More criticism of Julius Jones

[gbrittain]

1980's BP players > 2000's BP players would be more precise

his schemes work if the roster is really good, our roster hasn't been that

He should have done a better job buying the groceries then. This has always been my knock on Parcells.

You can't have your cake and eat it too. On one hand you got some people defending him saying it the players fault...its the players fault.

Then the same people turn around and give BP all the credit for "turning around" the Cowboys franchise. This may not apply to you, but in fact I see it all the time.

Dallas did not experience but average results under Parcells.

Either he was one heck of a Xs and Os guy on game day because he did not have much to work with or he put some talent on the field but was unable to coach them.

I for one hope it was the latter. I hope he was a better GM than he was a coach. If it turns out he was a better coach than a GM, we probably should be bracing for some really big dissapointments.

 

[5Stars]

I for one hope it was the latter. I hope he was a better GM than he was a coach. If it turns out he was a better coach than a GM, we probably should be bracing for some really big dissapointments.

This is a really nice post!

The Cowboys have tons of talent...because of Parcells. I just think that the way the game is played today and the kind of players in todays game is something that Parcells had a problem with and he could not figure out how to get it all to mesh...

 

[Bob Sacamano]

And you also saw them shooting the gaps more often than our players. It's easier to "win" a battle when you're not told not to win it.

but you do have to win it, we did a poor job of that, esp our ends, and then Bradie was just too slow

 

[theogt]

but you do have to win it, we did a poor job of that, esp our ends, and then Bradie was just too slow

But it's a different assignment. One is obviously much harder. It's like taking a couple QBs and having one hit a 20 yard target and the other hitting a 50 yard target. You shouldn't expect the latter QB to hit as many targets as the former.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

He should have done a better job buying the groceries then. This has always been my knock on Parcells.

I don't think it was the groceries that was the problem, per se, I saw alot of youth and inexperience, and Spears and Canty only spent 2 years in a NFL strength and conditioning program, so they weren't built to handle the immense 2-gap responsibilities that they were given, w/ that, and w/ Ellis' injury, we only had 1 effective pass-rusher in our D for the majority of the year, and that hurt our secondary

the lack of pass-rushers could be blamed on BP's grocery buying, of the players he brought in, only Ware is a dynamic pass-rusher

You can't have your cake and eat it too. On one hand you got some people defending him saying it the players fault...its the players fault.

who would be more likely at fault

the inexperienced players, or the HOF coach? it's a combination of the 2 actually, a scheme that didn't fit the personnel that we had, and the personnel not being able to execute the scheme sufficiently and consistently, so I have no problem blaming Parcells for not adjusting for those facts

Then the same people turn around and give BP all the credit for "turning around" the Cowboys franchise. This may not apply to you, but in fact I see it all the time.

Dallas did not experience but average results under Parcells.

true, true

Either he was one heck of a Xs and Os guy on game day because he did not have much to work with or he put some talent on the field but was unable to coach them.

I highly doubt the latter was the case

I for one hope it was the latter. I hope he was a better GM than he was a coach. If it turns out he was a better coach than a GM, we probably should be bracing for some really big dissapointments.

once again, I think a scheme that doesn't rely on our players to have to win individual matchups all the time will help tremendously, for 1 example, Spears is an athletic guy who could fit Wade's 1-gap D very well, where he can use his athleticsm to shoot the gaps, the biggest problem for our D was our end play, they could not make a play in the backfield consistently, the scheme change should alleviate a good part of that IMO plus adding another pass-rusher in Spencer should Ellis not be effective, or should he go down again, but we need more pass-rushers anyways since only Ware and Ellis are dynamic ones in our D

and again, another thing that could help is Canty and Spears having another year in an NFL strength and conditioning program, as well as our other young linemen, so that they aren't bogged down everytime an offensive player gets their hands on them

 

[dbair1967]

I believe his point was that the hole was there.

and my point is there were RARELY any holes

he missed some, but the vast majority of plays that turned out bad were because there were multiple defensive guys in the backfield...thats called BAD run blocking

David

 

[dbair1967]

I don't buy this at all.
When Emmitt came on to this team in the early 90's our offensive line and our running game was pathetic.
A good rb with good vision and elusiveness can make your offensive line look better and vice versa.
And no spin here in seeing obvious running lanes last year for Julius to take that he did not. Anybody who watched the games saw the same thing.
I'm not ready to give up on Julius but I am not gonna give him a free pass because of something he did in 2004 either.
It's time for him show up period.

you realize Emmitt ran for all of just over 900 yards as a rookie right?

the next yr Norv Turner came in, and things turned around..far better system and far better play caller...things got better in all phases, along with the fact that Tony Wise was probably the premier OL coach in the league

that said, quit comparing Emmitt to JuJo or anyone else...there wont be another Emmitt Smith...

David

 

[theogt]

and my point is there were RARELY any holes

he missed some, but the vast majority of plays that turned out bad were because there were multiple defensive guys in the backfield...thats called BAD run blocking

David

This sort of thing is impossible to quantify, so there's no way of knowing one way or the other. Neither of us could say with certainty. Hell, many times a "hole" is created by an offensive linemen getting beat and the defender not being in position.

But what I do know is that I've seen plenty of obvious holes actually develop that Julius didn't take advantage of. Those things you can't blame on the O-line.

 

[big dog cowboy]

and my point is there were RARELY any holes

he missed some, but the vast majority of plays that turned out bad were because there were multiple defensive guys in the backfield...thats called BAD run blocking

David

Watching the NFL replays this off season, that was the case more than anyone thinks. The O-line doesn't get the total blame. The play calling was pretty suspect at times. If we open up the offense as has been rumored this year, I'd think that should cut down on those runs that get stuffed.

 

[tyke1doe]

sorry dude, but you can spin spin spin away, and it still wont erase the fact that for SEVERAL seasons now, our OL has been mediocre to poor at run blocking...it happens...some teams have all around great blocking lines...some teams run block better, some teams pass block better...for several seasons our pass blocking has been better

when you cant run the ball in from the 1 foot line (ala MBIII vs Philly at home) on several tries against a HORRENDOUS run defense team, you have issues other than your RB's inability to see holes...we also had several other bad run total games even when we played extremely poor run defense teams

David

Uh, what does that have to do with a running back not taking advantage of a hole when it's open or available?

How is that spin?

 

[J-DOG]

you realize Emmitt ran for all of just over 900 yards as a rookie right?

the next yr Norv Turner came in, and things turned around..far better system and far better play caller...things got better in all phases, along with the fact that Tony Wise was probably the premier OL coach in the league

that said, quit comparing Emmitt to JuJo or anyone else...there wont be another Emmitt Smith...

David

I am a Cowboys fan and being that I will never make that comparison.
Emmitt had great vision and so far Julius has shown??????
Maybe the problem isn't our offensive line, but maybe it's not having a premiere rb that is the problem.
It's amazing how our horrid offensive line got 2 people from that squad in the pro bowl once we had a qb that could move around a little.
I think the same thing would happen with a premiere rb also.
Don't ever accuse me of comparing Emmitt to any Cowboys rb.
I was making the point that a good rb makes a good offensive line and vice-versa.
Get a clue buckaroo!

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Julius Jones has no argument now, he's free of Parcells tyranny...:laugh2:


Seriously I expect to see Jones to have many more explosive runs this year because there is such a thing as overcoaching a position to where a player loses his natural instincts...

 

[tyke1doe]

you realize Emmitt ran for all of just over 900 yards as a rookie right?

You do also know that ...

1. Emmitt Smith didn't immediately start for the Cowboys because he was a training camp holdout.

2. Aikman was injured at the end of the season, giving way to the excellent backup named Babe Laugherburg.
Defenses keyed in on Emmitt Smith, preventing him from going over 1,000 yards.

the next yr Norv Turner came in, and things turned around..far better system and far better play caller...things got better in all phases, along with the fact that Tony Wise was probably the premier OL coach in the league

True, but let's not diminish the talent and skills of Emmitt Smith, either. Emmitt is as much as responsible for Turner's success as Turner is Emmitt's.

that said, quit comparing Emmitt to JuJo or anyone else...there wont be another Emmitt Smith...

Agreed.

 

[tyke1doe]

and my point is there were RARELY any holes

he missed some, but the vast majority of plays that turned out bad were because there were multiple defensive guys in the backfield...thats called BAD run blocking

David

And that may all be true, but when the holes are there, a RB should run through them.

I've reviewed several games where I slow the tape and I see the truck holes a shifty runner like Jones should be able to hit and he doesn't.

I'm reserving judgment as to whether it was Parcells' 2-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust style or a lack of vision on Jones part.

As someone noted, Jones' first year was not like last year so I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Nevertheless, the tape shows what it shows. And as one who desired to be a running back (not big enough) but who had pretty good vision, if I had seen a hole like that, I'm shooting through it. That's how big some of the holes Jones had were after inspection of the tape.

 

[JoeyBones31]

I'm looking at the Detroit vs. Dallas game I tivoed and I'm watching Jones carry the ball. I freeze the frame, and I see big holes to his left and right on several occasions that if he just cuts, he's gone for a big gain.

I was actually shocked at so many missed opportunities by him. And these weren't backfield runs. He had run beyond the line of scrimmage.

Is this just a product of Parcells' "training" or is his vision lacking that bad?

I brought my son in the room to see (since he plays tailback). I was trying to show him the concept of running to daylight, i.e., when you see a hole open, you explode through it, even if the play was called to a certain hole.

Well felows, that's called vision, and sometimes it can't be taught, either you have it, or you don't, balance and vision are the marks of a great back, Emmitt was a great back, and he had it all except the blazing speed, on the contrary JJ has that blazing speed, and does not have that "vision" to cut and hit a hole at full speed. He is what he is, and I don't expect him to be remotely like Emmitt or Dorsett ever. Barber on the other hand has that ability, but he is slow as molasses in January. Sad but true!

 

[theogt]

Well felows, that's called vision, and sometimes it can't be taught, either you have it, or you don't, balance and vision are the marks of a great back, Emmitt was a great back, and he had it all except the blazing speed, on the contrary JJ has that blazing speed, and does not have that "vision" to cut and hit a hole at full speed. He is what he is, and I don't expect him to be remotely like Emmitt or Dorsett ever. Barber on the other hand has that ability, but he is slow as molasses in January. Sad but true!

Julius Jones:
40-yard dash - 4.47
Shuttle Time - 4.16

Marion Barber III:
40-yard dash - 4.49
Shuttle Time - 4.17

Yeah, he's slow as molasses.

 

[dbair1967]

Julius Jones:
40-yard dash - 4.47
Shuttle Time - 4.16

Marion Barber III:
40-yard dash - 4.49
Shuttle Time - 4.17

Yeah, he's slow as molasses.

I'm not going to argue about where you came up with those times from, but watch the two guys on the field dude...one is clearly faster than the other

David

 

[theogt]

I'm not going to argue about where you came up with those times from, but watch the two guys on the field dude...one is clearly faster than the other

David

I've watched them. One isn't faster.

 

[dbair1967]

You do also know that ...

1. Emmitt Smith didn't immediately start for the Cowboys because he was a training camp holdout.

2. Aikman was injured at the end of the season, giving way to the excellent backup named Babe Laugherburg.
Defenses keyed in on Emmitt Smith, preventing him from going over 1,000 yards.



True, but let's not diminish the talent and skills of Emmitt Smith, either. Emmitt is as much as responsible for Turner's success as Turner is Emmitt's.



Agreed.

Emmitt didnt start the first couple of games, but after that he did and was our number one RB...also, Aikman went down in the 1st qtr of the 15th game...Laufenberg had 6+ quarters to stink up the joint and show everyone why he was meant for broadcasting and not QB-ing

Norv had a huge impact on this franchise, and we were just as lucky to land him as we were to land 8, 22 & 88

David

 

[dbair1967]

I've watched them. One isn't faster.

try putting the crack pipe down, you'll see the difference

MBIII is a fine RB, but he is nowhere near as fast on the field as Jones is

David