Julius isn't the real problem
By Jennifer Floyd Engel
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Julius Jones is one of those rare athletes who actually admits to knowing exactly what is being written and said about him. By everybody. Every day. Good, bad and ugly.
So this should come as no shock to him: Some people believe Jones is "just a guy," a JAG, a not-so-special running back.
Possibly even his head coach agrees.
Sir William spent a good portion of this off-season underwhelming us when talk turned to Jones. Whatever the question, Sir William dodged mentioning Jones exclusively and instead launched into why a buddy system with Marion Barber is a much better idea.
Parcells stands on somewhat sound statistical ground.
Jones finished the preseason averaging a very Troy Hambrick-esque 2.3 yards per carry. There is also that little detail of him only starting 19 games in two NFL seasons. Oh yeah, of his 1,812 career rushing yards, 691 came in four games.
Does this make him a JAG? Hardly.
If anything, just knowing those four games exist, that on some days he has that kind of game in him, should be enough to earn him another go at being this team's carry-the-mail back. This is his third year. The Tom Landry Rule requires at least that much patience.
He is not likely to get it.
Certain chatter boxes, as Sir William has tabbed us media types, already have begun opining that Barber has looked better. "Go with him," seems to be the hip thinking.
Funny because, on Thursday, when the Cowboys' offensive line was getting blown off the ball, it seemed Barber had his share of problems, too. Or maybe one carry for 1 yard against the Vikings' real defense is sneaky good?
The reality is this whole team is trying to work around the fact that the offensive line remains a big, fat question mark. Running backs, quarterbacks, everybody.
Owner Jones keeps talking about going to backup QB Tony Romo if the line has problems. How about this idea, Jerry? Fix the problems with the line.
This is what everybody was talking about when it was pointed out that money spent on "The Player" might have been better spent on a lineman.
I'm not talking about Kyle Kosier or Jason Fabini, either. Kosier will be lucky if he avoids being supplanted by Cory Procter at some point. And Fabini should have been cut Saturday, not Rob Petitti. But apparently being a former Jet is more important than being a 16-game starter with upside.
For anybody looking for a "who" the Cowboys could have signed, try Steve Hutchinson.
He is also the guy the Cowboys could have drafted if they had not traded the pick for wide receiver Joey Galloway.
Imagine how good Julius might be with Hutchinson.
Instead, the Cowboys are content to cross their fingers about the line and rotate their running backs.
"If that is what they want to do, that is what they are going to do," Julius said recently. "I'm not bitter. I'm not anything."
What he is not is a JAG.
Seriously, JAGs don't do what he did at Carolina last year, rushing for 194 yards. He has talent, no matter what he reads or hears. And he hears and reads everything.
"Sometimes, man, it does [anger me]," Julius said. "I go out there every year and try to prove to everybody that I'm worthy to be here. I know what things are said about me, and I just go out and try to prove people wrong."
What he needs to hope is the offensive line is doing likewise.
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Julius Jones is one of those rare athletes who actually admits to knowing exactly what is being written and said about him. By everybody. Every day. Good, bad and ugly.
So this should come as no shock to him: Some people believe Jones is "just a guy," a JAG, a not-so-special running back.
Possibly even his head coach agrees.
Sir William spent a good portion of this off-season underwhelming us when talk turned to Jones. Whatever the question, Sir William dodged mentioning Jones exclusively and instead launched into why a buddy system with Marion Barber is a much better idea.
Parcells stands on somewhat sound statistical ground.
Jones finished the preseason averaging a very Troy Hambrick-esque 2.3 yards per carry. There is also that little detail of him only starting 19 games in two NFL seasons. Oh yeah, of his 1,812 career rushing yards, 691 came in four games.
Does this make him a JAG? Hardly.
If anything, just knowing those four games exist, that on some days he has that kind of game in him, should be enough to earn him another go at being this team's carry-the-mail back. This is his third year. The Tom Landry Rule requires at least that much patience.
He is not likely to get it.
Certain chatter boxes, as Sir William has tabbed us media types, already have begun opining that Barber has looked better. "Go with him," seems to be the hip thinking.
Funny because, on Thursday, when the Cowboys' offensive line was getting blown off the ball, it seemed Barber had his share of problems, too. Or maybe one carry for 1 yard against the Vikings' real defense is sneaky good?
The reality is this whole team is trying to work around the fact that the offensive line remains a big, fat question mark. Running backs, quarterbacks, everybody.
Owner Jones keeps talking about going to backup QB Tony Romo if the line has problems. How about this idea, Jerry? Fix the problems with the line.
This is what everybody was talking about when it was pointed out that money spent on "The Player" might have been better spent on a lineman.
I'm not talking about Kyle Kosier or Jason Fabini, either. Kosier will be lucky if he avoids being supplanted by Cory Procter at some point. And Fabini should have been cut Saturday, not Rob Petitti. But apparently being a former Jet is more important than being a 16-game starter with upside.
For anybody looking for a "who" the Cowboys could have signed, try Steve Hutchinson.
He is also the guy the Cowboys could have drafted if they had not traded the pick for wide receiver Joey Galloway.
Imagine how good Julius might be with Hutchinson.
Instead, the Cowboys are content to cross their fingers about the line and rotate their running backs.
"If that is what they want to do, that is what they are going to do," Julius said recently. "I'm not bitter. I'm not anything."
What he is not is a JAG.
Seriously, JAGs don't do what he did at Carolina last year, rushing for 194 yards. He has talent, no matter what he reads or hears. And he hears and reads everything.
"Sometimes, man, it does [anger me]," Julius said. "I go out there every year and try to prove to everybody that I'm worthy to be here. I know what things are said about me, and I just go out and try to prove people wrong."
What he needs to hope is the offensive line is doing likewise.
posted by The Gryphon at 11:46 AM
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