It was the type of question that a veteran would punt and rookie typically run away from.
But Dallas Cowboys rookie defensive tackle Osa Odghizuwa didn’t blink, nor did he back track when offered a life raft.
After speaking glowingly of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, saying how crazy was to be playing in next Thursday’s season opener against “the GOAT”, the confident third-round pick from UCLA, who has been named an opening day starter, was asked about the weakness of the seven-time Super Bowl champion.
“He’s not very mobile,” Odighizuwa said matter-of-factly. “I mean, you know, he’s been playing for 21 years. The dude is a little older, not too mobile. I’d say that’s probably what it is.”
Odighizuwa said Brady’s lack of mobility makes it super important for the Cowboys to get after him with an interior pass rush and get him off his spot because that causes his passer rating to drop.
“I think they says it goes down by 50,” he said of the Cowboys’ detailed scouting report.
Odighizuwa, a not so precocious 22-year-old, was simply answering a football question and not trying to create bulletin-board material for the highly-competitive, 44-year-old in Brady.
He said he is not concerned if he gave him added motivation.
“I feel like he’s not a guy who’s too worried about what I’m saying,” Odighizuwa said. “He’s obviously going to be aware of it, but he’s been doing this for awhile. People have been saying this, that and a third. He’s been doing his thing.”
Now, back to the awe of going up against Brady.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s crazy. He was playing football before I even knew what it was,” Odighizuwa said. “Just to be in this game to be playing against the goat, is crazy. Obviously, you can’t think about it too much because at the end of the day he’s an opponent. I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do. It is what it is.”
Odighizuwa is one of 16 newcomers, including eight draft picks and eight free agents, who were added to the Cowboys in the off season to improve a defense that ranked among the worst in franchise history in 2020.
They will either show a lot or learn a lot about themselves in their first outing against the Brady and defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers on Sept. 9.
Any chance that Brady might look over a Cowboys defense that gave up more points than any franchise history last year and the second-most yards ever just went out the window.