When you put pressure on the quarterback, everything looks a lot better.
No one coaches what to do after three seconds, after the quarterback's broken the pocket or he's been in the pocket for five, six seconds.
I'm just going out there and doing my job, so whatever it is - if it's a hard slide protection, if it's a double team, or even a triple team or a chip - whatever it is, I'm just finding ways to win, so that's about it.
That's the key to defending any quarterback: to make them throw before they want to throw.
There is a strike zone in the pocket that's very clear. Can't hit QBs low, can't hit them high.
I always felt like hanging around the pocket was trouble, but the truth is, the great players take the beatings in the pocket and expose themselves -- and that is the real risk.
When you've got a quarterback's rhythm in the game, you can be a pretty deadly pass rusher.
The quarterback is the most vulnerable one on the field. He's in an awkward position a lot of times when he throws the ball. So he does have to be protected. You lose a quarterback, you're in trouble. I don't know if they can make it too safe. I think health becomes an issue.
I think you have to go deep into the bag of tricks, so to speak, to try and slow down the quarterback.
The quarterback has to get rid of the ball quickly, so there's not a lot of time to make moves to gain separation.
If you watch most quarterbacks in the league, if you take more than two hitches, there's a good chance you'll be sacked. By recognizing things, it allows you to get to your fourth or fifth read on your second hitch and get the ball out of your hand.
I worked at a place that followed a system where the quarterback was taught to take the sack rather than force the throw. That's kind of an old-school theory, but it has existed in this game.
The quarterback gets plenty of protection in the pocket, and he picks up protection out of the pocket; he's got protection down the field on his slides.
A lot of the issues of the Dallas Cowboys yesterday having pressure on Tony Romo, came from the outside pressure.
You have a little more time to make moves when you're in the slot.
Obviously it happens very fast on the field during the game; if anything, it's more of a feel. You feel when the pocket is collapsing around you. You feel when someone is close to you. It is a split-second decision.
Having my feet be as good as I want them to be can get me out of a lot of problems when I'm in the pocket and stuff starts to break down. There's rarely ever a perfect pocket.
