DeCastro, Eagles’ Cox a match-up to watch on Sunday
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Steelers offensive guard David DeCastro and Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox are two of the best at their respective positions. Both were first-time Pro Bowl selections in 2015 and earned new six-year contract extensions before this season.
On Sunday, Cox and DeCastro will line up across from each other. It will be a marquee matchup to keep an eye on.
鈥淗e蘑菇视频 one of those big-bodied guys that moves like a linebacker,鈥� DeCastro said. 鈥淗e蘑菇视频 got a quickness and first step off the ball that蘑菇视频 pretty unique for a guy his size. His athletic ability and his motor getting after guys.
鈥淗e鈥檒l be over me mostly, so it鈥檒l be a big challenge for me.鈥�
DeCastro was a first-team All-Pro selection while relinquishing just one sack in 16 regular season games last season, and only gave up 7.5 sacks during his first four years in the league. Cox, on the other hand, recorded a career-high 9.5 sacks and made 24 tackles for either a loss or no gain a season ago, even while playing outside of his natural position in former Philadelphia defensive coordinator Billy Davis鈥� base 3-4 scheme.
Cox蘑菇视频 new deal was worth $103 million with $63 million in guaranteed money, the highest amount of guaranteed money for a non-quarterback in NFL history.
鈥淭he money that (the Eagles) paid him speaks for itself,鈥� Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey said. 鈥淗e蘑菇视频 a good player and makes a lot of plays. Good pass rusher and strong inside. We鈥檝e got to get ready.鈥�
DeCastro is no stranger to going up against elite defensive tackles. It happened just a week ago when the Steelers鈥� guard held Cincinnati蘑菇视频 Geno Atkins without any sacks and just one solo tackle. Atkins is a different type of interior lineman with a vast difference in size, but he and Cox are still considered to be among the top 5 at their position.
鈥淒ave蘑菇视频 done it before,鈥� Steelers tackle Marcus Gilbert said. 鈥淲e see it every week. We鈥檝e got guys like that in our division even like we handled last week. Geno蘑菇视频 one of the best in the business. Dave always rises to the occasion, and we expect for him to do so this week.鈥�
Cox is back at his natural position as a 3-techinque tackle in Jim Schwartz蘑菇视频 4-3 defense, and enters Sunday with six tackles and a sack on the season. In a 3-technique, Cox constantly gets in one-on-one match-ups with opposing offensive linemen, the type of situation to where he typically excels. In four years, Cox totaled 22 sacks and six fumble recoveries.
鈥淗e蘑菇视频 a strong, powerful guy that you鈥檝e got to try and beat off the ball,鈥� said DeCastro, who faced Cox for a few reps in August蘑菇视频 preseason game. 鈥淗e蘑菇视频 quick as heck, so you鈥檝e got to finish strong and keep working on him. He looks like a natural out there in penetrating and wreaking havoc.鈥�
Cox said that he doesn鈥檛 anticipate any change in Philadelphia蘑菇视频 early season success at getting to the quarterback. The defense ranks fifth in the NFL with six sacks in two games.
鈥淎nybody can be taken out of their comfort zone,鈥� Cox told NJ.com. 鈥淲e have to hit (Ben Roethlisberger). We have to hit him early. If we can kind of get him shook up, once that happens it opens up for a lot of things.
鈥淲e won鈥檛 change anything. We鈥檒l rush the same amount of people. We鈥檒l get after the quarterback. Once we do that, I always say that we have to stop the run, we have to get them into those negative plays in order to force him to throw the ball.鈥�
Expect Gilbert to be in on the affair alongside DeCastro. In the run game, Cox will require double teams to move him out of the B gap. While in pass-rushing situations, Cox has been known to shift outside a gap and line up almost directly across from the offensive tackle.
Between DeCastro and Gilbert, the tandem gave up only 2.5 sacks a year ago.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 the NFL,鈥� DeCastro said. 鈥淵ou get the best players in the world for a reason.鈥�