Vela - why Felix should start

[lostinomiya]

It doesn't matter to me, at all, who gets the starter nod and all that jazz. I just want to see these three guys used, and used properly, and effectively, so that this offense has it's best chances to put up yards and more importantly Touchdowns.

I think using them properly is why who is the starter is important.

 

[viman96]

IMO the only way Barber loses the starting role will be due to fumbles. If he can not get it under control this year then he should not be the starter. FWIW Barber is one of my favorite players.

 

[lurkercowboy]

All three should play enough so they will not wear down in the 4th quarter. If Garrett is smart, and he is, he will work them all in. I especially want to see Jones and Barber against tired defenders.

 

[AbeBeta]

How anyone can argue that Felix should started based on those #s is silly. I love Jones and think he will eventually be THE guy here.

First, the #s are wrong. Jones had 30 carries total over the year for 266 yards. Vela has 17-133 and 11-178. The 2 missing carries inflate the averages. Similarly, Felix is credited with 45 more yards than he actual ran for.

Second, the #s are WAY thrown off by his awesome 60 yard run. That becomes a big issue b/c we are talking only 30 carries total.

Third, what the #s really tell us is that Choice can flat out play as every down back. When you consider that he got 5.2 YPC against Pit, NYG, Bal, and Philly it says that kid can call.

Fourth, about Barber... what I've said consistently about the guy is that his gaudy #s were likely the result of playing against worn down D's. This last season suggest that argument is correct. (Save your whiny "but he was hurt" arguments - that's part of being a starter).

Conclusion: Felix should get the ball more. Choice and Barber should legitimately battle for PT.

 

[JeffInDC]

All three should play enough so they will not wear down in the 4th quarter. If Garrett is smart, and he is, he will work them all in. I especially want to see Jones and Barber against tired defenders.

To me (and, again, this is only my opinion), the 'Boys need to run the ball 25-30 times a game. Now, how this should break down (in terms of how many carries each guy gets) is pretty simple with MY plan:

1st Quarter - Barber starts and brings his trademark energy to the offense. He gets 4-6 carries and comes out on 3rd down for Jones.

2nd Q - Jones becomes the 1st & 2nd down guy and Choice becomes the 3rd down back.

3rd Q - a repeat of 2nd Q, with Barber getting getting a couple of 3rd down looks to "keep him in the game" mentally

4th Q - bring on the hammer to run the ball down the oppositions throat, with a little sprinkling of Jones & Choice (especially on 3rd downs)


With the diverse skillset of these 3 guys, they should all be able to handle any role that Garrett gives them. They have ALL shown that they can catch and run. Of the 3, only Felix needs to show his blocking ability (which, I'm sure he can do in year 2). At the end of each game, I figure we will see numbers like these for each player:

Barber: 14-15 carries, 60-65 yards; 2-3 catches, 18-20 yards
End of Year Totals: 225+ carries, 1000+ yards; 30+ catches, 250+ yards

Jones: 8-10 carries, 48-60 yards; 3 catches, 30-35 yards
End of Year Totals: 115+ carries, 675+ yards; 30+ catches, 290+ yards

Choice: 4-5 carries, 20-25 yards; 1-2 catches, 8-15 yards
End of Year Totals: 65+ carries, 325+ yards; 10+ catches, 95+ yards

There is no reason that this team should NOT be able to run for 130 yards a game, especially when you have 3 backs that could legitimately start for almost every team in the league.

Opinions are welcome folks.

 

[Aikbach]

Jones thus far appears too injury prone to be trusted with a starter's role, plus you don't pump 42 million into Marion Barber and bench him for two thirds of a game.

 

[TNCowboy]

How anyone can argue that Felix should started based on those #s is silly. I love Jones and think he will eventually be THE guy here.

First, the #s are wrong. Jones had 30 carries total over the year for 266 yards. Vela has 17-133 and 11-178. The 2 missing carries inflate the averages. Similarly, Felix is credited with 45 more yards than he actual ran for.

Second, the #s are WAY thrown off by his awesome 60 yard run. That becomes a big issue b/c we are talking only 30 carries total.

Third, what the #s really tell us is that Choice can flat out play as every down back. When you consider that he got 5.2 YPC against Pit, NYG, Bal, and Philly it says that kid can call.

Fourth, about Barber... what I've said consistently about the guy is that his gaudy #s were likely the result of playing against worn down D's. This last season suggest that argument is correct. (Save your whiny "but he was hurt" arguments - that's part of being a starter).

Conclusion: Felix should get the ball more. Choice and Barber should legitimately battle for PT.

I pretty much agree with all of this. I would add that if you exclude the 60 yd run, Felix still averaged 7 ypc. I don't pretend that he can keep that up for a year, but when taken in conjunction with how well Jones ran against SEC defenses, I don't think there's much doubt that his being our best back in his limited playing time wasn't a fluke.

 

[AbeBeta]

I pretty much agree with all of this. I would add that if you exclude the 60 yd run, Felix still averaged 7 ypc. I don't pretend that he can keep that up for a year, but when taken in conjunction with how well Jones ran against SEC defenses, I don't think there's much doubt that his being our best back in his limited playing time wasn't a fluke.

he was outstanding. it is just that we only saw 30 carries

 

[TwentyOne]

Make him the starter. He'll give the team better performances on early drives and he'll make Barber a better runner, by letting him reprise his role as a late-half hammer.

To me the question is not wether FJ is the starter. The question is who is the #2 back. From all i have seen from TC last year i'd say he has a legit chance to push MBIII to the bench this year and be our #2 back.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I agree with Vela, he is good enough to do it. But whether this staff would give him the chance is what the question should be. Phillips even nixed the idea of having him return kickoffs. It was strange, like they were saving him up for something. I don't understand it.

I concur. I'm not saying that Felix should start, but the staff has to be open to that idea and we also need an O-Coordinator who will try and go to the hot hand if the running game stalls a bit, rather than just stick with the same tailbacks running the ball or abandoning the running game all together.



YAKUZA

 

[JeffInDC]

I'm just amazed at how many people have turned on MBIII. Barber should be battling for playing time now (I've read that from a couple of folks)? WOW!!!!!!!!! This guy is one of the most respected backs in the game BY HIS PEERS (Antonio Pierce's comments from last year ring a bell)!!!!!!!!!!!! And, if Garrett gets his head out of his butt and realizes that the strength of this offense IS the running game, then Barber will again be the brutal force he was before. All last year proved was that his violent running style isn't designed for 20-25 carries a game. Use him like the Giants use Jacobs (basically what I wrote in post #25), and we will all see the same back from 2007 all over again.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I'm just amazed at how many people have turned on MBIII. Barber should be battling for playing time now (I've read that from a couple of folks)? WOW!!!!!!!!! This guy is one of the most respected backs in the game BY HIS PEERS (Antonio Pierce's comments from last year ring a bell)!!!!!!!!!!!! And, if Garrett gets his head out of his butt and realizes that the strength of this offense IS the running game, then Barber will again be the brutal force he was before. All last year proved was that his violent running style isn't designed for 20-25 carries a game. Use him like the Giants use Jacobs (basically what I wrote in post #25), and we will all see the same back from 2007 all over again.

It's not about respect.

It's about production and potential.

Felix Jones is one of the most talented runners in the game today-- Certainly top 10, maybe top 5.

His limited time last year may not bare that out-- but after this season, the entire NFL will know.

And those that are really bright know it already.

Another thing to consider for the future, i.e. post 2009 season...

If Felix Jones puts on a good enough show, Marion Barber will be trade bait next offseason.

 

[Four]

apparently no one remembers how amazing julius jones was going to be...

 

[theogt]

I like Felix. I think he's probably a better RB than MB3.

That said, I think it's stupid to claim he should start based on 17 carries.

 

[theogt]

apparently no one remembers how amazing julius jones was going to be...

If you can't tell the difference between the two players, I don't know what to tell you. Probably "stop watching football" would be a start, though.

 

[viman96]

We should run some wishbone...

 

[MichaelWinicki]

apparently no one remembers how amazing julius jones was going to be...

I remember.

And I have to say I thought Julius was going to be better than he ended up being. I thought he was going to be a solid 4.4ypc guy.

But Felix is in a different galaxy than Julius. Here's a guy that averaged what-- about 9 ypc in college? And then he comes into the NFL and does something very similar.

Do I expect 9 ypc per carry? No.

But if he can stay above 4.5, then he should be getting a decent number of carries.

If he maintains an average of 5.0 or higher, then yes, he should be a starter.

For the first four games of the 1977 season everyone and their brother (except Tom Landry) knew that Tony Dorsett should be the starter. Finally even Landry had to give in.

I think Felix Jones is going to make it very uncomfortable for any coaching staff to only give him say 8 carries a game.

 

[Doomsday101]

If you can't tell the difference between the two players, I don't know what to tell you. Probably "stop watching football" would be a start, though.

I agree there is a differance. J. Jones was very quick through the hole on draw plays and used his speed to break it. What I see in Felix is a guy who knows how to use his blockers and run off the blocks. Like J. Jones, Felix has the speed.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

If you can't tell the difference between the two players, I don't know what to tell you. Probably "stop watching football" would be a start, though.

 

[CATCH17]

Felix Jones actually has vision and he is just a much better natural runner than Julius ever was.

Plus he is a much more natural receiver as well.