For the New York Giants' defense, every game plan starts with stopping the run, and it doesn't make a difference if the opponent is Dallas, Washington or Philadelphia.
However, the need to stop the run will take on greater significance Sunday when the Giants (6-1) face the Dallas Cowboys (5-3), with Brad Johnson at quarterback instead of the injured Tony Romo.
'As soon as your starting quarterback goes down, you naturally assume there is going to be a hit in the passing game,' Giants defensive tackle Barry Cofield said. 'They also have a quality running back and an outstanding O-Line, it only makes sense to run the ball a little more. They have the pieces to run the ball.'
The biggest piece of the running game for Dallas is Marion Barber. The Pro Bowl halfback has carried 153 times for 611 yards and five touchdowns, and he's caught 32 passes for 276 yards and two more scores.
'It all starts with Barber,' defensive end Justin Tuck said. 'If we take him out of the football game, we can start going after the quarterback. Obviously Brad is not as mobile as Romo, so things will be more in our favor if we can contain Barber.'
If the Giants can't stop Barber, that probably will keep the Cowboys out of third-and-long situations, and that alone might slow down New York's pass rush, which leads the league with 26 sacks.
Barber reminds Giants defenders of Brandon Jacobs, New York's bruising halfback who combines speed and power.
'He is so relentless,' Cofield said of Barber, who is a lot smaller than Jacobs. 'He has all the physical ability, but he runs like an unknown guy trying to make the team. He runs like every play could be his last. He delivers the blow and he can break it on any play, so he's a guy that we have the utmost respect for. And he goes out there every week and plays at a high level, so we have to do the same.'
Dallas made a point of establishing its running game in the NFC semifinal against the Giants in January, and Barber was impressive, carrying 27 times for 129 yards and a touchdown.
New York also has a concern on its line with defensive tackle Fred Robbins battling a hand injury. Middle linebacker Antonio Pierce raised some concerns about Robbins' status on Thursday when he said the Giants have a tackle playing with two broken hands.
Robbins denied that either of his hands are broken, but admitted they are bruised and he will have to play with some type of protection.
'I just have to go out and do it,' Robbins said. 'I'll stay aware and try to keep it from getting battered and bruised. Other than that, I'll do the things I need to do.'
While concerned about Barber, the Giants are wary of Johnson, who has hit 36 of 67 passes for 356 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in his two starts in place of Romo. Tuck said he has avoided looking at Johnson's statistics because the veteran is still adjusting to a new role.
'Last week he was a little more comfortable and didn't turn the ball over,' Tuck said. 'When you put any veteran quarterback in with the weapons that they have, that could be trouble.'
Pierce was quick to note that despite the injuries, the Cowboys still have Terrell Owens, Roy Williams and tight end Jason Witten, who has been bothered by a broken rib this week.
The Giants, though, expect him to play.
'I mean the team is loaded, so _ for all these excuses that everybody is trying to come up with for this team _ there are no excuses, and we are not going to have any excuses for them,' Pierce said.
'If we go into this game thinking they are going to lay down because they don't have their starting quarterback, we are fools,' Tuck concluded.
