Biggest Downer This Year...

[goshan]

Is the realization (or at least lack of confirmation) that we have a top RB on the team. JJones just doesn't look that good this year (pre or post injury) -- I think most of us thought he looked 'elite' potential last year. In a couple of games last yr, I thought his feet looked as quick as any back in the NFL. He looked as slow as Aunt Jemima's extra thick maple syrup today and just can't make enough people miss or find the right holes to make a big play.

MBIII is a good, all-round back, but he doesn't have superior skills in any one area and is never going to be a 'feared' back in this league.

Our oline is bad, but the RB situation isn't good.

Back to the drawing board?

 

[Eddie]

NO. Fix the OL, and then we'll have 2 very good RB's.

It all starts up front. We have bigger problems than RB.

 

[MapleLeaf]

...is losing Adams for the year. Who knows what would be different if we didn't lose such a key member.

 

[Wolverine]

Is the realization (or at least lack of confirmation) that we have a top RB on the team. JJones just doesn't look that good this year (pre or post injury) -- I think most of us thought he looked 'elite' potential last year. In a couple of games last yr, I thought his feet looked as quick as any back in the NFL. He looked as slow as Aunt Jemima's extra thick maple syrup today and just can't make enough people miss or find the right holes to make a big play.

MBIII is a good, all-round back, but he doesn't have superior skills in any one area and is never going to be a 'feared' back in this league.

Our oline is bad, but the RB situation isn't good.

Back to the drawing board?

Julius has been given some chances. But before you give up on Barber how about we give him a chance next year where he knows going into the year he is the man. Barber is not LT but with a little better OL I think he can be a pretty daym good RB.

 

[JohnsKey19]

i still think both are good enough, particularly when used as a tandem. We just need to fix the OLine. Until we do that, it doesn't matter too much who's back there at RB. I'd like to see 2 new starters on the OLine

 

[Givincer]

Is the realization (or at least lack of confirmation) that we have a top RB on the team. JJones just doesn't look that good this year (pre or post injury) -- I think most of us thought he looked 'elite' potential last year. In a couple of games last yr, I thought his feet looked as quick as any back in the NFL. He looked as slow as Aunt Jemima's extra thick maple syrup today and just can't make enough people miss or find the right holes to make a big play.

MBIII is a good, all-round back, but he doesn't have superior skills in any one area and is never going to be a 'feared' back in this league.

Our oline is bad, but the RB situation isn't good.

Back to the drawing board?

That line right there shows just how ignorant you are...

 

[CactusCowboy]

I agree with Eddie, fix the OL and we have 2, maybe 3 very good RB's.

goshan, you are very negative.

 

[goshan]

I am not giving up on Barber. I like him.
He just doesn't have the wiggle, power or speed to be elite.
I want an elite back like Dorsett and Emmitt.
I thought we may have had one in Julius.
Instead we have two pretty good backs.

 

[jlust22]

I know we all have high standards, but it's kind of unrealistic to expect JJ or Barber to be in the class of Emmitt and TD. Those guys were 2 of the 10 greatest RB's of all time. Chances are, we may never have another RB in the same league as those two.

 

[Dale]

I'm not ready to give up on Julius. He showed a lot last season -- enough for me not to give up on him after this poor year. And I'm definitely not ready to give up on Barber. Maybe he's only a good backup in the making, but then a lot of backs have just needed the right line in front of them to really excel -- just look at Ahman Green, Larry Johnson, etc. It takes time for some guys to develop, and Barber has shown enough all-around talent to make one think he may have a bright future in this league.

I, too, want an elite back. Are either of our guys potentially elite players? Possibly not, but I'm not ready to rule out that possibility.

 

[Wolverine]

BTW, Barber has 116 carries for 470 yards. That is 4.1 ypc. He also has 5 rushing TDs. I just wonder how much better his numbers would be if he was the starter from game 1 this year and was gaining alot more game time to learn more.

With those numbers above I think he can have a chance at being very good. If BP comes up and lets him know he is the man next year then you will be surprised goshan.

 

[zagnut]

I am not giving up on Barber. I like him.
He just doesn't have the wiggle, power or speed to be elite.
I want an elite back like Dorsett and Emmitt.
I thought we may have had one in Julius.
Instead we have two pretty good backs.

I agree, but there are also benefits to a RB by committee approach. Being able to go with whoever's on a roll, keeping guys fresh for the entire game/season, being able to withstand injury a lot better, etc.

I would certainly like to have Edge or Shaun Alexander, but they both have very good OL too. It's not sexy, but I want at least a top-10 OL.

 

[Future]

Julius Jones and MBIII will be very effective with a legit Oline. No RB in the entire world will be able to do much when they have 2 DL in the backfield when they get the handoff.

 

[goshan]

I am glad some of you guys saying I am negative can see the obvious that our oline sucks - which it does no doubt. That wasn't the point of my post.

The RB situation isn't nearly as bad. My point was it isn't in good shape though...and it isn't. A couple of those draw plays today should have gone for 30, instead they went for 9.

We will see who is ignorant over the next couple of years. Like Caesar, my grandmother can see the Oline sucks. But I am looking more deeply at what needs to improve.

My hope is that Julius can re-emerge in 2004 form, because he did look to have great potential last year.

 

[MapleLeaf]

I am glad some of you guys saying I am negative can see the obvious that our oline sucks - which it does no doubt. That wasn't the point of my post.

The RB situation isn't nearly as bad. My point was it isn't in good shape though...and it isn't. A couple of those draw plays today should have gone for 30, instead they went for 9.

We will see who is ignorant over the next couple of years. Like Caesar, my grandmother can see the Oline sucks. But I am looking more deeply at what needs to improve.

My hope is that Julius can re-emerge in 2004 form, because he did look to have great potential last year.

...you are being premature on the o-line. If Adams comes back and Pettiti has another year we may find more stability on the line.

 

[WilmingtonHeel]

JJT said Julius isn't even 100% which if you look close it's evident. Both have bright futures IMO

 

[goshan]

Was he 100% before the ankle injury? Because he didn't look the same before then either.

 

[The Curly One]

We have had one of the worst olines in the league for many years. The fact is they are much better this year than in the past. Many of you blamed it on Quincy, Hutch, Vinny even Emmit and Troy. The fact is the O line has been terrible.
They are improving though and I think they will do even more for the line next year. Curly

 

[goshan]

This is the worst online since 2002.
Last years was much better.