Rolando McClain wasn’t with the Dallas Cowboys in 2013, when they put together the worst defensive season in the 54 year history of the franchise. But he has an idea why first-year defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli--who was here last year, but as a defensive line coach--is having such success with a unit that is without DeMarcus Ware, Jason Hatcher or Sean Lee.
“He gave us more freedom, let us just play,” McClain said of Marinelli, per Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “Be loose. Make plays. We had to earn his trust, so to speak. Once we did that, he saw we played better when we were more relaxed and calm, so he kind of took the reins off and let us play.”
McClain added that he and his teammates didn’t need last Sunday’s win over New Orleans, in which he registered two tackles and a forced fumble, to buy into Marinelli’s system.
“Nah. I think we were already bought in. We’ve been bought in,” McClain said. “The Saints are a great team, but it’s just something to build off. It just lets us know that when we play together and execute the scheme, we can be good.”
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