Julius Jones Comparisons?

[Champsheart]

I really fell in love with watching Julius Jones run last year. I have all the games taped, and have gone back to watch them over and over again this off-season, with a paticular eye on Julius.

I really think it is hard to compare him to anyone, and I have loved to watch all the great runners since I knew what football was.

Don't get me wrong there are times he reminds me of certain runners, but never one all of the time. I think that is why it is so fun to watch him.

At times I saw him make moves in the backfield, and make guys miss like Barry Sanders with side steps and quick cuts. Not as quick as Barry, but still impressive.

I have seen a couple of runs that I swear I was watching Emmitt Smith running in between the tackles. His stature is so similar, and when he runs with patience and sets up a Larry Allen block you can just switch the 21 with 22 and you would never know.

Other times I saw some LT in him, and even a little Dorsett with his speed to hit the corner.

While these are all great backs, Julius is not on that level yet. He has to do this over a period of time, and no doubt I am his biggest supporter and hope he does.

This I do know! He is fun to watch, and no question he has the physical skills. The question is does he have the heart and body the great ones do. Only time will tell. But he has a great guy in Parcells to show him the ropes, and I really hope Emmitt starts spending a lot of time with him, especially in working with his body and recovery.

If he shows us what he showed last year for the next few years, no question there will really be no one to compare him to. He is just a very unique runner.

 

[JDSmith]

Ok did you actually read my post or did you just wanted to be the first to try and respond with something witty?

Please show me where I ever said anything about Ricky Blake, I think you are confusing Blake with Bell.

I said in my post that JJ didn't really remind me of any of those guys, I was merely making a point that those guys all had at least 1 good season and then faded away. JJ does show some great abilities, but I want to see him stay healthy and I want to see him play great in more than 3 games before I utter his name in the same breath with guys like Dorsett, Thurman Thomas or Curtis Martin. That's my point, he showed off some great abilities last season, but hey remember Timmy Smith?

He showed great ability, that's all you can ask of a guy when he gets his chance. As for uttering his name in the same breath with greats, you don't make favorable comparisons to guys if they aren't great. If you don't feel comfortable comparing him to greats, then simply don't post in the thread. Ignore if it you feel he's not worthy. Every one of those greats was compared to another great early in their careers. It's human nature, everyone does it, even Parcells. Everyone here wants to see Julius do more, but it's no knock on any of those great players to say he's similar in style to them. And that's what everyone here did, until you came along just to show you could throw out names of guys who didn't pan out. But you didn't even bother to name guys who actually ran or performed like Julius. You simply wanted to **** on the thread.

 

[wxcpo]

He showed great ability, that's all you can ask of a guy when he gets his chance. As for uttering his name in the same breath with greats, you don't make favorable comparisons to guys if they aren't great. If you don't feel comfortable comparing him to greats, then simply don't post in the thread. Ignore if it you feel he's not worthy. Every one of those greats was compared to another great early in their careers. It's human nature, everyone does it, even Parcells. Everyone here wants to see Julius do more, but it's no knock on any of those great players to say he's similar in style to them. And that's what everyone here did, until you came along just to show you could throw out names of guys who didn't pan out. But you didn't even bother to name guys who actually ran or performed like Julius. You simply wanted to **** on the thread.

No I simply stated a different opinion. Are you saying that unless you agree with everyone else simply don't post? The point of a topic is to discuss said topic is it not? The thread topic is Julius Jones comparisions and my opinion is until he shows me he can stay healthy for more than 8 games and can play great in more than 3 games I don't compare him to anyone but himself.

If the Skins or Eagles had drafted Jones and had the same results as he did with us and they were comparing him to Dorsett, Thurman Thomas, Curtis Martin, Emmitt or LT we'd laugh at them and call them idiots.

Sorry if I have a different opinion than yours, but hey we both agree that he does show great ability.

 

[lane]

julius is emmitt with speed

 

[Roughneck]

julius is emmitt with speed

Dude, did you actually just say that?

 

[Nors]

Julius is Emmitt Smith with Dorsetts speed.

Jones has a LONG, LONG way to go to equal Smiths durability and longevity. Thats what made him truly special. Lets see Jones play 16 games, year after year.

 

[JDSmith]

No I simply stated a different opinion. Are you saying that unless you agree with everyone else simply don't post? The point of a topic is to discuss said topic is it not? The thread topic is Julius Jones comparisions and my opinion is until he shows me he can stay healthy for more than 8 games and can play great in more than 3 games I don't compare him to anyone but himself.

If the Skins or Eagles had drafted Jones and had the same results as he did with us and they were comparing him to Dorsett, Thurman Thomas, Curtis Martin, Emmitt or LT we'd laugh at them and call them idiots.

Sorry if I have a different opinion than yours, but hey we both agree that he does show great ability.

No, my point was not that you disagreed. It's that you didn't even bother to make a comparison. Show me a guy who was a bust and had a similar style or showed similar ability and that's one thing. Listing guys who were busts simply for the sake of listing them is another.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

This is a comparison of how JJ looks presently, hard to predict any durability issues right now. Some of you seem to be caught up in those backs were better for longer and such, and while that is true, there is just no reason to argue about that. What can be argued is who he appears to run like right now. Time will tell the rest.

Emmitt and Thurman are good comparisons to me, Emmitt is quite similar cause their body types look so similar.

 

[Qwickdraw]

I think Ahaman Green is a good comparison.

 

[wxcpo]

No, my point was not that you disagreed. It's that you didn't even bother to make a comparison. Show me a guy who was a bust and had a similar style or showed similar ability and that's one thing. Listing guys who were busts simply for the sake of listing them is another.

I wasn't listing them just to list them, I was listing them to make a point. That point, which is lost to most, is there have been several backs through the years that have come in and flashed some great abilities for 1 season and then vanished.

I want to see Julius show those abilities for more than half a season before I'd say he's anything more than Julius. He was a kid who at times ran great in college, but had durability issues and at this point in his NFL career is no different. There is a reason he lasted until round 2, he wasn't compared to Dorsett or Curtis or Thurman or even close to Emmitt coming out of school and after only 8 games of his NFL career he doesn't remind me of any of those guys.

At this point he gives us all hope for a very bright future and looks to be another great back to add to our stable of historically great RBs. Until he proves it for an entire season though I don't place him in such lofty comparisions.

 

[ravidubey]

He was a power back with sprinter's speed. I disagree he was a poor match with the OL we had then, in fact, it was probably perfect for him. With that same line his first two years, his yards per carry were better than Dorsett's, and in his thrid year he had over 1500 yards rushing. Hardly a poor fit.

Our OL became bigger and less athletic each year after 1986. Walker had over 1500 yards rushing in 1988, and it was more of a testament to his ability than to the blocking abilities of the OL. He had to fight for every yard unless he found a hole and broke a long run. Look at his stats game by game, and you'll rarely find 100 yard performances-- mostly in the 90's and very few TDs. This is because of the reasons I described earlier, they just weren't the right fit. Turning it around, Walker was bad for the OL, because they had to blast a clean hole as the play was designed and they weren't that confident or powerful an OL yet. There was little chance of a cutback somewhere else, so there was little reward for blocking away from the play. When Emmitt arrived, the OL grew in confidence because they were rewarded for holding their blocks, even when blocking away from where the play was designed to go. Emmitt would find ways to make them look good, and so they were inspired to play better.

Dorsett's top end speed was faster, but I think Julius is just as fast to the corner. Look at a couple of the highlights, there are several plays where you think there is no way that he is going to make the corner and he does. It is amazing. Dorsett was very good with the screen for sure.

Julius moves on a train track to the outside and gets to the corner with pure speed. He's not shifty-- what I mean is when he cuts he carries his speed and momentum with him which limits his change of direction. Though this obviously helps him run North-South, it limits his ability to avoid the arm tackles of linemen converging on him. Dorsett could accelerate to the outside using less space than anyone I've ever and still could cut with an agility that better allowed him to use his blockers if need be. Julius is fast ans stiff, Dorsett was fast and agile.

I don't think that is a great comparison. In fact, I can't compare the two at all. Allen was a long and lean guy more in the mold of Eric Dickerson. Emmitt was a slower version of Barry Sanders. But I think Emmitt was more effective that Sanders because took what was there. If the hole wasn't there, he was more likely to just try and pound his way forward. Sanders on the other hand would dance around, and most often lose yards, but every once and a while have one of those unbeleivable highlight runs. You know, it is really hard to pigeonhole Emmitt's style. To me, he was a one of a kind. The total was surely greater than the sum of the parts.

Read the post more carefully. I limit the comparison to the start and stop style both backs used. I don't recall other great backs having that quality. On the flip side, similarities between Emmitt and Barry end at height, vision, and maybe balance. Beyond that Barry was quick and agile and never met a cutback he didn't like. Barry used his agility to avoid defenders. Usually when someone got their hands on him he was down. Emmitt used power and "the bounce" to avoid defenders; he could run through arm tackles. Barry's goal was the highlight reel while Emmitt's goal was 6 points. I remember so many plays where Emmitt intentionally slowed down and accelerated again once a defender got his hands on him-- it had the effect of a bullet hitting Superman in the back. Barry didn't have that. Again like Marcus Allen, Emmitt was a force in the redzone and near the endzone where speed matters a lot less than guile and power. Barry's game was between the 20's and he was benched when the offense neared the endzone. I totally agree, though, Emmitt was one of a kind!

 

[THE*LAW]

Curtis Martin, Tomlinson, Dorsett...they are all good comparisons but for me when I watch Julius his running STYLE reminds me most of a combination of Bryant Westbrook and Emmitt. He has the deceptive quickness and agility of Westbrook and the vision and strength of Emmitt plus just like both he is able to make guys miss one on one or enter into a pile of swarming defenders and somehow emerge on the other side with positive yards. One other trait he posseses that I feel is inate and can't be taught is a nose for the endzone which both Smith and Westbrook both posses(ed). In the end I think I would lean more towards Westbrook just because of the "niftiness" variable, making guys miss with ankle breaking quickness.

One "also-ran" for me would be Jamal Lewis, once again simply because of how light on their toes they are and can cut and shift on a dime combined with some speed and power. In the long run though I feel Julius could "carry the load" much better than Lewis simply because of his great vision.

JMHO

- GO COWBOYS -

 

[Tristan]

Curt Warner, RB seattle (80's). His suttle cuts at full speed are what reminds me of Dorsett. His vision and balance are what remind me of Emmitt. His explosiveness reminds me of LT.

 

[ravidubey]

Curt Warner, RB seattle (80's). His suttle cuts at full speed are what reminds me of Dorsett. His vision and balance are what remind me of Emmitt. His explosiveness reminds me of LT.

He was amazing. The combo of Warner and John L. Williams gave Seattle an awesome 1-2 punch. Warner reminded me alot of a slightly larger Dorsett, though not quite the playmaker Tony was. Elway, Dickerson, and Warner topped the best draft class of all time.

What may have been the most special thing about Warner was the way he battled back from what was back then considered a career-ending knee injury. He came back and still performed at a very high level.

 

[Bizwah]

I think Jones has a lot of Priest Holmes in him. They're about the same size, and have the same type of speed. I do think Holmes has a bit more body control though.

 

[Billy Bullocks]

I dont know, Im not much for comparing players, but you can definately say he has that ''it'' factor when he plays.

I would see he has power, but Im not sure its as good as Emmitt's, and is also elusively fast, like Emmitt..JJ is probably alot faster though. He is also shifty like B. Sanders, but nowhere near what Sanders would do. The reason I see him being so succesful in the future is his combination of speed, quickness, and when needed, power. ANd I dont worry too much about him developing into a complete back, from what Ive read over at DC.com, hes already miles ahead of where he was last year, according to Parcells