DMN Blog: Should Felix Jones-Rashard Mendenhall comparisons continue?

[reddyuta]

to be fair to Mendenhall the steelers o-line was awful yesterday .they had go shotgun on a critical 3rd and 1.

 

[big dog cowboy]

DMN Blog: Should Felix Jones-Rashard Mendenhall comparisons continue?

I don't know if they should but they will.

Just as the Ellis/Moss debate goes on and on.

 

[AsthmaField]

I remember reading somewhere that Mendenhall didn't seem to like a lot of contact. That isn't good for any football player, much less one who is built like a bruising RB. Watching him last night, I think that evaluation was pretty on target for him. He seems to kind of tip-toe up to the line. I don't know... there's just something that doesn't look right about the way he runs.

I'm sure that he looks good running in the open field. Afterall, it is his big size and good speed that made him a first round pick to begin with. But in traffic he just doesn't have the vision, lateral quickness or the toughness a good RB needs, IMO.

We didn't know this at the time... but now it is easy to tell that Felix is by FAR the better player. If Jones' instincts, vision and football speed are what they appear to be up to this point, he might just be a once in a decade type player.

As for the contact part of football, I remember Jimmy Johnson talking about drafting in the early 90's. He said that some guys like contact and that some don't. His theory was that you only draft guys who really like contact because they are going to have ten years of it if they can play. He said some guys don't like it but they get by avoiding it whenever they can. His reasoning was that you can't avoid contact for ever and those players would soon enough lose their passion for the game, while the guys who loved contact would be just fine.

I think of what Jimmy said every time I think of Bobby Carpenter. :bang2:

 

[DaBoys4Life]

There is a poster here whom I'm sure wishes to comment about this topic. His name escapes me right now, though.

I wonder who you can be talking about.

 

[tyke1doe]

I will readily admit how utterly wrong I was on this topic.

:abuseme:

Me too.

But mine opinion was based on what the Cowboys said during the draft. They felt that Mendenhall was the better back, but we had a Mendenhall back in Marion Barber and didn't need another.

My point was if you consider him the better back, then take him. But I quickly moved away from that opinion after the draft was finished. I had seen what Felix could do, being a SEC football observer. So I wasn't terribly disappointed.

Having said that, I wouldn't conclude this discussion yet. Mendenhall isn't doing anything, but who's to say he won't be a good back. And Felix did have a reputation of being a bit injury prone. We'll have to see how their careers progress, but now I like Felix better than Rashard.

 

[Drederick Tatum]

When they drafted Jones I thought it could have gone either way. When they announced it was Jones, a millisecond after that I said to myself that "I can understand their rationale"

I think that a lot of people often want the RB that most reminds them of Emmitt without regard for other characteristics, you still hear this now and then on this board about "doesn't so and so remind you of Emmitt". I think that Mendenhall reminded more people of Emmitt than Jones did. Hopefully Felix has broken that thinking and we evaluate backs that remind us of what the team needs to at the time, not nostalgia.

 

[Monster Heel]

When they drafted Jones I thought it could have gone either way. When they announced it was Jones, a millisecond after that I said to myself that "I can understand their rationale"

I think that a lot of people often want the RB that most reminds them of Emmitt without regard for other characteristics, you still hear this now and then on this board about "doesn't so and so remind you of Emmitt". I think that Mendenhall reminded more people of Emmitt than Jones did. Hopefully Felix has broken that thinking and we evaluate backs that remind us of what the team needs to at the time, not nostalgia.

The older fans say Felix reminds them of Dorsett. I don't really think you can escape comparison in football.

 

[Chief]

Me too.

But mine opinion was based on what the Cowboys said during the draft. They felt that Mendenhall was the better back, but we had a Mendenhall back in Marion Barber and didn't need another.

My point was if you consider him the better back, then take him. But I quickly moved away from that opinion after the draft was finished. I had seen what Felix could do, being a SEC football observer. So I wasn't terribly disappointed.

Having said that, I wouldn't conclude this discussion yet. Mendenhall isn't doing anything, but who's to say he won't be a good back. And Felix did have a reputation of being a bit injury prone. We'll have to see how their careers progress, but now I like Felix better than Rashard.

Great post.

My thoughts exactly.

After taking Felix, the Cowboys were asked if they had Mendenhall rated higher on their board and all they would say is that the two backs "were close."

I felt they went off their board and had a problem with that.

It sure looks like Jerry made the right call now. I think it's too early to judge Mendenhall ... the Steelers offensive line (especially the run blocking) is atrocious. Willie Parker isn't doing anything either.

My hope is that Felix can stay healthy, because if he can, I think he can be one of the franchise's all-time greats.

 

[dmq]

I remember reading somewhere that Mendenhall didn't seem to like a lot of contact.

Not sure if that is true. He went right for Ben on that one run.

 

[tyke1doe]

Great post.

My thoughts exactly.

After taking Felix, the Cowboys were asked if they had Mendenhall rated higher on their board and all they would say is that the two backs "were close."

I felt they went off their board and had a problem with that.

It sure looks like Jerry made the right call now. I think it's too early to judge Mendenhall ... the Steelers offensive line (especially the run blocking) is atrocious. Willie Parker isn't doing anything either.

My hope is that Felix can stay healthy, because if he can, I think he can be one of the franchise's all-time greats.

I think he can be another Thurman Thomas, but with a bit more speed.

 

[tyke1doe]

Not sure if that is true. He went right for Ben on that one run.

:laugh1:

 

[baj1dallas]

I was a Felix Jones guy 2 months before the draft and can't wait to see what he can do this season! Screw all you anti-Felix crybabies!

 

[adbutcher]

There is a poster here whom I'm sure wishes to comment about this topic. His name escapes me right now, though.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I don't get the comparison anyway because the truth is that Felix is the right pick for this team because of what we needed and already had. I don't really know why we'd compare them.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

For those who dislike Garrett, remember he was the one who talked Jerry into taking Jones. Or at least he coaxed him into it in the so-called 'war room'.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

For those who dislike Garrett, remember he was the one who talked Jerry into taking Jones. Or at least he coaxed him into it in the so-called 'war room'.

I still wonder how much of that part was actually for show, and staged, cause it seemed pretty much like that to me.

 

[DasTex]

VS

I gotta take Felix!

 

[AsthmaField]

Not sure if that is true. He went right for Ben on that one run.

:laugh2:

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

I still wonder how much of that part was actually for show, and staged, cause it seemed pretty much like that to me.

So you think they planned it?

 

[dbair1967]

WoodysGirl;2933274

Mendenhall certainly didn't do anything to change any minds during the Steelers' OT win over the Titans last night. He fell down for 6 yards on four carries.

sounds Troy Hambrick-esque