Julius Jones has disappeared

[stealth]

I called julius jones a joke of a back last season and a one trick pony.Time has proven I was right. we shoulda traded him this last draft when he had some value.

 

[dwmyers]

Part of the problem here is that Barber is often running on 3rd down, and that pads his average and inflates his statistics.

Julius is in on *obvious running downs*. 1st and second, when Parcells runs automatically and religiously, and often faces 8 man fronts and run blitzes.

The thing is they're not entirely swappable. Barber is the better blocker. MBIII has had more success recently, but I don't think it's the time to throw Julius on the trash heap and play Barber exclusively. That would be beyond stupid.

Neither of these fellas are big guys. Keeping the carries split helps keep both healthy. For those who think otherwise, I'll refer you to the essay in Pro Football Prospectus 2006, pages 265-266, which talks about the 370 carry theory.

David.

 

[AbeBeta]

To be fair -- Bill was resting JJ for a few of those games.

And those super games he had earlier in his career? Most involved getting a TON of carries - Bill made it clear this year that he wanted to limit JJ to 20 a game.

Barber is playing very very well. But I'm not writing Julius off. If he got 40 or so of MBIII's carries against tired, arm-tackling defenses, we'd be saying "wow, Julius is going to hit 1500 yards this year! what a great pick!"

 

[Funxva]

Jones is one of those backs that needs to get in a rythym. He needs a lot of carries. I think he will change his game in the offseason. He is trying very hard not to get injured, I believe. Remember everyone, he has yet to complete a season healthy, give him some time, this is new territory for him, he's gotta be worried some when he runs.

Barber, having never been injured badly while here, is still running like he is invicible. Which is what a back needs to do. Julius will get it back, don't worry.

 

[stealth]

I am sorry but a guy that would rather run into his own lineman than the hole isn't just trying not to get injured. There really isn't an excuse for some of the crap he does.

 

[YosemiteSam]

maybe it's just that when the holes are scarce, it is better to use Barber more in games where the defensive line is allowing only tough yards and in games where the OL can open big enough holes, then it is better to use JJ more, since he can break longer runs

It's the NFL. Most of the time holes in the line will be scarce. If you needed huge holes to run the ball, then Jones isn't your back. We should just sign someone like Maurice Greene who ran 60 meters in 6.39 seconds. Or we could get Ben Johnson who (on steroids) ran the 100 meters in 9.79 seconds. Give him a hole and no one would ever catch him. (if steriods use was legal anyhow )

Of course baring the injury, I think Bo Jackson was the best running back ever. He had the whole ball of wax. Vision, jukes, quickness, and the fastest 40 yard dash ever recorded in MLB. 4.12 and 4.17. (Not sure about the NFL, but Darrell Green only had a 4.2 40. (heh I said *only*)

 

[chinch]

i thought Tuna abandoned the run a bit, as he did after putting romo in game-1 vs NYG. too much passing early on in both Giants games.