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Some of our most interesting matchups thus far have asked men from wildly different eras to go head-to-head. Today's contest is no different, featuring one of the best players from the great 90s defense, seventh- seeded Darren Woodson, against one of the stalwarts from the original "Doomsday Defense," tenth- seeded Dave Edwards. Which era will prevail? Read both bios and cast your ballots, BTBers!
Player: Darren Woodson
Position: safety
Seed: 7
Essentials:
| Name | Years | Career AV | Pro Bowls | All-Pro | RoH | HoF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darren Ray Woodson |
1992-2003 |
95 |
5 |
3 |
no |
no |
Bio: Woodson was drafted by the Cowboys in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft, and spent his rookie season playing on the nickel defense and special teams (leading team with 19 ST tackles), then moved into the starting lineup in 1993, when he set a Cowboys franchise record for tackles for a defensive back, with 155. Woody quickly became one of the leagues' top safeties, being selected to five Pro Bowls (he was the first Cowboys safety since Cliff Harris to be chosen to consecutive Pro Bowls) and three All-Pro teams.
What made Woodson special was his versatility. He was a strong safety who could lay the wood (recall his knockout of the Eagles' Rodney Peete in the 1995 playoffs) yet had the ability to line up as the nickle/ slot cornerback. Not only was he able to shadow receivers across the field but, by deploying him close to the line of scrimmage, the Cowboys' defensive coaches were able to use him to help stop the run and pressure the quarterback. In the mid-90s, he was the most productive player on one of the NFL's best defenses. In 2002, he broke the Cowboys career tackling record; unfortunately for Woody, it occurred in the same game that Emmitt Smith set the NFL career rushing record.
Player: Dave Edwards
Position: linebacker
Seed: 10
Essentials:
| Name | Years | Career AV | Pro Bowls | All-Pro | RoH | HoF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Monroe Edwards |
1963-75 | 92 |
0 |
0 |
no |
no |
Bio: Edwards showed terrific smarts from the outset: he was selected by the Denver Broncos in the 1962 AFL Draft, but instead chose to sign with the Cowboys as a free agent the following year as a 205 pound receiving tight end. After putting on 25 pounds, Edwards was moved to strongside linebacker, where he joined Chuck Howley and Lee Roy Jordan to form not only the greatest linebacking trio in Cowboy history, but one of the top units in NFL history. The three men formed the backbone of the original 'Doomsday Defense."
Edwards was a devastating force against the run and excelled at jamming tight ends at the line of scrimmage; indeed, his technique was studied and copied by the Raiders' linebackers coach John Madden, who made his players watch tape of Edwards in action. Furthermore, Edwards was tough and durable; he missed only one game during his twelve-year career. In his time in Dallas, he helped the Cowboys win three NFC Championships and one Super Bowl
Alright, BTBers, which man advances to the next round?