FWST Blog: More of Choice Coming

[WoodysGirl]

November 21, 2008
More of Choice Coming

Rookie running back Tashard Choice became a focal point on Friday for the media, mostly because Felix Jones has been shelved for the season with a torn ligament in his "great" toe. Choice was pretty honest when he said it's no different than the previous month. The Cowboys haven't had Jones since Oct. 12 when he hurt his hamstring.

The point is, if the Cowboys wanted to use Choice they would have done it already. But his workload remains spotty, at best.

Expect the Cowboys to use a little bit more of Choice on Sunday and beyond, just not much. He's gained 72 yards on 13 carries this season for an average of 5.5 yards per rush. The problem is he's the same type of runner as Marion Barber. They are both effective between the tackles, but neither possess the stupid speed as Felix Jones. Speed put Felix Jones on the field.

"We're all different," Choice said. "Felix jumps out with his speed and big play. I'm a little different. I just make plays. You'll just have to see."

The reason Choice will see the field now is mostly to give Barber a rest. The Cowboys think he can go the whole game, every game. So this running-by-committee stuff applies when the runner brings something different than the starter, which apparently Choice doesn't.

Doesn't mean Choice can't play, just means he's the same guy as The Guy.

- Mac Engel

Posted at 02:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

 

[Rampage]

Garrett sucks so i'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Dallas]

I understand that he is a rookie and all, but not playing Choice is just STUPID. He has shown he can get some yards.

Give the kid 4-5 carries / game. Now we find ourselves in a situation where we have to depend on him to spell Barber. He should have been doing it all along while Felix was out.

I got faith in Choice. I love him in college and I love what he has shown so far.

 

[Smith22]

I understand that he is a rookie and all, but not playing Choice is just STUPID. He has shown he can get some yards.

Give the kid 4-5 carries / game. Now we find ourselves in a situation where we have to depend on him to spell Barber. He should have been doing it all along while Felix was out.

I got faith in Choice. I love him in college and I love what he has shown so far.

Put me in this boat. If they have a certain reason for not playing him, I would love to hear what it is. Blocking? What exactly?

 

[Idgit]

I understand that he is a rookie and all, but not playing Choice is just STUPID. He has shown he can get some yards.

Give the kid 4-5 carries / game. Now we find ourselves in a situation where we have to depend on him to spell Barber. He should have been doing it all along while Felix was out.

I got faith in Choice. I love him in college and I love what he has shown so far.

I can see leaning on Barber while you thought Felix was going to be out for just a few weeks. He's such a good player, why take him off the field if you're not ultimately worried about him wearing down. Now that he's got to pull the load the whole year, I can also see dialing his carries back down, even if the net effect is that you're giving carries to a runner with similar skills.

Either way, I think Choice will be a heck of a replacement RB for us.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I understand that he is a rookie and all, but not playing Choice is just STUPID. He has shown he can get some yards.

Give the kid 4-5 carries / game. Now we find ourselves in a situation where we have to depend on him to spell Barber. He should have been doing it all along while Felix was out.

I got faith in Choice. I love him in college and I love what he has shown so far.

^^^THIS^^^

Even if he is does not pan out, we need to give Barber a breather now and then.

 

[jobberone]

Choice is either not picking up the blitz properly, not blocking well, not recognizing when to get out of the backfield, not remembering plays well, or not running and/or catching well enough. Running backs don't just run with the ball and even then they must recognize when to improvise yada yada.

Felix was getting some touches for obvious reasons. Choice is not. There is or are reasons for it besides 'Garrett is stupid'.

 

[Dallas]

^^^THIS^^^

Even if he is does not pan out, we need to give Barber a breather now and then.

I hope they start Choice early in the game to spell Barber. I would rather see Barber closing the game out in style than being just gassed because he had to carry the load the entire 1st half.

I just don't have a lot of faith in our coaches atm regarding this situation.

They are so focused on trying to fix the passing game that the running game isn't getting the same attention.

The OL has ALSO got to flippin do it's job. If they can do that. I think we will be fine.

 

[Rampage]

Choice is either not picking up the blitz properly, not blocking well, not recognizing when to get out of the backfield, not remembering plays well, or not running and/or catching well enough. Running backs don't just run with the ball and even then they must recognize when to improvise yada yada.

Felix was getting some touches for obvious reasons. Choice is not. There is or are reasons for it besides 'Garrett is stupid'.

Gareett didn't give Felix 1 carry in the 1st Commanders game. he's not a good OC.

 

[Doomsday101]

I hope they start Choice early in the game to spell Barber. I would rather see Barber closing the game out in style than being just gassed because he had to carry the load the entire 1st half.

I just don't have a lot of faith in our coaches atm regarding this situation.

They are so focused on trying to fix the passing game that the running game isn't getting the same attention.

The OL has ALSO got to flippin do it's job. If they can do that. I think we will be fine.

Barber looked stronger in the 4th aginst the 4th best run defense last week than he did in the 1st qrt. Who is to say Barber can't carry the load? I would like to see Choice get some time but I think Barber can handle the job and is not getting gassed

 

[ABQcowboyJR]

I would love to see more choice. Don't think it will happen though. Thats how smart our coaching staff is.

 

[Doomsday101]

I would love to see more choice. Don't think it will happen though. Thats how smart our coaching staff is.

Your right they see a guy doing the job and are smart enough to let him to it.

 

[Eskimo]

Choice is either not picking up the blitz properly, not blocking well, not recognizing when to get out of the backfield, not remembering plays well, or not running and/or catching well enough. Running backs don't just run with the ball and even then they must recognize when to improvise yada yada.

Felix was getting some touches for obvious reasons. Choice is not. There is or are reasons for it besides 'Garrett is stupid'.

Jobber, I think Garrett is just averse to playing young guys. He almost always prefers to go with a vet - it is just his way. He really values experience. Look at how he kept on marching out a one-armed Flo, or how about the underuse of Felix and Bennett.

Maybe we'll see a bit more of Choice, but I honestly doubt he carries the ball more than 5 times in any non-blowout.

 

[lwehlers]

i really do not understand the problem. barber is an every down back to me. he is being paid like one so i do not see a problem with him carrying the ball twenty plus times and catching about five passes a game. just because we have another rb does not mean we have to use him. barber has proven to me he can handle anything that thrown at him. we only have six games left hopefully more so we need everything that barber has left him the remainder of the season.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Even if he's the same type of runner as Marion he appears to be at least a step faster, and quicker, when he does get the ball. So give him 8-10 carries to help out Marion.

 

[Smith22]

i really do not understand the problem. barber is an every down back to me. he is being paid like one so i do not see a problem with him carrying the ball twenty plus times and catching about five passes a game. just because we have another rb does not mean we have to use him. barber has proven to me he can handle anything that thrown at him. we only have six games left hopefully more so we need everything that barber has left him the remainder of the season.

16 games is a long season.

Did you see the stat during the skins game of how drastically (for the worse) Barber's YPC have changed in the 4th quarter? I think they said last year he was like number 1, this year he is like #30.

Giving him a rest here and there and finding out what you have in Choice couldn't hurt could it? Like I said, if Choice is struggling in practice with something, come out and say so.

 

[ABQcowboyJR]

i really do not understand the problem. barber is an every down back to me. he is being paid like one so i do not see a problem with him carrying the ball twenty plus times and catching about five passes a game. just because we have another rb does not mean we have to use him. barber has proven to me he can handle anything that thrown at him. we only have six games left hopefully more so we need everything that barber has left him the remainder of the season.

Because we want him to be healthy for those big games down the road. I would have no problem letting Barber carry the load all season long if I thought he could stay healthy. I have never thought Barber could and I don't want to see him get hurt and then be stuck with only Choice.

 

[lwehlers]

the numbers do not matter to me now wins do. this time of the season and what we have at stake is not the time to see if some rookie can play. we need the best players on the field for four quaters. if that means barber has to play a whole game then that is what it takes to win and make the playoffs. one bad play by a rookie will lose a game. we have choice for three more years so there is plenty of time to see if can play. thats just my opinion.

 

[Doomsday101]

the numbers do not matter to me now wins do. this time of the season and what we have at stake is not the time to see if some rookie can play. we need the best players on the field for four quaters. if that means barber has to play a whole game then that is what it takes to win and make the playoffs. one bad play by a rookie will lose a game. we have choice for three more years so there is plenty of time to see if can play. thats just my opinion.

I agree with you. I have no problem with Choice getting into the game but by and large Barber the man and If I'm Garrett like you said I'm going with the best players I have.

 

[SPECTRE3.16]

If MBIII is a punisher and wears defences down and Choice is the same type of runner. Would this be to our benefit?