While it is more common for football fans to discuss the match-ups they will see on the field each week, the chess game that is professional football begins in the coach’s office days before kickoff. This week, the Dallas Cowboys will face a familiar foe in the New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. And the key to success will be how Dallas handles his blitz-happy scheme.
First, let’s look at how Spagnuolo runs his defense. In 2008, the final season of his first stint as the Giants’ defensive coordinator blitzed more than any coordinator in the NFL.