Julius Jones Running Woes...

[Crown Royal]

I'm a big fan of both our running backs. Seriously. After watching Jones in his first TC, I was absolutely pumped. When we drafted MBIII, I wil thrilled. I think we have the possibility to have the absolute best running back rotation, excluding NOLA, of course.

That being said, I don't like the way Parcells rotates his RBs. He does it as far as series, as in, I'll spell Jones this series and put in MBIII. He doesn't feel the right moments to put the RBs in.

About 3-4 years ago, when Philly had a healthy Staley, Westbrook and Buckhalter, Reid masterfully knew when to spell his backs, what situation matched which back, etc.

I just don't think Parcells feels the offensive game during gameplay properly. He overgameplans and doesn't coach the offense on the cusp as much as I would like to see.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Screw The Hall]

I'm a big fan of both our running backs. Seriously. After watching Jones in his first TC, I was absolutely pumped. When we drafted MBIII, I wil thrilled. I think we have the possibility to have the absolute best running back rotation, excluding NOLA, of course.

That being said, I don't like the way Parcells rotates his RBs. He does it as far as series, as in, I'll spell Jones this series and put in MBIII. He doesn't feel the right moments to put the RBs in.

About 3-4 years ago, when Philly had a healthy Staley, Westbrook and Buckhalter, Reid masterfully knew when to spell his backs, what situation matched which back, etc.

I just don't think Parcells feels the offensive game during gameplay properly. He overgameplans and doesn't coach the offense on the cusp as much as I would like to see.

Just my 2 cents.

Great point. I agree with that analysis.

 

[burmafrd]

BP has said that he has never forgiven himself for over working Joe MOrris and shortening his career. I think that has never left him- and he will never make one back a workhorse. Which is not a bad thing in itself- with the size, stength and hitting power of todays defenders, you have to consider that.

 

[MONT17]

with BP age... I would think alot of that falls on the RB coach or the running game coach who also wears the title ASST. HEAD COACH!!!


I dont like JuJo but I do like his BIG GAMES... 1 or 2 a year I'm cool but lets get MB3 and TT the ball when JUJO style is not workin!!!

 

[sf49rh8r]

Any opinions on Thompson and his roll in the mix. The ultimate two keys in the Boys success this year in tackle to tackle. A healthy consistent offensive line it the main key. A cohesive unit that now can pull both guards and pass protect will not only make our pass game more lethal but it will make all of the backs look so much better. Whether it be JuJo or MBIII or TT or whoever. Skill positions on offense if we can keep them all healthy and happy (T.O.) will take of themselves. But it's the O-line that will take us to the promised land (see a ring for the other thumb)


9R H8R n Paradise

 

[Crown Royal]

BP has said that he has never forgiven himself for over working Joe MOrris and shortening his career. I think that has never left him- and he will never make one back a workhorse. Which is not a bad thing in itself- with the size, stength and hitting power of todays defenders, you have to consider that.

I concur - it is a tough commodity to find a RB tough enough to be used as an everydown back without giving him a breather.

But Parcells has got to learn that you can't go into a game determine to give RB A a spell and allow RB B to run during the second quarter in our second series. You have to determine "OK, right now this defense is keyed in on JJ's speed, we need to run right at their lighter DL with MBIII and wear them down for a second, and then when they start tightening their gaps, put Jones back in for a draw and catch them on their heels."

 

[Crown Royal]

Any opinions on Thompson and his roll in the mix. The ultimate two keys in the Boys success this year in tackle to tackle. A healthy consistent offensive line it the main key. A cohesive unit that now can pull both guards and pass protect will not only make our pass game more lethal but it will make all of the backs look so much better. Whether it be JuJo or MBIII or TT or whoever. Skill positions on offense if we can keep them all healthy and happy (T.O.) will take of themselves. But it's the O-line that will take us to the promised land (see a ring for the other thumb)


9R H8R n Paradise

Tyson Thompson is a ST player. He is not an NFL running back.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

What are your thoughts, on why exactly Julius slumped most of the year? Injury? Is it the Bledsoe effect? Is it lack of familiarity with the new pieces on the line?

What is it?

I do believe the injury hurt him a bit last year. I can't given any real scientific, concrete proof of this....but when he broke that big run in the 2nd Washington game he seemed a bit noticeably slower. Not completely slower, but just noticeable enough. The following week against Carolina, he started making the cuts that he used to make and had the speed.

He may have been timid as well. But one of my biggest gripes against Julius is that if you look back at his games, he seems to play to the level of his confidence. If he rattles off a couple of good runs early, he seems to do that all game long. But if he's getting stopped early, he doesn't do jack for the rest of the game.

Rich..........

 

[Crown Royal]

I do believe the injury hurt him a bit last year. I can't given any real scientific, concrete proof of this....but when he broke that big run in the 2nd Washington game he seemed a bit noticeably slower. Not completely slower, but just noticeable enough. The following week against Carolina, he started making the cuts that he used to make and had the speed.

He may have been timid as well. But one of my biggest gripes against Julius is that if you look back at his games, he seems to play to the level of his confidence. If he rattles off a couple of good runs early, he seems to do that all game long. But if he's getting stopped early, he doesn't do jack for the rest of the game.

Rich..........

Jones is a big time confidence runner. That was one of his deals coming out of college, that he had to be coddled a little bit.

Hopefully he can figure out how to extend a game to game stride into a season to season stride.

His first year, there was a big deal about how RBs are the most ready players to transition from college to the NFL. While this is true, I think we forget that there are players who take some time to develop at the position.

Tiki Barber, Shawn Alexander, Marshal Faulk, to name a few, are players who took a few years to prove their worth in the NFL and show how great they could be. Now, all these players were great young guys too, but their best years came with some time.

 

[burmafrd]

I think part of it also is having confidence that your O line will give you a hole to run through. Not like he had a line to do that last year.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I think part of it also is having confidence that your O line will give you a hole to run through. Not like he had a line to do that last year.

True, but if you look back in 2004...especially in the last game of the year against the Giants...the O-line did a terrible job of run blocking. But, Julius got a couple of nice runs early on and was doing it the entire game on his way to 149 yards.

Obviously, you need some solid run blocking to be effective. But, Julius doesn't seem to be like the Eddie George (in his prime) type runner that may not get a lot of yards early on, but come the second half he'd start racking up the big runs.

Rich.......

 

[burmafrd]

As long as BP leaves JJ alone to do it HIS way then he will be fine. Last year VS Carolina BP left JJ alone and the results showed. Hopefully BP learned his lesson.

 

[Kangaroo]

Yeah, but you blame either Parcells or Bledsoe for just about everything - soooo......

It might have something to do with it - but even with two hands on it, you still should be able to at least find where your hole is supposed to be. Was it just not there? Or was he not patient enough in finding these holes?

Actualy it was bad oline play for all the running woes last year.

The 2 biggest killer of the running game was Larry Allen and Al Johnson

The games I had broke down just the oline play the worse run blocker was Larry followed by AL. The best run blocker was Tucker but he had issues in the passing game and should be playing guard not tackle his foot speed was not tackle level.


From what I saw Larry issues in the running game where

1. Blocked the wrong guy having lb fill in the hole he just left
2. He struggled getting to the 2nd level
3. On running plays that required him to fire out he was generally off balanced and struggled to maintain his blocks easily being shed or whiffing.
4. Pulling he was slow to pull and whiffed on the blocker


AL issues in the running game

1. Getting pushed back into the back field
2. He would make contact and get to the 2nd level make the right block but LB or d-linemen would shed him and make tackle with ease (This one happened the most)
3. When firing off the line he struggled to move defenders of size

 

[JPostSam]

see i don't think he has at all, he pulled some great games out of his butt.

I don't think he is consistant enough and I am sorry to say he doesn't have more than a couple moves and he almost always goes the same direction.

he doesn't get past the first guy to touch him hardly ever and the times he pulls a long run out he isn't touched at all.

I am not a jujo fan

look who misses hambrick...

pulled some great games out of his butt, huh? so, if you rush for 149 yards or more 4 TIMES IN 21 GAMES, it's because you're LUCKY?!

i don't think so.

not consistent, huh? well, let's see... in the 21 games he has played, julius has carried the ball 20 times or more on 15 occasions. and in those 15 games, he has rushed for 74 yards or more 13 times.

that's pretty darn consistent.

doesn't get past the first guy to touch him, either? you MUST check out some highlights. he doesn't exactly go down easily, and he has a decent stiff-arm.

isn't touched on long runs? that's 'cuz he BLOWS BY DEFENDERS! would you rather he slow down so he can be tackled? i can't even believe you could consider the ability to break long runs a BAD THING!

...buddy, julius jones can still improve -- but there is NO DOUBT that the kid has game.

:bang2:

 

[Bob Sacamano]

But maybe it's not all the line's fault.

a large portion of the blame does fall on their shoulders though, many a times I've watched Julius get caught from the back-side pursuit, because our Olinemen members were having trouble sustaining their blocks in the 2nd level, not even in the 2nd level, LA would grab his guy and let him spin out of his grasp, plus Al lacking strength, Marco not being 100%, you factor those problems in the interior of the line, and the fact that according to the #s, Julius was horrible running in the interior, the blame has nowhere to go but on the Oline

again, they weren't the total problem, but they played a large part

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Actualy it was bad oline play for all the running woes last year.

The 2 biggest killer of the running game was Larry Allen and Al Johnson

The games I had broke down just the oline play the worse run blocker was Larry followed by AL. The best run blocker was Tucker but he had issues in the passing game and should be playing guard not tackle his foot speed was not tackle level.


From what I saw Larry issues in the running game where

1. Blocked the wrong guy having lb fill in the hole he just left
2. He struggled getting to the 2nd level
3. On running plays that required him to fire out he was generally off balanced and struggled to maintain his blocks easily being shed or whiffing.
4. Pulling he was slow to pull and whiffed on the blocker


AL issues in the running game

1. Getting pushed back into the back field
2. He would make contact and get to the 2nd level make the right block but LB or d-linemen would shed him and make tackle with ease (This one happened the most)
3. When firing off the line he struggled to move defenders of size

even Pettiti was doing pretty well run-blocking, and what do you know, most of JJ's success came on off-tackle runs, and draws where you rely on the hesitancy of the D, and not necessarily your blockers

 

[Idgit]

look who misses hambrick...

pulled some great games out of his butt, huh? so, if you rush for 149 yards or more 4 TIMES IN 21 GAMES, it's because you're LUCKY?!

i don't think so.

not consistent, huh? well, let's see... in the 21 games he has played, julius has carried the ball 20 times or more on 15 occasions. and in those 15 games, he has rushed for 74 yards or more 13 times.

that's pretty darn consistent.

doesn't get past the first guy to touch him, either? you MUST check out some highlights. he doesn't exactly go down easily, and he has a decent stiff-arm.

isn't touched on long runs? that's 'cuz he BLOWS BY DEFENDERS! would you rather he slow down so he can be tackled? i can't even believe you could consider the ability to break long runs a BAD THING!

...buddy, julius jones can still improve -- but there is NO DOUBT that the kid has game.

:bang2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ0-TDxS67w&search=julius jones

I've rarely seen a back who can accelerate into a cut the way Julius does. He's got an opportunity to be a superstar back.

Last year, he was definitely timid between the tackles early in the season. It looked like the extra second he took to think about securing the ball threw his timing off somehow. I know that sounds stupid, but there were times when you could almost see him remembering to cover the ball--when the year before he would have been stretching and cutting instictively.

In the middle of the year, he was obviously slowed by the high ankle sprain. He started coming on again the last few games. I think he's a hell of a player, who's going to benefit from TO and Glenn, and the ability to pull guards and the center more often this year.

 

[Iago33]

Julius (I'm not calling him JuJo) runs best to light. He has quick moves and can beat individual players but doesn't read cracks in bunches as well as MBIII. I blame:
1. OL (obvious)
2. Parcells (not playing to strengths, rotation, getting too much into his head(
3. Julius (tentative at times(

 

[booker]

You guys are so quick to jump the gun. Let the young man ball and stay healthy and we'll see how good he is. BP has a way of motivating players with ability

Leave it to a Tarheel to sum it all up plain an simple.

 

[MossBurner]

I think Cowboys fans got spoiled having one of the best of all time running the ball for so long. JJ comes along and has 5 or 6 good games. He comes back down to Earth and now everyone wonders what the problem is...

Honestly, he's just an average back. I think MB is better.