ESPN: Scouts: On the hot seat: Felix Jones

[Stautner]

You are aware that while the running game from all runners where not so great, Felix did quadrupled his receiving numbers last year. (though 71 of the 450 yards did come on one play)

I like what Felix is doing. The running game definitely needs help up front. This is a big reason I really want the Cowboys to take Smith at #9 and maybe Wisniewski in the second. We could replace the whole right side of our line on the first day of the draft.

Maybe grab Kendrick Ellis in the 3rd which would allow Ratliff to move around from NT to DE at times with Josh and Ellis to cover the NT position.

I like.

I haven't done a mock draft. Usually don't, but I will go with that for the first three rounds.

nyc's first three round mock

1. Tyron Smith
2. Stefen Wisniewski
3. Kendrick Ellis

Yeah, I'm aware that Felix's receiving nuimbers picked up, and that's great, but until the running numbers are the key to whether he is considered a success or not. There are lots of receiving specialists coming out of the backfield, but a limit to top end RB's. That's what we have to find out if Felix can be.

 

[Fletch]

Felix, like alot of RBs that have been entering the league for the past decade or so, is one of this " see a hole, hit it " Denver zone blocking style back. Nothing wrong with that at all, but they don't have the vision that an Emmitt Smith had, or Barry Sanders, or " Sweetness ", or Tony D, or many of the old school RBs. Those guys would set up defenses throught the game. They would treat each match up as a chess game, buying their time with each run in order to set up their move.. OF course, it doesn't help that offenses have changed more towards that style too, inadvertently or not, as they've favor the pass more than the run, especially in highschool and colleges.

That's why it's common to say that RBs are found anywhere in any round, which is true for every position, but more so for them than the others. They, basically, all have the same style with the speed being the biggest difference.

I think Felix has all the vision in the world. Our O-line stunk plain and simple. Our O-line has stunk for quite some time. If we can get better blocking, the confidence and vision that some think he lacks will be there.

 

[Randy White]

I think Felix has all the vision in the world..

No, he doesn't. That's one of his weakness and, again, he's not alone since many others are pretty much the same way. Vision it's not just " seeing a hole " and hitting it. It's actually visualising openings before they happen and letting the instincts take over once they're in the 2nd line of defense.

Felix is the type of back who needs a small break and could make a 60 yards TD run at the blink of an eye, but if you take his whole body of work through an entire game, you'll see he doesn't have that " entire field " picture that others in the past had.

 

[Stautner]

I think Felix has all the vision in the world. Our O-line stunk plain and simple. Our O-line has stunk for quite some time. If we can get better blocking, the confidence and vision that some think he lacks will be there.

I don't hink we can say that by a long shot at this point. Some guys have the ability to see even the tiniest sliver and can find a way to get through a seeming wall of defenders to gain a yard or two or maybe even a sizeable gain. I'm not so sure Felix has that.

Nevertheless, we know there are O-line repairs to be made, and we know Felix has to get the ball a little more consistently, and only then will we really know.

 

[Parche]

IF we release barber... then we surely could be drafting someone in the RB position... What do you think?

EDIT: Wow, what happened with my signature? :O

 

[Stautner]

IF we release barber... then we surely could be drafting someone in the RB position... What do you think?

I would assume so, but probably not until at least 4th round on.

Hard to say though - the team has clearly had some reservations about using Felix too much, so they may value a RB in the draft more than we know.

 

[percyhoward]

No one ran good behind the line, so how does that put Felix on the hot seat?? I could understand if Choice or Barber were running well, and Felix wasn't. But that isn't the case.

Career avg Prior to 2010:
Jones 6.5
Barber 4.3
Choice 5.3

2010:
Jones 4.3
Barber 3.3
Choice 3.7

2010 Drop-off below Career Avg
Jones 34%
Barber 23%
Choice 30%

Williamson rated all of the lines in the NFCE in an "ESPN Insider" article 10 days ago. If I were an "Insider," I'd be privy to this classified information explaining how a very good run-blocking line let all three backs' averages fall off a cliff at the same time.

 

[28 Joker]

Career avg Prior to 2010:
Jones 6.5
Barber 4.3
Choice 5.3

2010:
Jones 4.3
Barber 3.3
Choice 3.7

2010 Drop-off below Career Avg
Jones 34%
Barber 23%
Choice 30%

Williamson rated all of the lines in the NFCE in an "ESPN Insider" article 10 days ago. If I were an "Insider," I'd be privy to this classified information explaining how a very good run-blocking line let all three backs' averages fall off a cliff at the same time.

Great post. The numbers say a whole lot. You have to love the voo doo theories, not backed by any evidence. You have to love all the ignoring of evidence.

There is nothing wrong with Felix's vision. He has great vision, and the Cowboys talked about his vision when they drafted him. Tony Dorsett stated that it is tough to get in a flow when you are always coming in and out of a game. Dorsett stated that you needed to see how defenses reacted to certain plays. Yet, Felix put up eye-popping YPC numbers at Arkansas and Dallas.

Felix averaged 7.66 YPC at Arkansas and finished 9th in total yards (SEC/2000-2009) despite not being in the top 20 in rushing attempts. Jones has shared the football with two players and three players at Dallas and look at his YPC coming into the 2010 season (6.5 YPC). Felix sure must be seeing something, because he has run all over people despite not touching the football nearly enough.

Jones couldn't trust his right side to block or hold a block; they were horrible in the first half, as was the run blocking as a whole.

The Cowboys couldn't block Jason Garrett's bread and butter play to get Felix into space and to the outside (the designed cutback, counter runs). Those plays are run out of heavy run sets or two TEs. Look at Felix's YPC in those run or heavy sets in 2010 and compare them to 2009 or 2008 (Two TE). Percy had some good stats up.

The tapes of the games will show you this. The Bears game exposed Dallas' offensive line, especially the inability to block cutback counters for Felix. Teams knew that Dallas' right side was inept and was weak, especially the good run defenses.

 

[28 Joker]

Career avg Prior to 2010:
Jones 6.5
Barber 4.3
Choice 5.3

2010:
Jones 4.3
Barber 3.3
Choice 3.7

2010 Drop-off below Career Avg
Jones 34%
Barber 23%
Choice 30%

Williamson rated all of the lines in the NFCE in an "ESPN Insider" article 10 days ago. If I were an "Insider," I'd be privy to this classified information explaining how a very good run-blocking line let all three backs' averages fall off a cliff at the same time.

Percy, if you get time, look for Felix's YPC out of two TE sets in 2008, 2009, and 2010. I am going to look back at your post and try to find them.

All 6 of Felix's longest runs (5 of them outside runs) came out of two TE sets and 5 out of 6 were cutback counters which which have designed cutbacks to get Felix in space and to the outside. Felix's longest runs in Dallas: 60, 56, 40, 46, 49, and 73

Felix Jones has great vision, especially in the open field where he is so dangerous. Look back at some of his Arkansas scouting reports.

 

[28 Joker]

I found it.

Percy has Felix at 3.7 YPC out of 2 TE sets in 2010.

That number is going to sky rocket in 2008 and 2009, because that is the set where Felix has gone yard during his 3 years in Dallas.

Felix averaged 4.44 YPC during the second half of the season in 2010.

The long runs will return when this offensive line is addressed properly through the draft and the fullback position is addressed.

Dallas already knew that Felix Jones was a great outside space runner, and Jason Garrett is on the record about how Jones proved to some people (in 2010) that he could be an inside runner and an every down back. Garrett has stated that Jones had an outstanding season for Dallas. Garrett knows how very poorly his bread and butter play for Felix was blocked this year, and he knows that for the most part, Dallas was relegated to running to the left and between the A gaps.

 

[28 Joker]

Felix ran for 6.9 YPC out of 2 TE sets in 2009.

Compare that number to the 3.7 YPC in 2010 out of 2 TE sets.

The Cowboys couldn't block the cutback counters for Felix in 2010. The blocking on those plays was horrible just about all season.

Felix ran very good inside; it was Dallas' inability to get Jones in space and get him to the outside and give him the line of scrimmage on Garrett's designed cutback counters that hurt Felix's YPC. Those designed outside runs were not blocked like they were in 2008 and 2009. Go back and watch the plays and the games in 2010 and compare them to Felix's longest runs in 2008 and 2009. Plus, Felix had to play with a shrunken field against the good run defenses, because the right side was inept. Dallas couldn't even block one of the only cutback counters for Felix against the Colts. Garrett knew it, and that is why he hardly called one against the Colts. (see Colombo on the ground while his guy tackles Felix 5 yards in the backfield, in the Colts game). The guy is on Felix before Jones can square his shoulders.

 

[28 Joker]

Felix Jones Two TE Sets:


2008: 8.3 YPC
2009: 6.9 YPC
2010: 3.7 YPC

 

[5mics]

http://i.imgur.com/Lbomp.gif

that is a hilarious response to "but they are a very good run-blocking unit."!!!

 

[Big D]

http://i.imgur.com/Lbomp.gif

 

[28 Joker]

Bob Sturm has all 5 of Felix Jones' longest runs of 2009 in one place. If you go back and see Jones' 60 yard TD against the Packers in 2008, you will see 2 TEs on the field, too.

Go look at them and tell me one time (duirng 2010) when Felix Jones had the room to operate like he has on these 5 explosive plays. Note how the 49 yard TD against the Eagles comes when Dallas shows power o to the right, a counter run. However, Garrett crosses the Eagles up and Felix just keeps going to the left and takes the pitch to the house. Then, the 73 yard TD (the Cowboys playoff record) comes when Dallas shows power 0 again, and Felix runs the counter to the right and takes it to the house. This year, Dallas' right side made them one dimensional, especially against the good rush defenses or fast teams like the Colts.

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***/archives/2010/10/bob-sturms-decoding-jason-garr-2.html

The 40 yard run against Carolina comes out of 12 personnel, but both Witten and Bennett are on the field. Witten is the fullback. Jones' YPC in 1 TE sets (for 2009) was 5.8 YPC, with the long of 40. I don't have Jones' YPC in 1 TE sets for 2010. The run was still a designed cutback counter run for Jones, the bread and butter run that the Cowboys couldn't block in 2010. "Couldn't block" this year is being nice, too. It was blocked terrible, and the Bears exposed Dallas' offensive line on these counter runs.

 

[KJJ]

Mar 1
1:00
PM CT

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By Matt Williamson, Scouts Inc.


Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson looks at NFC East players who must improve in 2011.

The Cowboys' offensive line gets scrutinized quite a bit, and there could be several prominent changes up front, but they are a very good run-blocking unit. Few teams have receiving weaponry like Dallas. Tony Romo will be back, Dez Bryant is on the cusp of stardom, and the Cowboys have elite pass-catchers in Jason Witten and Miles Austin.

Felix Jones certainly isn’t a bad player, but he is loaded with talent and if he played up to that ability, this offense could be as good as any in the league. Jones added weight before the 2010 season, and that might have been a mistake. He didn’t look as explosive, and the long runs didn’t come with as much frequency.

Read more: http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4678514/on-the-hot-seat-felix-jones

He thinks the Cowboys are a very good run blocking unit?

He might try watching the team before giving an opinion.

 

[TD-33]

Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson looks at NFC North players who must improve in 2011.

The Vikings' offensive line gets scrutinized quite a bit, and there could be several prominent changes up front, but they are a very good run-blocking unit. Few teams have receiving weaponry like Minnesota. Brett Favre won't be back, Sidney Rice is on the cusp of stardom, and the Vikings have elite pass-catchers in Visanthe Shiancoe and Percy Harvin.
Adrian Peterson certainly isn’t a bad player, but he is loaded with talent and if he played up to that ability, this offense could be as good as any in the league. Peterson hasn't matched that 2008 season, and may never again. He didn’t look as explosive, and the long runs didn’t come with as much frequency.

Read more:www.lol-I-can-spel-2

 

[28 Joker]

The voo doo assault on Felix Jones, by some in the Dallas media or Cowboys media, has been exposed for what it is. Poof... I bet some of those people pull out their Felix Jones voo doo dolls before they write and poke his eyes in order to proclaim that Jones "lacks vision". They probably twist his legs and proclaim "he has no elusive ability".

Exposed or not, facts or not, it will not stop some in the agenda driven Dallas media or some in the Tashard Choice fan club (who have some charter members in the media).

Felix Jones stated in an interview, in early to mid October, that his extra four pounds of upper body muscle was gone. Jones stated in this October interview that he was back down to 215 and averaged 216 in 2009. Felix Jones current weight is 210, and that is lighter than his 2009 playing weight.

Felix Jones' best rushing game came in October, where he rushed for 109 yards on 15 carries and tallied 126 total yards. His long run came in that game, a 34 yard run where he made two guys miss before he turned the corner.

The voo doo analysts also ignore the fact that Felix Jones tallied single digit carries in 6 of his first 8 games. His first double digit game (15 rushes) was his best rushing total, in early October.

The voo doo analysts also ignore the fact that in 5 of the first 8 games, there was literally no where for Felix Jones to run. There were no holes in the Bears, Vikings, Giants, Jaguars, and Packers games. Those games will make you want to draft 3 straight offensive linemen. Perhaps, if the voo doo analysts would put down the Felix Jones voo doo dolls and go back and look at these games, this would break the voo doo spell that clouds their judgment. Some how, I doubt it.

In the 3 games that provided some running room (from the first 8 games), Jones tallied single digit carries in two of them and ran for 38 and 43 yards on 8 and 7 carries. Dallas attacked Washington between the tackles with some success, but not good enough to bust out long runs.

Go back and watch the Houston game and see Felix Jones see the home run to his right and head that way; however, Leonard Davis doesn't hold his block. As a result, Jones sees this and cuts it back to his left for 14 yards. That was a for sure long TD. Miles Austin had a needless hold that wiped out a 32 or 34 yard screen play by Jones in that Houston game.

Felix's line against the Bears was 7-7, and Jones had no shot that day to run the football. The Bears dominated Dallas up front when Dallas tried to run Jones and get him outside and exposed Dallas' offensive line. NFL Network documented this beat down and zeroed in on Dallas' pathetic run blocking.

Mike Lombardi (NFL Network) stated (during the first half of the year) that Dallas couldn't run the football due to the fact that their offensive line had deteriorated.

Lombardi doesn't practice voo doo reporting. He looks at the tape.

 

[28 Joker]

Here are Felix Jones' second half numbers (with Garrett as head coach). Perhaps some of the voo doo analysts in the Dallas media and some in the Cowboys media can stick these stats in their Felix Jones voo doo doll.


During the last 8 games, Felix Jones touched the football 136 times (58.3% of his total touches) and put up 791 total yards ( 63.2% of his total yards) and 2 TDs. He averaged 5.81 yards per touch and averaged 17 touches per game. Furthermore, Jones averaged 99 total yards per game.

During this 8 game span, Jones totaled 112 rushing attempts (60% of his total rushes), 498 rushing yards (62.2% of his total rushing yards/4.44 YPC), 24 receptions (51% of his receptions), and 293 receiving yards (65% of his receiving yards/12.2 YPC).

Yearly totals for Jones:

185-800-1 4.3 YPC Rush

48-450-1 9.4 YPC Receiving LG 71T (Longest pass play of year)

233-1250-2 5.36 YPT Total Yards LG 71T

Felix Jones' increased, consistent, very good production through the air and on the ground helped get Jason Garrett the Cowboys job. Jones just missed 1300 total yards by 50 yards, and he needed 50 receiving yards to get to 500. I think Kitna getting hurt cost him the 500 yard receiving mark. Garrett tried to get it for him, but the Eagles wouldn't allow the screens in the last game. Jones had a 32 or 34 yard screen called back, in Houston, due to a needless holding penalty.

Jones still rushed for 800 yards despite the Cowboys not being able to block Garrett's bread and butter play to get Jones in space and to the outside, the cutback counter. (Plus, Jones endured the above mentioned adversity in the first 8 games.)

Those numbers are very good when you consider the deteriorating state of the offensive line compared to last year, sharing carries three ways at times, and the fact that Jones had single digit rushes in 6 of the first 8 games, and the fact that Felix literally had no where to run in 5 of the first 8 games.

Jones tallied 8 straight double digit carry games in the final 8 games and averaged 14 carries per game.

Jones has shown the Cowboys that if they give him the football enough and give him some holes to run through and get him in space (run and pass) that he has the ability and durability to gain 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving. Jason Garrett had Felix Jones on a 1500 total yard pace in the second half of the season.

 

[braw]

Yearly totals for Jones:

185-800-1 4.3 YPC Rush

48-450-1 9.4 YPC Receiving LG 71T (Longest pass play of year)

233-1250-2 5.36 YPT Total Yards LG 71T

You spew his numbers like they are great....What is the use to get him all those touches and he gets all those all purpose yards to the tune of 12 points. In 2010 he scored 2 touchdowns ( 1 rushing and 1 rec).

Again 1250 yards produced 12 points :bang2: 9.4 ypc and 48 rec should at least get 4 tds and 800 yds rushing at least 5 tds.

So because he scored his only reception td on 71 yd play the rest of the 369 yds produced nothing on 47 receptions. While Dez with his 45 receptions scored 6 touchdowns and he had a 12.5 ypc and 561 yds and also scored 8 touchdowns as a rookie while felix scored 9 tiotal in 3 years.