Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Brian Stewart needed no prompting.
Asked about the need to contain dangerous Washington Redskins receiver Santana Moss on Sunday, he quickly responded: "He did a couple of drive-bys on us last year."
Drive-bys?
Having conjured up the image of drive-by shootings of Scarface fame, Stewart quickly explained, "He just ran right by us in coverage."
It certainly seemed that way. Moss caught 17 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns in two games against the Cowboys last season.
But if truth be told, he has been a Cowboys killer in six career games against Dallas with 33 receptions for 602 yards — 18.2 yards per-catch — and four touchdowns.
Of course, no one with the Cowboys will forget the 2005 game at Texas Stadium. He caught two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a drive-by 70-yarder, to lead the Redskins to a shocking, last-minute 14-13 comeback victory, spoiling the induction of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin into the Ring of Honor as collateral damage.
Suffice to say, Moss will be a marked man Sunday.
"He had good games against us last year and previous games. I know that he had some big games,"
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. "He’s a top receiver, so we have to be aware of where he is and have people on him and double him as much as we can."
The Cowboys aren’t revealing how they are going to contain Moss. Are they are going to shadow him with cornerback Terence Newman or Adam Jones or play a safety over the top in a Cover 2 scheme?
It’s even more of a concern when you consider that the Cowboys have been burned by the big play in each of the past two games. Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson drove by the Cowboys’ secondary for a 60-yard completion two weeks ago and Green Bay Packers receiver Donald Driver hauled in a 50-yard pass Sunday. It would have been 3-for-3 if not for a dropped pass by Cleveland Browns receiver Braylon Edwards in the season opener.
"We have to get that cleaned up,"
Cowboys assistant secondary coach Brett Maxie said. "Against the Eagles, it was a technique issue. Last week, it was a good play. We were in two-deep. The receiver did something they had never done before in scouting when they ran that play."
Conventional wisdom says the Cowboys might not have as much to worry about this season with Moss going deep because the Redskins have changed their offensive scheme — from the downfield passing system of former coach Joe Gibbs to the West Coast offense under new coach Jim Zorn.
The West Coast offense features mostly short, quick passes.
Moss remains a big part of the offense with 19 catches for 276 yards and three touchdowns. He has scored a touchdown in six consecutive games dating to last season, tying a Redskins record. And his scores include a 67-yard touchdown. He is also dangerous on bubble screens.
However, the Cowboys aren’t going to be fooled. They know the Redskins will throw deep to Moss on Sunday.
"They haven’t made a living going deep,"
Maxie said. "They have picked their spots. But he’s their big-play guy. Just look at what he’s done the last two games against us. I don’t think that is going to change. They will try to get him the ball."
