Asante Samuel, who is third in the NFL with five interceptions, faces a tough challenge this week against a formidable Dallas Cowboys pass offense.
The Cowboys average 263.6 yards per game through the air, seventh in the league, and have been boosted the last three weeks by the ridiculous production of wide receiver Miles Austin. Austin has scored five touchdowns in the last three games and has averaged 160.6 yards per game over that span.
"He's a heck of an athlete," Samuel said of Austin. "The biggest challenge that Miles, in my opinion, brings is that he has a big lower body. And that's how he breaks through those arm tackles and goes the distance. So you just have to make sure you wrap him up when he catches the ball."
The Cowboys' offense, as a whole, is second in the league in total yardage. But Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will have to be wary against a defense that is tied for the league lead in turnover margin.
Samuel said the Cowboys pose the biggest challenge to the defense since the New Orleans Saints in week two.
He also said one of the difficulties of playing the Cowboys, as a defensive back, is that Romo has the ability to keep plays alive for a long time.
"When you have a quarterback that uses his legs and escapes pressure," Samuel said, "It always makes it a tougher time for a defensive back because covering my guy, we might have good coverage and break on the ball well and then Romo comes running out of the pocket and we have to adjust our coverage. So, it always presents a challenge.
"As (defensive backs), we stay back in coverage first and foremost, no matter what, until he crosses that line. And then when he crosses that line, we have a chance to get him, or deliver a blow, make a tackle. But other than that, we leave it up to the linemen."
Samuel believes the Eagles' defense is up to the challenge, and he's please with his unit's progress.
"I think we're coming along well," Samuel said. "The only way you can make it perfect is practice.
"I think we are all gelling together (with) a new defensive coordinator, a couple new players on the defense. So, I think we're at where we need to be right now in the mid-season stride. But, definitely have to keep getting better."
-- Posted by Bo Wulf, 4:48 p.m., November 5
