EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - For the New York Giants' defense, every game plan starts with stopping the run, and it doesn't make a difference if the opponent is Dallas, Washington or Philadelphia.
However, the need to stop the run will take on greater significance Sunday when the Giants (6-1) face the Dallas Cowboys (5-3), with Brad Johnson at quarterback instead of the injured Tony Romo.
“As soon as your starting quarterback goes down, you naturally assume there is going to be a hit in the passing game,” Giants defensive tackle Barry Cofield said. “They also have a quality running back and an outstanding O-Line, it only makes sense to run the ball a little more. They have the pieces to run the ball.”
The biggest piece of the running game for Dallas is Marion Barber. The Pro Bowl halfback has carried 153 times for 611 yards and five touchdowns, and he's caught 32 passes for 276 yards and two more scores.
“It all starts with Barber,” defensive end Justin Tuck said. “If we take him out of the football game, we can start going after the quarterback. Obviously Brad is not as mobile as Romo, so things will be more in our favor if we can contain Barber.”
If the Giants can't stop Barber, that probably will keep the Cowboys out of third-and-long situations, and that alone might slow down New York's pass rush, which leads the league with 26 sacks.
Barber reminds Giants defenders of Brandon Jacobs, New York's bruising halfback who combines speed and power.
“He is so relentless,” Cofield said of Barber, who is a lot smaller than Jacobs. “He has all the physical ability, but he runs like an unknown guy trying to make the team. He runs like every play could be his last. He delivers the blow and he can break it on any play, so he's a guy that we have the utmost respect for. And he goes out there every week and plays at a high level, so we have to do the same.”
Dallas made a point of establishing its running game in the NFC semifinal against the Giants in January, and Barber was impressive, carrying 27 times for 129 yards and a touchdown.
New York also has a concern on its line with defensive tackle Fred Robbins battling a hand injury. Middle linebacker Antonio Pierce raised some concerns about Robbins' status on Thursday when he said the Giants have a tackle playing with two broken hands.
Robbins denied that either of his hands are broken, but admitted they are bruised and he will have to play with some type of protection.
“I just have to go out and do it,” Robbins said. “I'll stay aware and try to keep it from getting battered and bruised. Other than that, I'll do the things I need to do.”
While concerned about Barber, the Giants are wary of Johnson, who has hit 36 of 67 passes for 356 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in his two starts in place of Romo. Tuck said he has avoided looking at Johnson's statistics because the veteran is still adjusting to a new role.
“Last week he was a little more comfortable and didn't turn the ball over,” Tuck said. “When you put any veteran quarterback in with the weapons that they have, that could be trouble.”
Pierce was quick to note that despite the injuries, the Cowboys still have Terrell Owens, Roy Williams and tight end Jason Witten, who has been bothered by a broken rib this week.
The Giants, though, expect him to play.
“I mean the team is loaded, so - for all these excuses that everybody is trying to come up with for this team - there are no excuses, and we are not going to have any excuses for them,” Pierce said.
“If we go into this game thinking they are going to lay down because they don't have their starting quarterback, we are fools,” Tuck concluded.
Growing up, Dale Post was determined to overcome several adversities he had faced from an early age, a determination that turned him into a fine athlete and earned him a place in the 2008 Auburn High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Sally Jo Widmer-Post, the late Post's wife, said that there were two events that happened early on that shaped the man that Post would become.
“He lost his father when Dale was 16 months old,” Sally Jo said. “He was in a car accident. And when he was in the third and fourth grade he was in a wheelchair. And he was determined that as soon as he got out of it he was going to do the things that he needed to do to fix his body and became a great athlete.”
By the time he had entered West High School, Post was well on his way to a great career in both football and wrestling.
It was through football that Post met coach Bob Dean, who would help Post shape his career on the field, but also have a far deeper impact.
Post earned All State status for wrestling and Sally Jo said that Post's friends recalled him only losing on match early in his career. After graduating in 1953, Post went on to Xavier University, where he continued his football career and earned a place in the history books, not only as a fine athlete, but also as a pioneering player bringing racial equality to collegiate sports.
Post was the first black player to play in an interracial game in Florida, competing in the Orange Bowl.
Post went on to become a teacher, getting his start at St. Mary's in Auburn, before moving onto the public school system. He taught for 34 years.
Throughout his life, Post continued to be deeply involved with his hometown of Auburn community, schools and athletics.
Post was a founding member of the Auburn Teacher's Association, the New York State United Teachers and lobbied to have Martin Luther King Day become a holiday for county employees. He was also an active member in the NAACP, serving as president from 1969 to 1971.
Post also coached basketball and football during his teaching career and also served as the voice of the Maroons for high school football games for almost 20 years.
During this time, Post also helped get high school basketball games televised, and was always working to create equality along the way, making sure that girls' games were broadcast as well as boys' games.
“He was very humble,” Sally Jo said. “He had great athletic prowess, but he was always humble and always thankful for the opportunities that he had.”
“As soon as your starting quarterback goes down, you naturally assume there is going to be a hit in the passing game,” Giants defensive tackle Barry Cofield said. “They also have a quality running back and an outstanding O-Line, it only makes sense to run the ball a little more. They have the pieces to run the ball.”
The biggest piece of the running game for Dallas is Marion Barber. The Pro Bowl halfback has carried 153 times for 611 yards and five touchdowns, and he's caught 32 passes for 276 yards and two more scores.
“It all starts with Barber,” defensive end Justin Tuck said. “If we take him out of the football game, we can start going after the quarterback. Obviously Brad is not as mobile as Romo, so things will be more in our favor if we can contain Barber.”
If the Giants can't stop Barber, that probably will keep the Cowboys out of third-and-long situations, and that alone might slow down New York's pass rush, which leads the league with 26 sacks.
Barber reminds Giants defenders of Brandon Jacobs, New York's bruising halfback who combines speed and power.
“He is so relentless,” Cofield said of Barber, who is a lot smaller than Jacobs. “He has all the physical ability, but he runs like an unknown guy trying to make the team. He runs like every play could be his last. He delivers the blow and he can break it on any play, so he's a guy that we have the utmost respect for. And he goes out there every week and plays at a high level, so we have to do the same.”
Dallas made a point of establishing its running game in the NFC semifinal against the Giants in January, and Barber was impressive, carrying 27 times for 129 yards and a touchdown.
New York also has a concern on its line with defensive tackle Fred Robbins battling a hand injury. Middle linebacker Antonio Pierce raised some concerns about Robbins' status on Thursday when he said the Giants have a tackle playing with two broken hands.
Robbins denied that either of his hands are broken, but admitted they are bruised and he will have to play with some type of protection.
“I just have to go out and do it,” Robbins said. “I'll stay aware and try to keep it from getting battered and bruised. Other than that, I'll do the things I need to do.”
While concerned about Barber, the Giants are wary of Johnson, who has hit 36 of 67 passes for 356 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in his two starts in place of Romo. Tuck said he has avoided looking at Johnson's statistics because the veteran is still adjusting to a new role.
“Last week he was a little more comfortable and didn't turn the ball over,” Tuck said. “When you put any veteran quarterback in with the weapons that they have, that could be trouble.”
Pierce was quick to note that despite the injuries, the Cowboys still have Terrell Owens, Roy Williams and tight end Jason Witten, who has been bothered by a broken rib this week.
The Giants, though, expect him to play.
“I mean the team is loaded, so - for all these excuses that everybody is trying to come up with for this team - there are no excuses, and we are not going to have any excuses for them,” Pierce said.
“If we go into this game thinking they are going to lay down because they don't have their starting quarterback, we are fools,” Tuck concluded.
Growing up, Dale Post was determined to overcome several adversities he had faced from an early age, a determination that turned him into a fine athlete and earned him a place in the 2008 Auburn High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Sally Jo Widmer-Post, the late Post's wife, said that there were two events that happened early on that shaped the man that Post would become.
“He lost his father when Dale was 16 months old,” Sally Jo said. “He was in a car accident. And when he was in the third and fourth grade he was in a wheelchair. And he was determined that as soon as he got out of it he was going to do the things that he needed to do to fix his body and became a great athlete.”
By the time he had entered West High School, Post was well on his way to a great career in both football and wrestling.
It was through football that Post met coach Bob Dean, who would help Post shape his career on the field, but also have a far deeper impact.
Post earned All State status for wrestling and Sally Jo said that Post's friends recalled him only losing on match early in his career. After graduating in 1953, Post went on to Xavier University, where he continued his football career and earned a place in the history books, not only as a fine athlete, but also as a pioneering player bringing racial equality to collegiate sports.
Post was the first black player to play in an interracial game in Florida, competing in the Orange Bowl.
Post went on to become a teacher, getting his start at St. Mary's in Auburn, before moving onto the public school system. He taught for 34 years.
Throughout his life, Post continued to be deeply involved with his hometown of Auburn community, schools and athletics.
Post was a founding member of the Auburn Teacher's Association, the New York State United Teachers and lobbied to have Martin Luther King Day become a holiday for county employees. He was also an active member in the NAACP, serving as president from 1969 to 1971.
Post also coached basketball and football during his teaching career and also served as the voice of the Maroons for high school football games for almost 20 years.
During this time, Post also helped get high school basketball games televised, and was always working to create equality along the way, making sure that girls' games were broadcast as well as boys' games.
“He was very humble,” Sally Jo said. “He had great athletic prowess, but he was always humble and always thankful for the opportunities that he had.”
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