The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ex-Cowboys put friendship aside for 'old-school' battle
Falcons linemen left Dallas in free agency before 2017 season.
FLOWERY BRANCH — Jack Crawford and Terrell McClain will get back together with the ’Boys on Sunday, sort of, when the Falcons reunite with the Dallas Cowboys, but those Falcons defen- sive linemen aren’t looking at the reunion as special. They see the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium — where the roof is expected to be open — as a chance to help the Falcons (4-5) keep alive their playoff hopes and dent the postseason dreams of their former teammates.
Both players were with Dallas (4-5) from 2014-16, and had their best professional seasons in their last go-round with the Cowboys.
Yet while they consider some former Dallas linemates to be good friends, they’ll save most socializing for later and neither said they’re seeking revenge after leaving the team through free agency before the 2017 season. Crawford signed with the Falcons and McClain with the Redskins.
“It’s the same preparation for every game, just kind of go play it the same way. I wouldn’t say that it has any significance for
me,” said Crawford, who last season missed the Falcons’ 27-7 win over Dallas because he was on injured reserve with a torn biceps.
“I still talk to a few of them, mostly on the defensive side: DeMarcus (Lawrence), Tyrone Crawford, David Irving, some of them here and there. That’s more in the offseason, though.”
McClain had career highs of 40 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two fumbles forced in ’16, when he added seven quarterback hurries while playing primarily as the defensive tackle nearest opposing centers.
He, too, maintains relationships with some Cowboys, yet not so much at this time of year.
“That was a long time ago, man. That was what, ’16?” McClain said. “Of course I’ve got friends. Stay in touch with pretty much all of them.”
Crawford has a career-high 4.5 sacks already for the Falcons, starting four games at defensive end, and his 17 tackles have him on pace to surpass the 25 stops he registered with Dallas in ’16.
He said he doesn’t have much inside information for his current teammates to help slow Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. He has offered a few insights on two of the five starting Dallas offensive linemen whom he practiced against in left tackle Tyron Smith — who missed the Falcons game last season — and right guard Zack Martin.
McClain’s pretty much the same; he won’t be considered an operative. There’s just not much to say to Falcons defenders that they can’t see for themselves watching the Cowboys on video.
“Not that I know of. They probably changed up since I’ve been gone. I know they’re going to play hard, and they’re going to come after you every snap,” he predicted. “They’re not a team to lay down after you hit ’em in the mouth.
“They’re going to keep going to last second of the last minute on the clock. It’s going to be a gridiron game, old-school football pretty much. It should be fun.”
When the Falcons walloped the Cowboys last year without Elliott or Smith, the key to the game was easily the Falcons’ pass rush. They sacked Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott eight times. Six of them were rung up by departed defensive end Adrian Clayborn, who worked Smith’s subs at left tackle.
Prescott and the Dallas passing game aren’t as likely to swing the game Sunday as the running game, and that’s not just Elliott.
Prescott is the team’s second-leading rusher with 256 yards and three touchdowns. The Cowboys have had more success when he’s been involved in the running game, although there have been several games in which he’s been all but left out of that part of the game plan by offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.
“Every quarterback is different. We scout that,” Crawford said. “We look at their strengths and tendencies, what affects them the most. We put a focus on that during the week, and we’ve got to do a good job of that.”
McClain has at least one tip on Elliott: Be careful about trying to tackle him too low if one-on-one. He’s quite the hurdler, as Eagles safety Tre Sullivan learned Sunday night when Elliott leapt over him on a 32-yard run.
“You can tell when a defense tries to go low at his knees he’s trying to avoid that as much as possible,” McClain said. “He used to do it back in high school.”