Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan admits there was a time when Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan got the better of him. But he says those days are long gone.
As defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders from 2004-2008, Ryan frequently matched wits with Shanahan and his Denver Broncos teams. Ryan conceded that Shanahan bested him more often than not.
"Shanahan, like I said, used to punk me," Ryan told The Dallas Morning News this week. "He doesn't anymore."
Ryan and the Cowboys earned a 18-16 win in Week 3 courtesy of a defense that held the Redskins to fewer than 300 yards on the day. With Sunday's rematch looming, Ryan intends on preventing Shanahan from getting back the upper hand in their rivalry and knows what to expect from the Redskins coach.
"He's going to run a stretch play, he's going to run his boots," Ryan said. "We don't know what formation or what personnel groups they're coming from, but they're coming."
