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Jay Ratliff hailed as 'anchor’ of Dallas Cowboys’ defense
By Mac Engel, Ft. Worth Star-TelegramSeptember 19, 2008
IRVING — John Madden was recently studying game film involving the Dallas Cowboys, and he was focused on the other team. But something and someone from the Cowboys continually caught the eyes that were trained on the other jerseys.
"I was watching this nose tackle and he was active as heck and going around making plays and getting in the backfield," the NBC color analyst and Hall of Famer said. "And I wasn’t even sure who was starting. And they said it was Jay Ratliff and I said, 'This guy is pretty good.’ "
What was once an emergency move has yielded the best player on the Cowboys’ defensive line. Ratliff has made the adjustment from end to nose tackle. In the process, he’s solidified the middle of the defense and has become one of the better nose tackles in the league.
"I think he’s a hell of a football player. He’s the anchor of that 3-4 defense," Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "He’s very impressive on film, and I know our line coach and our people up front in run blocking and pass protection have been very impressed with him."
A look at Ratliff:
Quiet arrival
Ratliff was 31 picks from being Mr. Irrelevant; the tag applied to the last selection in an NFL draft. Ratliff, listed as a defensive end from Auburn, was the 224th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2005 draft.
With the exception of reserve Stephen Bowen, every other Cowboys defensive lineman was selected in the fourth round or higher.
"As I look at the Cowboys’ defense and the front three, [Ratliff] is obviously the most impressive guy so far," Madden said.
Sizing him up
"He’s not a blob," Madden said.
Most nose tackles who play in a 3-4 scheme often look more like an unmovable mass. Ratliff checks in at 6-foot-4, 302 pounds. The Cowboys moved Ratliff to nose tackle last season in Week 1 when starter Jason Ferguson suffered a season-ending injury, and then signed Tank Johnson when they weren’t sure if Ratliff could hold up.
Ratliff responded with 28 tackles, three sacks, four tackles for losses, 15 quarterback pressures and four pass breakups.
Speed and instincts
Because the Cowboys use a "one-gap" scheme on their defensive line, Ratliff is able to pick one spot and go for it rather than try to take on a pair of blockers.
Along with DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis, Ratliff might have the best and quickest hands on the defense. Combining his quickness with his fast hands allows him to shed opposing centers quickly and penetrate into backfields.
"He’s slippery and he can get through cracks and accelerate," Cowboys defensive line coach Todd Grantham said. "Because of his size people think of him as an end, but because he can play with leverage and he has good instincts, it allows him to play inside."
Against Philadelphia on Monday night at Texas Stadium, Ratliff was giving away nearly 30 pounds to Eagles center Jamaal Jackson. Yet Ratliff had five tackles, a sack, a quarterback pressure, and recovered a crucial fourth-quarter fumble.
Relentless pursuit
It’s been said around Valley Ranch that perhaps no player in the team’s history was as relentless as Hall of Fame defensive tackle Randy White. While Ratliff won’t be confused with White yet, like White, he has no "off" switch.
Although he is smaller than the average nose tackle, it’s his relentlessness that allows him to often dominate opposing interior linemen.
"He’s one of the most relentless guys I’ve ever been around," Grantham said.
Mean and nasty
Although his personality relies on constant sarcasm and he likes to chide anyone within listening distance, on the field Ratliff is something completely different.
"He’s mean," linebacker Bradie James said.
"On the field, he’s very mean," Tank Johnson said.
Unique skills
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips has a Rolodex of players in his head that he’s coached or coached against to compare and contrast nearly every other player in the past 30 years. He said that at first glance Ratliff reminded him of former Denver Bronco Greg Kragen.
But, "he’s not like Greg at all. Greg wasn’t as athletic as Jay," Phillips said. "They’re different guys. He’s not a massive guy like I’ve had [with] Ted Washington and Jamal Williams."
So who is Jay Ratliff like?
"Ratliff," Phillips said. "I think he compares well to Ratliff."
"I was watching this nose tackle and he was active as heck and going around making plays and getting in the backfield," the NBC color analyst and Hall of Famer said. "And I wasn’t even sure who was starting. And they said it was Jay Ratliff and I said, 'This guy is pretty good.’ "
What was once an emergency move has yielded the best player on the Cowboys’ defensive line. Ratliff has made the adjustment from end to nose tackle. In the process, he’s solidified the middle of the defense and has become one of the better nose tackles in the league.
"I think he’s a hell of a football player. He’s the anchor of that 3-4 defense," Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "He’s very impressive on film, and I know our line coach and our people up front in run blocking and pass protection have been very impressed with him."
A look at Ratliff:
Quiet arrival
Ratliff was 31 picks from being Mr. Irrelevant; the tag applied to the last selection in an NFL draft. Ratliff, listed as a defensive end from Auburn, was the 224th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2005 draft.
With the exception of reserve Stephen Bowen, every other Cowboys defensive lineman was selected in the fourth round or higher.
"As I look at the Cowboys’ defense and the front three, [Ratliff] is obviously the most impressive guy so far," Madden said.
Sizing him up
"He’s not a blob," Madden said.
Most nose tackles who play in a 3-4 scheme often look more like an unmovable mass. Ratliff checks in at 6-foot-4, 302 pounds. The Cowboys moved Ratliff to nose tackle last season in Week 1 when starter Jason Ferguson suffered a season-ending injury, and then signed Tank Johnson when they weren’t sure if Ratliff could hold up.
Ratliff responded with 28 tackles, three sacks, four tackles for losses, 15 quarterback pressures and four pass breakups.
Speed and instincts
Because the Cowboys use a "one-gap" scheme on their defensive line, Ratliff is able to pick one spot and go for it rather than try to take on a pair of blockers.
Along with DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis, Ratliff might have the best and quickest hands on the defense. Combining his quickness with his fast hands allows him to shed opposing centers quickly and penetrate into backfields.
"He’s slippery and he can get through cracks and accelerate," Cowboys defensive line coach Todd Grantham said. "Because of his size people think of him as an end, but because he can play with leverage and he has good instincts, it allows him to play inside."
Against Philadelphia on Monday night at Texas Stadium, Ratliff was giving away nearly 30 pounds to Eagles center Jamaal Jackson. Yet Ratliff had five tackles, a sack, a quarterback pressure, and recovered a crucial fourth-quarter fumble.
Relentless pursuit
It’s been said around Valley Ranch that perhaps no player in the team’s history was as relentless as Hall of Fame defensive tackle Randy White. While Ratliff won’t be confused with White yet, like White, he has no "off" switch.
Although he is smaller than the average nose tackle, it’s his relentlessness that allows him to often dominate opposing interior linemen.
"He’s one of the most relentless guys I’ve ever been around," Grantham said.
Mean and nasty
Although his personality relies on constant sarcasm and he likes to chide anyone within listening distance, on the field Ratliff is something completely different.
"He’s mean," linebacker Bradie James said.
"On the field, he’s very mean," Tank Johnson said.
Unique skills
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips has a Rolodex of players in his head that he’s coached or coached against to compare and contrast nearly every other player in the past 30 years. He said that at first glance Ratliff reminded him of former Denver Bronco Greg Kragen.
But, "he’s not like Greg at all. Greg wasn’t as athletic as Jay," Phillips said. "They’re different guys. He’s not a massive guy like I’ve had [with] Ted Washington and Jamal Williams."
So who is Jay Ratliff like?
"Ratliff," Phillips said. "I think he compares well to Ratliff."