On a short week, the Dallas Cowboys must prepare for the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
It’s a formidable challenge with a healthy Matthew Stafford leading the unbeaten Lions. The biggest task could be defending talented wide receiver Calvin Johnson. But if the Cowboys are accustomed to covering their own receivers in training camp and practice, they ought to be up to the challenge. That’s at least the way defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is looking at it.
Make no mistake about it, Ryan called Johnson a “great receiver,” according to the Dallas Morning News.
"We work against better receivers with Miles Austin and Dez Bryant,” Ryan said. “They are probably two of the premier receivers in football, but this guy is right there. He's almost that good. He's excellent.
"We're going to get after him. I know he's on some touchdown thing like that, whatever. (Lions offensive coordinator) Scott Linehan has done this before with great receivers with Randy Moss. If the guy is as good as Randy Moss I'm going to go in there and hide. Thank God he's not, but he's a pretty (expletive) good player."
Austin has developed into a terrific wide receiver for the Cowboys, and the Dallas offense misses him as he’s sidelined with a hamstring injury. But Johnson is called Megatron for a reason – he’s a force that is very difficult to stop. The 6-5, 236-pound Johnson has 16 receptions for 225 yards and six touchdowns through three games.
Comparing Bryant to Johnson? Puh-lease.
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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune
