Julius Jones

[Apollo Creed]

Burma... JJ didn't have the explosiveness he had in his rookie season. He looked like a shell of himself. Line problems or not, JJ wasn't mentally or physically the same player last year.

 

[Mavs Man]

He's way too concerned about fumbling so he runs like Christian Okoye.

If he ran like Tecmo Super Bowl Christian Okoye then I'd be very happy.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Six, just what part of putrid line did you not understand?

Burm you're wasting time LOL, some people will have the same opinion no matter what.

 

[Apollo Creed]

I clearly have no right to argue against Julius Jones... He's had maybe three gerat games his whole career and hasn't stayed healthy in either of his two seasons.

 

[burmafrd]

Lets see- got hit from the side at just the right angle and broke his shoulder blade- and Emmitt got the same injury. So clearly Emmitt has durability issues. Then JJ got rolled up from behind- that was his fault too, obviously.
He has had games of 149,150,194, 196. So I would say that that is 4 great games. Now he did not run that well last season- and most agree that BP got into his head a little too much about using both hands to hold onto the ball all the time and to run where the play is supposed to go. In the Carolina game, and the last few games as a whole, he seemed to return to his 2004 form. Now if BP will leave well enough alone- THIS TIME- he should be fine.

 

[gbrittain]

Talk about beating a dead horse....

Dont know what you are talking about, this is a good thread and it beats the heck out of a lot of the redundant threads going on now.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Sometimes you've got to make holes, and be a playmaker. I didn't see Julius do either of those last year. He just settled for two or three yards and fell forward. You can't deny that...

 

[wxcpo]

I'm not sold on JJ yet, but I have seen enough flashes from him to resonably expect that when healthy he can be the guy for the next several seasons. Now he has to show that he doesn't have durability issues or I say that in next year's draft RB has to become a priority.

 

[burmafrd]

Frankly, that bit from BP about making your own holes might work for a real power back- but not for anyone else. Six, do you remember how many times JJ was dodging LB's and DL's in his own backfield? I imagine after awhile you get gunshy. Add to that BP;s unwarranted bleating about negative playes did seem to take away some of the creativity and igenuity he showed in 2004. BUT he seemed to get that back late in the season- especially the last 4 games. I just hope that BP leaves him alone and lets him run HIS way.

 

[wxcpo]

I can't decide where I stand on this kid.

even when teams were dropping guys back into coverage he struggled to make the first guy miss and get into the secondary.

He carried the ball 257 times last year... He had his chances

JJ didn't have the explosiveness he had in his rookie season. He looked like a shell of himself. Line problems or not, JJ wasn't mentally or physically the same player last year.

Sometimes you've got to make holes, and be a playmaker. I didn't see Julius do either of those last year. He just settled for two or three yards and fell forward. You can't deny that...

I don't know, I think you have a pretty good idea where you stand on him. You just looking for someone else to jump on the pile with ya?

 

[Apollo Creed]

Agree to disagree Burma... He's had two seasons to get it done, and all he's given us was a sample...

 

[Apollo Creed]

The kid has a great amount of potential, but I can't decide if he's our back of the future. I'm gonna just leave this thread and go argue about TO.

 

[Avenging Hayseed]

I see alot of upside in Jones. But I also see alot of upside in Barber to tell you the truth. Sometimes I think Barber has as much or more upside than Jones does. Jones is faster but I think Barber may be a better runner, with more power, and alot more durable. And he's a wayyyyyyy better reciever too in my eyes. Jones looks so unatural catching the ball. Ahh heck....BARBERS the guy, JJ's OUT!...LOL

 

[burmafrd]

JJ is the better runner- the real home run threat. BP will always go with someone like that then the better receiving back.

 

[Apollo Creed]

He only had 4 carries for more than 20 yards in 257 carries last year... Real threat huh?

 

[burmafrd]

Kind of hard to do much when the line stinks like it did. Not to mention that besides dodging someone in the backfield, no one on the line moved out and took out any LB's all year. So its not suprising. SIx, you clearly don't like or want JJ, you made that clear, and you are not going to convince anyone who already is not on your side. So give it up.

 

[lzppjb]

I don't know, I think you have a pretty good idea where you stand on him. You just looking for someone else to jump on the pile with ya?

Exactly.

 

[Apollo Creed]

That is the point of a forum... You argue and debate over issues, you voice your opinion and provide insight to others. So basically your saying all our TO threads should include "Yes I want him" or "No I don't". Believe me after JJ's rookie season I was singing his praises, but last year he looked like a second tier back as opposed to a top 5 NFL back like his rookie year displayed.

 

[skinsscalper]

We had a solid deep threat last year with Glenn, and even when teams were dropping guys back into coverage he struggled to make the first guy miss and get into the secondary.

Our line sucked last year also. JJ will be just fine, and so will Barber behind him. Two different running styles that compliment eachother well. Barber isn't the grinder that some other backs in the league are, but he has some drive in his legs, and he grinds out some tough yards. The TD against Arizona speaks volumes about Barber's desire to give the end of his runs a little extra umph. He won't break off any 60 yard TD's , but he'll grind out a couple of 10-15 yarders. Jones on the other hand can break one from anywhere on the field. Stop him, stop him, stop him, stop him, and bam he's gone! I like our backfield for the first time in a long time.

SS

 

[TroyEmmittAndMichael]

Forget being concerned with Julius. Julius hasn't been consistent, but then neither has our O-Line.

Who we all should be worried about is Tyson Thompson. The guy had his share of chances to return kicks last year, and it seemed like 85-90% of the time, the guy made up his mind before he even knew where the hole in the wedge was. Not to mention how easy he went down after the first contact was made. I will say though that he had a decent 24.5 yd/kr avg. But even then, we need someone who is more of a threat to score.

As a RB, he didn't really have his chances except that one game against the E-girls. Even then he had a so-so game (20 for 75, 3.8 avg). I'd like to see more quickness, shiftiness, elusiveness, better change of direction from him this coming year.