Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy’s first outing of the 2015 season had some individual highlights even while his team was getting beaten 30-6 by the Patriots.
Hardy sacked Tom Brady twice and hit him five times in the loss, which is exactly what the Cowboys were hoping to get when they signed Hardy in the offseason. Rookie defensive end Randy Gregory will join Hardy in the lineup against the Giants this weekend and that should help the Cowboys implement the plan that Hardy believes is needed to end a three-game losing streak.
“Hit him in the mouth,” Hardy said, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “The best thing for any team is to make the quarterback feel pain. You’ve got to be respectful of the rules of the game and honestly you don’t want to hurt anybody, but to make him feel you is to bring his eyes down. You don’t want a quarterback like Eli Manning looking down the field, ever. Ever, ever, ever.”
The Eagles sacked Manning three times and got consistent pressure last Monday night on their way to a 27-7 victory, so it’s a blueprint that makes sense for the Cowboys to use as they prepare for Sunday’s game. Pulling it off could also leave less on the shoulders of an offense that won’t have Tony Romo and seems unlikely to have Dez Bryant.