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DAVID FLORES: Cowboys' Brooking says 'sky's the limit' for Dallas defense
by David Flores / Kens5.com
Posted on August 2, 2010 at 11:53 PM
Updated yesterday at 12:02 AM
Dallas Cowboys inside linebacker Keith Brooking approaches media interviews about the same way he plays football. It doesn’t take much to get him going.
Ask him a question and he’ll answer thoroughly and thoughtfully.
He is equally efficient on the field, making short work of anybody who crosses his path wearing a different colored jersey.
Preparing for his 13th season in the NFL and second with the Cowboys, Brooking is one of the leaders of a defense that appears poised to become a dominant unit. Dallas ranked ninth in the league in total defense last year, allowing 315.9 yards a game and was second in scoring defense (15.6).
With four Pro Bowl defensive players among 20 starters the Cowboys return this season, there’s good reason to expect Dallas could be even tougher on offenses this season.
Brooking, the old man of the Cowboys’ defense at 34, certainly thinks so.
“I think the sky’s limit for our defense,” Brooking said Monday after the Cowboys completed their 10th day of training camp at the Alamodome. “I think we’re extremely talented, physical and we play fast. One of the most important things for any defense is learning how to play together, developing a trust in one another. That’s big.
“I think this defense is getting there. What we’re trying to do is become consistent, so we’re playing well in Week 1 instead of waiting for late in the season. I believe all those things – trust, accountability and belief in each other – are coming together for us.”
Brooking didn’t make the Pro Bowl last season, but he made the All-NFC team five consecutive years from 2001-05 during his 11-year career with the Atlanta Falcons. Cowboys coach Wade Phillips was the Falcons’ defensive coordinator in 2002 and 2003.
Atlanta selected Brooking, a Georgia Tech alum, with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 1998 NFL draft.
Given Brookings’ experience in playing the 3-4 defense that Phillips prefers, it came as little surprise when the Cowboys went after him when he became a free agent after the 2008 season.
“He’s an outstanding linebacker and he’s also very smart,” Phillips said. “That’s why we wanted him here.”
Brooking signed a three-year contract with Dallas in February 2009. His debut with Dallas last year marked the first time Brooking played for a football team outside his home state of Georgia.
Brooking, 6-foot-2 and 242 pounds, quickly earned his teammates’ respect with his intensity, toughness and professionalism. Starting 14 of 16 regular-season games, he finished second on the team to middle linebacker Bradie James in tackles with 156.
As the stats indicate, Brooking and James developed into one of the best linebacker tandems in the NFL. Their steady play paid big dividends toward the end of the regular season when the Cowboys, teetering at 7-5 after losing to San Diego, beat eventual Super Bowl champion New Orleans (24-17), Washington (17-0) and Philadelphia (24-0) to win the NFC East title.
The shutouts against Washington and Philadelphia were the first time in team history Dallas blanked opponents in consecutive games.
“I think our whole defense in general was playing much better toward the end of the year, and Bradie and I are definitely in that equation,” Brooking said. “I think if you look back at our defense last year, the first quarter of the first four games, compared to the last three quarters of the last 12 games of the regular season, I think we were playing defense better than anybody in the league.”
Although the Cowboys’ season opener at Washington on Sept. 12 is still more than a month away, Brooking left no doubt he’s already grown a little weary of the training camp grind.
Dallas, which started preseason workouts at the Alamodome on July 24, plays Cincinnati in the Hall of Fame game on Sunday night in Canton, Ohio.
“I love my teammates, but I’m tired of looking at them every day,” Brooking said, chuckling. “It will be nice to go against someone else.”
And whatever the outcome, at least this much is certain: Brooking will answer questions from the media thoroughly and thoughtfully.
by David Flores / Kens5.com
Posted on August 2, 2010 at 11:53 PM
Updated yesterday at 12:02 AM
Dallas Cowboys inside linebacker Keith Brooking approaches media interviews about the same way he plays football. It doesn’t take much to get him going.
Ask him a question and he’ll answer thoroughly and thoughtfully.
He is equally efficient on the field, making short work of anybody who crosses his path wearing a different colored jersey.
Preparing for his 13th season in the NFL and second with the Cowboys, Brooking is one of the leaders of a defense that appears poised to become a dominant unit. Dallas ranked ninth in the league in total defense last year, allowing 315.9 yards a game and was second in scoring defense (15.6).
With four Pro Bowl defensive players among 20 starters the Cowboys return this season, there’s good reason to expect Dallas could be even tougher on offenses this season.
Brooking, the old man of the Cowboys’ defense at 34, certainly thinks so.
“I think the sky’s limit for our defense,” Brooking said Monday after the Cowboys completed their 10th day of training camp at the Alamodome. “I think we’re extremely talented, physical and we play fast. One of the most important things for any defense is learning how to play together, developing a trust in one another. That’s big.
“I think this defense is getting there. What we’re trying to do is become consistent, so we’re playing well in Week 1 instead of waiting for late in the season. I believe all those things – trust, accountability and belief in each other – are coming together for us.”
Brooking didn’t make the Pro Bowl last season, but he made the All-NFC team five consecutive years from 2001-05 during his 11-year career with the Atlanta Falcons. Cowboys coach Wade Phillips was the Falcons’ defensive coordinator in 2002 and 2003.
Atlanta selected Brooking, a Georgia Tech alum, with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 1998 NFL draft.
Given Brookings’ experience in playing the 3-4 defense that Phillips prefers, it came as little surprise when the Cowboys went after him when he became a free agent after the 2008 season.
“He’s an outstanding linebacker and he’s also very smart,” Phillips said. “That’s why we wanted him here.”
Brooking signed a three-year contract with Dallas in February 2009. His debut with Dallas last year marked the first time Brooking played for a football team outside his home state of Georgia.
Brooking, 6-foot-2 and 242 pounds, quickly earned his teammates’ respect with his intensity, toughness and professionalism. Starting 14 of 16 regular-season games, he finished second on the team to middle linebacker Bradie James in tackles with 156.
As the stats indicate, Brooking and James developed into one of the best linebacker tandems in the NFL. Their steady play paid big dividends toward the end of the regular season when the Cowboys, teetering at 7-5 after losing to San Diego, beat eventual Super Bowl champion New Orleans (24-17), Washington (17-0) and Philadelphia (24-0) to win the NFC East title.
The shutouts against Washington and Philadelphia were the first time in team history Dallas blanked opponents in consecutive games.
“I think our whole defense in general was playing much better toward the end of the year, and Bradie and I are definitely in that equation,” Brooking said. “I think if you look back at our defense last year, the first quarter of the first four games, compared to the last three quarters of the last 12 games of the regular season, I think we were playing defense better than anybody in the league.”
Although the Cowboys’ season opener at Washington on Sept. 12 is still more than a month away, Brooking left no doubt he’s already grown a little weary of the training camp grind.
Dallas, which started preseason workouts at the Alamodome on July 24, plays Cincinnati in the Hall of Fame game on Sunday night in Canton, Ohio.
“I love my teammates, but I’m tired of looking at them every day,” Brooking said, chuckling. “It will be nice to go against someone else.”
And whatever the outcome, at least this much is certain: Brooking will answer questions from the media thoroughly and thoughtfully.