Today I was reading up on some blogs on my Google Reader page and I came across this interesting article by Todd Archer on Charles Haley & DeMarcus Ware.
A few feet outside the locker room, close to a water fountain, Ware and Haley talked pass rushing. They simulated moves, inside and outside. They talked about hand placement and using power at times, instead of speed all of the time, to get to the quarterback.
When the Cowboys drafted Ware in the first round four years ago, owner and general manager Jerry Jones envisioned him as another Haley. Same build. Similar athleticism. Same power. Bill Parcells hinted at Lawrence Taylor and Willie McGinest comparisons but agreed with the Haley assessment.
They even share the same number, No. 94, but they had never talked extensively until recently.
“He still has something,” Ware said. “He chopped my arm once and I was like, ‘Man, you still got it, don’t you? Don’t take it out on me.’ “
Maybe it was coincidental, but Ware’s sacks against the Chiefs came by setting up the tackle with an outside rush before ducking inside with his power to get to Matt Cassel.
“You’ve got to change it up a little bit because a lot of teams are quick passing teams,” Ware said. “They do a lot of three-step and you’ve got to get to the quarterback a little faster and going inside is probably the fastest way to get there.”
And DeMarcus Ware did change it up in that Kansas City game, in fact on two separate occasions I can remember hearing the commentator (not sure who it was) saying that instead of a speed rush around the lineman Ware dipped it inside.