Am I too harsh on Marion Barber?

[ABQcowboyJR]

Typically you want your third down back to be bigger and tougher... not smaller and faster... On a third and two against the Eagles or Giants who do you want the ball to go to on a HB dive? MBIII, Choice, or Felix?

I was leaving short yardage situations out of that and thats why I said barber should be worked in throughout the game.

 

[Four]

I don't think he's overrated at all, I mean no one rushed for more yards on the steelers (#1 d) then Choice. It's rare to find a rookie that has not mistakes, peterson for ex. he fumbles a whole lot.

so in hindsight was julius over rated?

we don't have enough information to know what we have in choice.

I tend to agree with the overrated comments. He may live up to it, but I am not going to count on him.

 

[Alexander]

Typically you want your third down back to be bigger and tougher... not smaller and faster... On a third and two against the Eagles or Giants who do you want the ball to go to on a HB dive? MBIII, Choice, or Felix?

You want your third down back to be a good blocker and receiver, which is Felix Jones. What you are describing is a short yardage back, not a true 3rd down back in the traditional sense (Terry Metcalf, Larry Centers, Ronnie Harmon, Preston Pearson, Tony Galbreath).

 

[Everlastingxxx]

I don't think he's overrated at all, I mean no one rushed for more yards on the steelers (#1 d) then Choice. It's rare to find a rookie that has not mistakes, peterson for ex. he fumbles a whole lot.

Overated HERE @ THE ZONE. Many are calling for him over Barber...come on. Someone go rewatch the first Philly game...it was all Barber. Last season when the Cowboys needed a play, they would go to him or Witten. He was the missing piece at the end of the season. He was the glue.

 

[ABQcowboyJR]

I'm not so sure that people are putting Choice over Barber. Rather, they are saying that they have different roles to fill on this team. Atleast thats what I'm saying.

 

[AmericasTeam31]

You want your third down back to be a good blocker and receiver, which is Felix Jones. What you are describing is a short yardage back, not a true 3rd down back in the traditional sense (Terry Metcalf, Larry Centers, Ronnie Harmon, Preston Pearson, Tony Galbreath).

Then my question would be, assuming he is a good blocker and receiver, is he a better blocker and receiver than Barber? I have my doubts about the blocking, and I haven't seen him do a whole lot of receiving to this point, so I can't speak on that part.

 

[speedkilz88]

Then my question would be, assuming he is a good blocker and receiver, is he a better blocker and receiver than Barber? I have my doubts about the blocking, and I haven't seen him do a whole lot of receiving to this point, so I can't speak on that part.

The whole reason to draft a guy like Felix is as a 3rd down weapon.

 

[birdwells1]

tashard choice put up far better numbers than marion barber did, with the same offensive line, and against the toughest run defenses in the nfl...

It wasn't ALL offensive line... Lets just realize that Felix Jones and Tashard Choice give us more consistency than Barber. Choice was still a rookie last year, but he RAN better than Barber. The blocks, and blitz picks ups will come with time.

Barber did best playing a role, and for some reason we wanted to change it.

Jonathan Paplebon is a great closer, why isnt he starting? Because his role as a closer is one that he fills perfectly. Pitching at full force, and being called on to do so often, but for a short period of time.

Barber's skillset and running style mirror that of a closer in baseball, perfectly.

Thats what he is, a closer. You ask him to run the entire game though... and the results aren't good.

Jerry signed him to a big contract before see him as the starter for an entire season. During the 07 season I was telling a friend that we should start MB3
in the final 3 or so game to give a better representation of what he could do as a starter.