Why Marion Barber wins out in preseason

[ZeroClub]

Teams do win without all star RBs, but having one has always been a Dallas trademark...JJ and Barber will never be stars in this league, imo.

For whatever it is worth, Preston Pearson was the starting RB for the 1975 Cowboys that went to a Super Bowl.

He was great out of the backfield on screen passes, but never a star.

 

[dbair1967]

This is NOT a Julius Jones bashing thread. In fact I have high hopes for the guy. STILL doesnt change the fact that I believe Barber will be our starter this year. IMO Barber is just a more consistant type workhorse runner. May not have the ability to break as many long ones as JJ but will consistantly give you positive yardage. Think he 's a tuff inside runner also. Looks alot more natural as a pass reciever out of the backfield too. This is year 3 for JJ now, he HAS TO prove he can stay on the field and not get injured. Just dont see it happening, in the end I see JJ as a nice change of pace back for Barber. Think Barber can wear em down and JJ can come in and break a big one or two. Now heres the biggy.................IMO if your running a twin T.E offense with no F.B then you BETTER have a h.b in there who can passblock. From what ive seen Barber is far and away a better passblocker than Julius. Better strength and better overall recognition at picking up the blitz. Pre season should be VERY telling.

we have more people in this forum who try and fit the square peg into the round hole or re-invent the wheel on here than anywhere else

Marion Barber isnt going to start on this team unless Jones gets hurt...Tony Romo is never going to play a down in this league unless some others get hurt...Tyson Thompson is not a threat to take playing time away from anyone on this roster...Greg Ellis IS a good player...Keith Davis is NOT a good player with huge upside, Roy Williams is not the comically failing player in coverage that some (too many) here make him out to be...the kicker was not the main reason this team didnt make the playoffs last yr...Quincy Carter is not, and never was a legit NFL starting QB...Woody Dantzler was never anything more than a fringe player at best etc etc etc

David

 

[dbair1967]

In my opinion, we don't have a star RB capable of leading us to the Super Bowl the way Emmitt and Dorsett, Hill, and Thomas did.

And by the time we realize it and do something about it, we'll probably be looking for a QB again.

Teams do win without all star RBs, but having one has always been a Dallas trademark...JJ and Barber will never be stars in this league, imo.

I guess we'll see, but JJ has shown on alot more than one occassion that has he has star quality...you can find alot of RB's with one big game on their resume, but you wont find many who have the kind of games he racked up at the end of his rookie yr and then again vs Carolina last yr

if he stays healthy and gets average or better blocking, he'll be a consistent 1200-1400 yd a yr RB who is a threat to break the long ones with regularity

David

 

[Bob Sacamano]

This is NOT a Julius Jones bashing thread. In fact I have high hopes for the guy. STILL doesnt change the fact that I believe Barber will be our starter this year...

here's why I don't think this happens, Barber suits the 3rd down role beautifully, but has yet shown an ability to take over games, which Julius has, you always go with your best back, that's Jones, I agree; however, he has to stay healthy, and I think he will, 3 years in an NFL strength and conditioning program should be enough, but some good luck, which Julius hasn't exactly been afforded with, will go a long ways

 

[Bob Sacamano]

JJ is your typical TB who would run best behind a FB...I think any impending move to using even more two TE sets was the handwriting on the wall. I don't see JJ being as effective as Barber.

well running a 2-TE offense means alot of draw plays, which Julius has shown to be very effective running in, and his biggest game ever came with many draw plays

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Jones will get injured again so Barber will be our starting RB for most of the season although I hope Barber gets the start from Day 1. The only thing that really worries me about Barber is his fumbling but if he can get better at holding the ball I think he can be a very good RB in this league.

BTW this is just because I think Jones will eventually get hurt and it only hurts the running game having to change RB's mid in the season

some backs just struggle holding onto the football, Barber may be one of them, heck, Ahman Green struggled with that his whole career, but I wouldn't put MBIII on that same pedestal

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I just edited my post to state why i prefer Barber over Jones from Day 1. Obviously Jones is a much more dangerous RB when healthy but thats the key he hasn't kept healthy and he gained weight last year to get stronger and that only appeared to make him slower

that wasn't the case at all, hesitency made him slower, more experience will fix that

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Actually JJ is 5'9 and change. He is also around 212 now. Being short is a good thing for a RB: he is hard to see behind the line- LB's have a hard time seeing him before he is by them. Also being shorter there is less area to hit and its harder to lay big wood on him.

almost, being short means you have a lower center of gravity, which is great for bouncing off hits, that helps prolong your season, and utimately your career

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I'm tired of all this BS about Jones being injury prone. Anyone who counts has said that they were both simply bad luck injuries, even Parcells said it.

Look at the two injuries.

One was a broken shoulder blade. I seriously doubt a broken bone for the first time means you're injury prone. I can see if you keep fracturing it in the same place (See Charles Rogers, Detriot Lions) you can be considered "injury prone." Otherwise, nuh uh.

Then the high ankle sprain. Players go on IR because of high ankle sprains. They're at times considered worse than a break because they're so unpredictable as far as healing time. Besides, did anyone SEE how his leg was contorted on the play that he got injured? That was a freak play, and anyone would have been hurt like that. It was almost as bad as seeing Carson Palmer's knee injury. This can happen to anyone. He is not inury prone.

The fact is that he FOUGHT BACK from these injuries for the good of the team, and came back before he was ready in the case of the ankle sprain. He's a warrior, not a weakling. So he's had bad luck, give the guy a break.

MB3 is a nice change-of-pace back, and he's solid. But that's what he is, solid. He's not a star, nor does he have the potential to be. MB3 seems like Emmitt without the strength, power, and stability that he had to be consistent. Julius has the talent to be a Barry Sanders, Gale Sayers, Tony Dorsett. TRUE talents. Julius can be a STAR. MB3 can be solid.

You want injury prone? See Jacob Rogers.

Julius being injury prone is just being used as a lazy excuse now. Shut up about it and let the kid play and show us what he's got.

 

[Canadian BoyzFan]

I will simply say the following:

If JJ is healthy he is the starter. If anyone from the MB3 banwagon wants to make a wager on this here is my price.

If I'm wrong, I won't post for a year, if I'm right, the loser takes a year off.
Minimum 800 posts required.

Holla.