbnid=kz4mHbJSPzA5QM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=74&zoom=1&usg=___CqUCko4ZpPoyNUfm3UhsnIjxtw=&docid=uS6vJjgZ7lTBRM&sa=X&ei=8UnNUImqN4fn0gHq7YGoAg&ved=0CFgQ9QEwBQ&dur=2508" target="_blank">Everson Walls</a>) and was pretty sad to see the tailspin in the latter part of the decade, including a 3-13 season in 1988. As a consequence of that record, it was the last year on the sideline for Landry, as he was fired by new owner Jerry Jones, who subsequently hired Jimmy Johnson from the college ranks to be his head coach.</p>
<p>I didn't like the Cowboys as much by then, but I still rooted for them and thought rookie Troy Aikman would eventually become a good quarterback despite the team finishing 1-15 in 1989.</p>
<p>Even as late as the '91 season, when they were once again a legit playoff team, I was telling people to watch out for those Cowboys.</p>
<p>I don't know if it was because I was getting older or because I really couldn't stand Jones, Johnson, and players like Michael Irvin and Leon Lett, but by the time the Cowboys of the early 90's were primed for a Super Bowl run, I despised them, and I certainly didn't want to see them win any of those three Lombardi trophies--especially the one over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XXX.</p>
<p>Today, I still don't care for the Cowboys or their billion dollar stadium. And don't get me started on their fans, and not just the ones in Dallas--there's something very irritating about a guy who was born in Pittsburgh, has the same accent as I do, complains about route 28, has never set foot in the state of Texas, but refers to the Cowboys as "we."</p>
<p>What's that about?</p>
<p>Anyway, even though I can't stand the Cowboys now, I still have great respect for what they were able to accomplish in the 60's, 70's and early 80's with some of the most talented rosters the NFL has ever seen.</p>
<p>I hope my youthful fondness for Dallas isn't totally unforgivable in your eyes. If it is, you should know I'm not the only member of Steeler Nation who suffered the same kind of disorder as a kid. <span>Jerome Bettis</span> was a Cowboys fan as a child, and the Rooneys eventually paid him millions.</p>
https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/12/16/3771642/steelers-cowboys-Week-15-nfl-preview-commentary-opinionAnthony Defeo2012-12-15T07:40:56-05:002012-12-15T07:40:56-05:00Steelers draft class critical in Week 15
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<figcaption>Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sport</figcaption>
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<p>With several members of the Steelers' 2012 draft class likely to see extensive time Sunday - including two seventh round picks and an undrafted free agent - the value of this class will be a major factor in whether the Steelers make the playoffs in 2012.</p> <p>It isn't often in Pittsburgh so many rookies have so many important roles heading into a big game.</p>
<p>Undrafted rookie <span>Josh Victorian</span> will be the team's nickel back in the event <span>Cortez Allen</span> - who didn't practice this week - can't play at all. <span>Curtis Brown</span> will start, and move inside in nickel situations as Victorian moves outside.</p>
<p>First round pick <span>David DeCastro</span> will start at right guard, facing off against Dallas's pressure-filled defense. To his immediate right will stand 7th round pick <span>Kelvin Beachum</span>, starting his third consecutive game because rookie Mike Adams will miss that same stretch with an ankle injury.</p>
<p><span>Chris Rainey</span> will return kicks and serve as main threat to <span>Jonathan Dwyer</span> and <span>Isaac Redman</span> if their play is not up to running backs coach Kirby Wilson's standards.</p>
<p>Tight end <span>David Paulson</span> - one of the few positions not marred by injury this season - continues to see significant snaps as the team's second tight end.</p>
<p>Odds seem pretty good Allen won't be able to play against Dallas, and with the amount of passing that team does, Victorian should plan to be on the field plenty often. Dallas would probably like to add the insult to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a>' injuries and exploit the absence of <span>Ike Taylor</span> with their weapon of choice on offense - throwing the ball down the field.</p>
<p>The Steelers (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.tiqiq.com/behindthesteelcurtain/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers-tickets">Pittsburgh Steelers Tickets</a>) will hope to counter by attacking on the ground, hopefully behind a strong performance from DeCastro and newly minted left guard <span>Ramon Foster</span>, who's in for the injured <span>Willie Colon</span>.</p>
<p>Will they be able to get anything going offensively? They'll need to because it appears Dallas has a fairly strong advantage should they decide to spread the field with receivers and attack in a shorter passing game.</p>
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https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/12/15/3769476/steelers-injury-report-cortez-allen-cornerback-depth-chart-status-nickel-back-josh-victorianNeal Coolong2012-12-15T07:20:29-05:002012-12-15T07:20:29-05:00How the 46 defense has evolved and what Ben can do
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<figcaption>Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>What to look for in the Cowboy's defense when they face the Steelers on Sunday, and how Ben Rothlisberger can attack. </p> <p>If your last name is Ryan, and you're coaching defense in the NFL, you are automatically associated with the famous 1985 Chicago Bear defense. Some refer to it as the Bear defense, while most still call it the 46; regardless, it's important that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a> are able to attack, and protect, against this defense on Sunday.</p>
<p><b>Background</b></p>
<p>The original 46 defense feature a nose tackle and two defensive tackles lined up on the outside shade of the guard. A linebacker lines up head up on the tight end. The best pass rusher (this was Richard Dent) lines up as the weakside defensive end, and another defensive end lines up outside of the tight end to the strong side. There are two linebackers in the box, and they both take wider than normal alignments. They align on the inside eye of the offensive tackle.</p>
<p>This defense was created by Buddy Ryan to essentially stop a two back running game. Offenses were outnumbered to the tight end side. The linebackers were covered up by the defensive linemen covering up the center and the two guards. As a result, they were to read windows and fly to the ball. The concept of reading windows was revolutionary to linebacker play. Before linebackers were given specific gap assignments to attack based upon the flow of the ball. With the 46 front, the linebackers could just attack downhill and fast. A lot of the thinking was taken away. Essentially, backs are taught to run to daylight. So when you see daylight (window) attack it hard and fast.</p>
<p>When most people think of 46 defense, they think of blitzing linebackers. However, Buddy did not blitz the linebackers as much as people think. The defense worked because of something else.</p>
<p><b>Coverages</b></p>
<p>Because the 46 was so good at applying pressure, teams would try to adjust by throwing quick. The 46 adjusted to this by running various trap coverages. The corner would align off as if he was playing cover 3, and then jump the hitch or out route. During various times the year, we've seen <span>Ryan Clark</span> run underneath a receiver as the corner bailed deep. The 46 called this swipe coverage. This was great in run support and great against quick throws.</p>
<p>These are just two examples of the exotic coverages that Buddy Ryan employed. The coverages were designed to cause confusion for the quarterback. The confusion would either lead to a rushed throw or a sack. Many people think that the 46 blitzed like crazy and played man behind the blitz. That's not true. Man was used, but with all of these other coverages. It was a complicated defense that relied upon smart players that were able to communicate extremely well. That's why Buddy named the defense after Doug Plank, a strong safety who epitomized those qualities.</p>
<p><b>The 46 Defense today</b></p>
<p>You won't see Rob Ryan employing much of the old 46 defense against the Steelers on Sunday. As teams began to get more diversified and spread out offensively, the 46 could not align the same. In goaline situations, expect to see the 46 front. However, I would not be surprised to see a front that is used a lot today. It's called the Jayhawk front. With this front, the center and both guards are covered, but there is not a linebacker aligned over the tight end. Instead, there is just a defensive end aligned outside of the tight end. For the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a>, this is Demarcus Ware. The Cowboys are able to use Ware in this manner because he is able to control the edge, but also go through the tight end and control C gap. This allows the linebackers to run through windows as I described earlier. However, it won't be <span>Dennis Pitta</span> blocking Ware this week. It will be <span>Heath Miller</span>.</p>
<p>Expect the Cowboys to run this Jayhawk front because it limits the protections the Steelers can use. Essentially, it puts <span>Kelvin Beachum</span> on more of an island. The rookie from SMU is going to have to be solid this week.</p>
<p>The Jayhawk front also allows Rob Ryan to play all of his exotic coverages behind the front 7. Herein lies the problem for the Cowboys. Who is their Doug Plank? Who is going to be the guy that quartebacks the defense? The Cowboys have been decimated by injuries. Will Ryan stubbornly force his schemes on an inexperienced group of defenders?</p>
<p><b>The person who has the chalk last wins </b></p>
<p>Coaches love that saying. What it basically means is that schemes don't win games, players do. Think back to this week's GIF. If <span>Lawrence Timmons</span> whips the guard on 3rd and 13, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers">Chargers</a> are kicking a field goal to end that drive. But, with that being said, great quarterbacks serve as the exception that proves the rule. If you can get the right play called, against the right defense, you have a great chance of being successful. It will be up to Ben Rothlisberger to diagnose the exotic coverages of Rob Ryan and exploit them for big plays.</p>
<p>Because of Ben's experience against Ryan, Ben should have the upper hand. Look for Ben to put the Steelers in the right protection and get the right play called against whatever the Cowboys throw at him. It's time for him to regain the look of a MVP candidate.</p>
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