ESPN MacMahon: Passing on hype about Felix's receiving skills

[WoodysGirl]

Jun 3
11:17
AM CT

By Tim MacMahon


ARLINGTON, Texas – Jerry Jones gushed Wednesday about Felix Jones’ potential impact in the passing game.

"Felix is way ahead of where he's been as a receiver," the owner said. "He's been impressive with how he's running his routes.

"That has a chance to get ugly if he's really good at running those routes coming out of the backfield."

Jerry isn’t the only prominent Valley Ranch type who is buzzing about Felix’s receiving skills. Head coach Wade Phillips, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and running backs coach Skip Peete have made similar comment.

Consider me a skeptic, considering they’ve all been raving about Felix’s receiving skills since he arrived at Valley Ranch for rookie minicamp. He has 21 catches for 129 yards in 20 career games.

We’ve seen Felix lined up all over the field during the OTA workouts open to the media. I’ve yet to see him catch anything other than a short pass in 7-on-7 or team drills.

Until that happens, I’m not buying the hype about the dynamic

 

[CoCo]

And McMahon is right on this one. Talk is cheap - very cheap.

 

[pgreptom]

And McMahon is right on this one. Talk is cheap - very cheap.

I mean - really dude?

The author of this article is clearly stupid. Felix is a halfback, he lines up in the backfield. What do you expect him to run? Slants? Stop and go's? 90 yard deep bombs?

A good receiver that's a halfback is usually good at VERY short routes - and/or catching screens, and making people miss. Not running a perfect deep out...

Felix is a good receiving HB - he's not a WR. We have WR's to scare safeties.. let Felix scare linebackers.

McMahon's articles are questionable at best.

 

[Four]

felix nor choice are good receiving back, as a matter of fact, they both suck at it.

It's why Barber is better than both of them.

anyone who says felix is a decent receiver is drinking the koolaid. Only one of our backs is a proven reliable receiver.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

felix nor choice are good receiving back, as a matter of fact, they both suck at it.

It's why Barber is better than both of them.

anyone who says felix is a decent receiver is drinking the koolaid. Only one of our backs is a proven reliable receiver.

Holy crap. Where do you people come up with this stuff? LOL, Wow.

 

[Mansta54]

Holy crap. Where do you people come up with this stuff? LOL, Wow.

Maaaan, I thought the exact same thing when I read that and didn't even bother to comment. It is amazing though, isn't it?

 

[jobberone]

Maaaan, I thought the exact same thing when I read that and didn't even bother to comment. It is amazing though, isn't it?

It's often the same cast, too. I'm amazed that I'm not desensitized by now.

 

[CATCH17]

I'm at the "show me" stage on this issue as well.

 

[28 Joker]

Well, it's hard to show you when you are standing on the sidelines, especially on third down. The Cowboys don't throw the ball to him very much. He hasn't been a priority in the passing game. Pulling Felix Jones off the field on third down isn't smart, imso. 3rd down is money time.

Felix made a spectacular 30 yard play, in the Eagles playoff game, on a little short pass to him. The play came on first down. You have to make an effort to get him the ball, via the pass.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

And we're still in the show me stage of waiting to see Tim write a quality article. I've essentially lost faith in that ever happening.

 

[links18]

Choice has made multiple tough catches downfield. Why would anyone say he sucks as a receiver?

 

[goshan]

I agree Felix hasn't looked like a good RCVR in the past. He doesn't look fluid in the routes or look to have a natural ability to make ball adjustments.

Choice looks decent to me though.

 

[percyhoward]

2009
Pass Routes/Targets/Catches
Barber 212/36/26 8.5 0 TD
Choice 116/22/15 8.8 0 TD
Felix 90/22/19 6.3 0 TD

Only 5 targets per game, and not 1 TD reception all year from the backs.

 

[ConstantReboot]

Felix can quite possibly catch the ball if you let him. Problem is that Garrett does not know how to utilize him. Our off coordinator would rather put in the Wild Cat play rather than allow Felix to do his thing.

 

[28 Joker]

2009
Pass Routes/Targets/Catches
Barber 212/36/26 8.5 0 TD
Choice 116/22/15 8.8 0 TD
Felix 90/22/19 6.3 0 TD

Only 5 targets per game, and not 1 TD reception all year from the backs.

Felix was only targeted 24.6% of the time.

Choice was targeted 28.5% of the time.

Barber was targeted 46.7% of the time.


The slowest player (Barber) received the bulk of the targets.

The fastest player and the most elusive player (Felix) had to share with Choice and Barber and received the lowest % of targets.

I don't think this is rocket science when you look at the numbers. I'm in SEC land. (By the way, if the Big Ten expands, the SEC is probably going to go after Texas and Texas A&M and Clemson and Virginia Tech or Florida State). If you want more points, throw it to the game breaker more. That is Felix Jones. Get the football to your best skill players. Our elite running back is too good to be in a three back rotation. Something has to give.

 

[Idgit]

Felix can quite possibly catch the ball if you let him. Problem is that Garrett does not know how to utilize him. Our off coordinator would rather put in the Wild Cat play rather than allow Felix to do his thing.

Exactly. Except for the part where your point is all bull****.

 

[JackMagist]

Felix was only targeted 24.6% of the time.

Choice was targeted 28.5% of the time.

Barber was targeted 46.7% of the time.


The slowest player (Barber) received the bulk of the targets.

The fastest player and the most elusive player (Felix) had to share with Choice and Barber and received the lowest % of targets.

I don't think this is rocket science when you look at the numbers. I'm in SEC land. (By the way, if the Big Ten expands, the SEC is probably going to go after Texas and Texas A&M and Clemson and Virginia Tech or Florida State). If you want more points, throw it to the game breaker more. That is Felix Jones. Get the football to your best skill players. Our elite running back is too good to be in a three back rotation. Something has to give.

Are you reading the same stats that I am?

Barber had 36 targets out of 212 routes for a %17 target ratio and made a catch 72% of the times that he was targeted

Choice had 22 targets out of 116 routes for an %18 target ratio and made a catch 68% of the times that he was targeted.

Felix had 22 targets out of 90 routes for a %24 target ratio and made a catch 86% of the times that he was targeted (far and away the best percentage in both catagories).

From these stats it is clear that Felix is the best receiver of the RB trio. Yet he had the fewest opportunities of any of them.

BTW If the fourth number is the yards per catch number (the poster did not specify) then Felix did have the lowest production in that catagory (thus belying your gamebreaker point). I dare say that it was probably because he started the season injured and wore a brace a good portion of the season. Lets see how he does at full speed and the coaches trusting him enough to put him out on more routes.

 

[tyke1doe]

Felix can quite possibly catch the ball if you let him. Problem is that Garrett does not know how to utilize him. Our off coordinator would rather put in the Wild Cat play rather than allow Felix to do his thing.

How can people say Felix isn't a good pass catcher out the backfield when he hasn't received that many balls?

 

[links18]

Felix can quite possibly catch the ball if you let him. Problem is that Garrett does not know how to utilize him. Our off coordinator would rather put in the Wild Cat play rather than allow Felix to do his thing.

AH, some Garrett negativity. It's been awhile.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

News flash: The Cowboys have too many receiving weapons as it is and only one football to go around. It would be pound foolish to expose Felix to hits in the flat. Just screwy.

Felix be the running threat.
Austin/Bryant/Ogle/Witten/Phillips be the aerial circus.