ARLINGTON, Texas -- For four years Kyle Orton got to see Chicago linebacker Brian Urlacher up close and personal. Now the Cowboys’ backup quarterback, Orton gets to see Sean Lee on an everyday basis.

Perhaps tonight’s game at Cowboys Stadium could be a changing of the guard at inside linebacker in the NFC between Urlacher, an eight-time Pro Bowler, and Lee.

“Brian prepares great and he’s done it for years, and I think when Sean gets that experience Brian has, they can read plays, identify formations and help everybody out on the field,” Orton said. “Everybody talks about Brian’s speed and length and coverage, but really the best part about him is how he helps everybody out with what plays are coming and how he tries to come after you.”

Jason Garrett first saw Urlacher play in person on Sept. 17, 2000, when he was serving as the New York Giants’ backup quarterback. Urlacher was credited with 13 tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and one quarterback hurry and Garrett could not believe somebody so big could move so well.

“The one thing we saw from the get-go was the guy had juice,” Garrett said. “He’s running sideline to sideline and making a ton of plays in the run game and the pass game. He’s carrying tight ends down the field, like we’ve seen him for all these years. But there was something about the passion for playing and to be a Bears’ Mike linebacker with the history they’ve had at that position, he just seemed like a great asset right from the start. He certainly was a challenge for us that day and a challenge for a lot of teams for a lot of years since then.”