State of The DTs | Dockett's Strong Playoffs Could Mean Stardom in 2009

(This article is one of eight in B/R contributor Jack Harver's "State of the DTs" series, introduced here .) Coming into last season's playoffs, Darnell Dockett—like the Cardinals as a team—had been inconsistent in the regular season, managing just four sacks (and only one in Arizona's last eight games). Then, like the Cardinals, he showed up big-time. It started with Arizona's home wild-card game against Atlanta. Dockett and the Cardinals' other defensive linemen caught on to rookie quarterback Matt Ryan's unchanging snap count and harassed him, tallying three sacks, and forcing the Falcons' careful quarterback into throwing two interceptions. Dockett didn't nab one of those sacks to pad his stats line. Instead, he took the field in the second half and changed the game. The Falcons had scored 14 points in the last three minutes of the first half, taking a 17-14 lead, and having all the momentum at halftime. They had the ball to start the second half, looking to expand their lead.  ... (link)