Barber AND Jones

[THEHEREAFTER]

Notice the title doesn't read Barber vs. Jones. Just a "friendly" observation. Let's face it, the only reason we're not bringing this up more is because we've been winning.

I'm thrilled about the victory and I like the fact that Barber is our designated closer late in the game but I think that Garrett is playing them a little too evenly. Example.. 4th and-2 at their 30, coming out of the half Barber needs to carry the rock. Plain and simple. Barbers vision and knack for getting extra yards is night and day compared with Jones. The gap between these two is growing larger and larger and I've been sort of a JJ apologist/fan for a while now. Barber is a freakin' beast though and needs the rock in just about every crucial situation especially as the games get more important. That was a big play and kept GB alive longer than they should have been.

Thoughts? Is everyone content with how our backs are being shuffled?

 

[Cowboy4ever]

I am not going to argue with success. Its working don't change it. But here is my question.. can anyone remember the last time one of these guys fumbled the ball? I can't remember the last time one of them fumbled.

 

[Jimz31]

Honestly, I would like to see Jones get the ball more in the second and third quarter than what he has been. I would also like to see them give him the draw between the 20's....if you remember back to his rookie year, THAT is the play that he tore everyone up on.

Let Barber be the 3rd down guy and the guy we go to in the 4th qtr....that is fine with me.

But, it's working right now and you can't really complain too much about that....although I think our running game needs some serious help.

Just remember, a 2-yard gain is a 2 yard gain no matter how it looks.

 

[Lifetimeboyzfan]

Notice the title doesn't read Barber vs. Jones. Just a "friendly" observation. Let's face it, the only reason we're not bringing this up more is because we've been winning.

I'm thrilled about the victory and I like the fact that Barber is our designated closer late in the game but I think that Garrett is playing them a little too evenly. Example.. 4th and-2 at their 30, coming out of the half Barber needs to carry the rock. Plain and simple. Barbers vision and knack for getting extra yards is night and day compared with Jones. The gap between these two is growing larger and larger and I've been sort of a JJ apologist/fan for a while now. Barber is a freakin' beast though and needs the rock in just about every crucial situation especially as the games get more important. That was a big play and kept GB alive longer than they should have been.

Thoughts? Is everyone content with how our backs are being shuffled?

I love em both. I'm one of the, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" guys.

 

[Danny White]

I like Julius, but there's no way he should get the carry on a 4th down play. MBIII was born for such carries!

 

[yennor24]

I like Julius, but there's no way he should get the carry on a 4th down play. MBIII was born for such carries!

That was the first time this season I was upset with a Garrett call...I just knew it was a playaction pass because in no way would I have thought JJ was going to get it on 4th down....But Oh well 11-1

 

[joseephuss]

I am not going to argue with success. Its working don't change it. But here is my question.. can anyone remember the last time one of these guys fumbled the ball? I can't remember the last time one of them fumbled.

I think it was when Julius fumbled against the Commanders last year in the home game. Sean Taylor ripped it of Julius' arms. Other than that both have done a great job of protecting the ball the last two years.

 

[silverblue]

I like Julius, but there's no way he should get the carry on a 4th down play. MBIII was born for such carries!

Actually barber has been stuffed on quite a few 'must-have' short yardage 3rd or 4th downs.

 

[Mavs Man]

I like Julius, but there's no way he should get the carry on a 4th down play. MBIII was born for such carries!

Yeah, the only thing we could think of was if Barber was in there they'd KNOW he was getting the ball.

Not that that would have stopped him. Luckily, they went to Barber later in the game.

 

[Danny White]

Yeah, the only thing we could think of was if Barber was in there they'd KNOW he was getting the ball.

Not that that would have stopped him. Luckily, they went to Barber later in the game.

I think we should have thrown. We have too many options for them to cover when we only need to get a yard or two and still have to defend the whole length of the field. You also open up the possibility of Romo scrambling then.

I agree with going for the first rather than kicking... I just think running JJ straight ahead is our worst possible option there.

 

[AmericasTeam31]

Actually barber has been stuffed on quite a few 'must-have' short yardage 3rd or 4th downs.

Maybe, but he was owning the pack, AJ Hawk in particular last night, and the cut back he made on the third and short play... JJ would have ran up the back of the o-line and gotten stuffed... And there was a stat on here earlier this year about the short yardage carries to conversions and I believe Barber was 3rd or 4th in the league in conversion %.

 

[Mavs Man]

I think we should have thrown. We have too many options for them to cover when we only need to get a yard or two and still have to defend the whole length of the field. You also open up the possibility of Romo scrambling then.

I agree with going for the first rather than kicking... I just think running JJ straight ahead is our worst possible option there.

There are certainly a lot of options with this offense. Play action definitely is a great play (especially with Barber down there) but Julius Jones just hasn't gotten it done in those situations this year. Don't see why we had confidence in him for that one.

 

[sportsman]

Actually, in my opinion our running game sucks. Due to fact Romo is playing lights out in our passing game. We haven't needed the running game. But come playoff time when a team defense our passing game well. The lack of a real run game may be our doom.

 

[joseephuss]

Actually, in my opinion our running game sucks. Due to fact Romo is playing lights out in our passing game. We haven't needed the running game. But come playoff time when a team defense our passing game well. The lack of a real run game may be our doom.

Looks like every team Dallas may face in the playoffs has that same problem. They are better passing teams than running teams.

 

[Cowboy4ever]

Actually, in my opinion our running game sucks. Due to fact Romo is playing lights out in our passing game. We haven't needed the running game. But come playoff time when a team defense our passing game well. The lack of a real run game may be our doom.

I don't agree with that.. we have the 4th best YPC average in the league.. we are the 4th best rushing team in the conference. This team can run the ball.. but when you have TO, Witten and Romo.. why would you?

 

[LarryCanadian]

Absolutely 100% agree with the original post. Running Jones who is light (comparitively to most NFL backs) and who is NOT GOOD at getting yards after head on contact, was our worst coaching decision in the game. It almost came back to bite us in the butt too as 3 points there could have ended up being significant.

Julius Jones has many strengths. He's super quick and is great in certain plays. He is absolutely not a power back. He lacks leg strength and pure mass to get the extra yard in traffic. I like him. He is a good mix guy with Barber.

BUT, I never want to see this guy running the ball out of our end zone, like last year when he got stuffed repeatedly in a game or two. Nor do I want to see him in short 2 or 3 yard short yardage run plays. Predictable or not, I'd rather give it to Barber, OR run a FB, or let Romo sneak or fake it and run outside and slide.

Jones is WEAK at this facet of the game. It's not his strength and he's not built for it. He rarely pushes a pile and even then marginally. This isn't intended as a knock on him, it's like saying an oline guy isn't super agile. We don't ask Tank Johnson to cover WR's, don't ask the scat back to pound it into the hole.

In fact on that 4th down play I thought there was enough creases and holes that a heavier back would have bounced through with a surge for a first down. I want to review the play a couple moret times, but IMHO a decent between the tackles running back makes that first down more often than not. You don't use a scat back for it.

The predictability thing bugs me. I mean it was predictable Emmitt would get the ball. It's predictable that LT gets the ball there. So what.

The coach said that he would put his players into position to succeed. He has 99% of the time this year. It's night and day from last year, from putting TO in motion and not having Ware/Ellis cover passes as much, to even pulling RW out for certain plays.

I like rotating RB's and I LIKE Jones. I just don't put him in on a 4th down and 2 play that a team is gonna load up for.

LarryCanadian

 

[AmericasTeam31]

I don't agree with that.. we have the 4th best YPC average in the league.. we are the 4th best rushing team in the conference. This team can run the ball.. but when you have TO, Witten and Romo.. why would you?

Exactly! my only concern is the lack of attempts to run the ball in the red zone. Last night was a perfect example... on the Harris int... Barber was having a good night running the ball we are 2nd and goal on the 5... They had showed us that we could get that pass anytime we wanted it.... Put the ball in Barbers hands, and worse case you chew up a little more clock and run your pass play on 3rd down instead... this is just an example, but I think we get too pass happy at the goal line....

 

[silverblue]

but IMHO a decent between the tackles running back makes that first down more often than not. You don't use a scat back for it.

Barber might be bigger, but Jones is more of a between the tackles back then Barber is. Barber tries to bounce everything. He did have a couple of more disciplined runs last night though.

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

I'm a if it's not broke don't fix it guy too , but with Jones a FA this year and Barber a RFA , I wouldn't mind seeing Dallas take a RB early in the draft this year . Jonathan Stewart or Kevin Smith type big power back . I'd like to keep both Jones and Barber , but just don't see that happening .

I also hope that Dallas looks to replace Tyson Thompson with somebody who can actually get on the field . A speedy little 3rd down back like Anthony Alridge .

 

[AmericasTeam31]

Barber might be bigger, but Jones is more of a between the tackles back then Barber is. Barber tries to bounce everything. He did have a couple of more disciplined runs last night though.

Right, but if you are gonna turn the ball over on fourth down, wouldn't you rather do it while trying to make a play, instead of falling down on the back of your offenseive line?