Ex-Minnesota Gophers running back Marion Barber is Dallas Cowboys' go-to guy in red zone
BY KELSIE SMITH
Pioneer Press
Article Last Updated: 10/20/2007 12:05:34 AM CDT
The run gained only 2 yards, but Marion Barber's third-quarter play last Sunday against New England prompted Patriots coach Bill Belichick to seek out the Dallas Cowboys' No. 2 running back after the game.
Barber started on his own 10-yard line and couldn't get going - and ended up in his own end zone. Trouble seemed imminent, but the former University of Minnesota standout shook free, evaded six, some say seven, tackles and came out 2 yards ahead.
After the Patriots gave Dallas its first loss of the season, Belichick sought out Barber for one reason - he was impressed.
So was Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who said of all the 2-yard runs he has seen, "that would probably be the top one. That was pretty good."
The recognition from Belichick, Barber said, "means a lot. When you have a coach as famous or as big-time as he is, that means a lot."
Barber is No. 2 on the Cowboys' running back depth chart (Julius Jones is No. 1), but he's coach Wade Phillips' go-to guy in the red zone and is on his way to having his best season in this, his third season in the NFL.
Six weeks in, Barber - who still follows the Gophers, where his brother Dominique is a senior strong safety - has 383 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 65 carries compared with Jones' 268 yards and one touchdown on 69 carries. Those numbers put Barber on pace to rush for more than 1,000 yards on more than 170 attempts, about 30 carries more than he had in 2005 or '06 and surpassing last seasons 654 yards in 16 games. Barber's aggressive running style has earned him respect around the league and forced teams to swarm the 6-foot, 220-pound back whenever he has the ball. New England's Ellis Hobbs told the Boston Globe that Barber's stiff arms last week were more like punches, saying, "He's a great runner, man, but some of that stuff he's swinging out there. ... We tried to complain to the ref.")
Barber's aggressiveness also earned him the nickname Marion the Barbarian, conjured up by teammate Terrell Owens.
"It's just how he runs," Romo said. "(The nickname) is just something the guys use once in a while, and someone might throw it around there. He just runs with a passion and with aggressiveness that you don't always want to tackle the guy. He is going to deliver a blow to you, just the same as you are trying to do to him."
Barber's blows, whether by way of wicked stiff arms or full hits, are what make him such a threat offensively, Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said, adding that that is why Minnesota will have to pay extra attention to getting at Barber when he gets the ball Sunday.
"The big thing is the yards (he gets) after contact," Frazier said. "(On the 2-yard run against New England), you just know that he is going to be tackled for a safety, and five or six guys bounce off him and he gets plus yardage.
"You see it all the time: Guys have him wrapped up, and all of a sudden he breaks a tackle. So we have been talking all week about swarming to the football, and that's something we are always talking about but even more so with the way that he breaks tackles. ... (He's) a great runner after contact."
The Cowboys' fourth-round pick (109th overall) in 2005, Barber established hope for a bright NFL future last season when he scored a team-high 16 touchdowns. Those tied him for the most by one player in the NFC, tied him for third most in the league and were the most by a Cowboys running back since Emmitt Smith scored 25 in 1995.
"He's physical," Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said. "He's a young running back, still learning, but you want all guys running to the football (when he has it). We know he's going to break tackles. We need to get him down to the ground."
Barber said he came into this season with one goal - to stay healthy. If that happens, he said, he'll continue to improve. Barber can't explain his impressive ability in the red zone, but no matter where he gets the ball, he approaches his job the same way.
"Wherever the ball is," he said, "you have to have that (red zone) mind-set."
Pioneer Press
Article Last Updated: 10/20/2007 12:05:34 AM CDT
The run gained only 2 yards, but Marion Barber's third-quarter play last Sunday against New England prompted Patriots coach Bill Belichick to seek out the Dallas Cowboys' No. 2 running back after the game.
Barber started on his own 10-yard line and couldn't get going - and ended up in his own end zone. Trouble seemed imminent, but the former University of Minnesota standout shook free, evaded six, some say seven, tackles and came out 2 yards ahead.
After the Patriots gave Dallas its first loss of the season, Belichick sought out Barber for one reason - he was impressed.
So was Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who said of all the 2-yard runs he has seen, "that would probably be the top one. That was pretty good."
The recognition from Belichick, Barber said, "means a lot. When you have a coach as famous or as big-time as he is, that means a lot."
Barber is No. 2 on the Cowboys' running back depth chart (Julius Jones is No. 1), but he's coach Wade Phillips' go-to guy in the red zone and is on his way to having his best season in this, his third season in the NFL.
Six weeks in, Barber - who still follows the Gophers, where his brother Dominique is a senior strong safety - has 383 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 65 carries compared with Jones' 268 yards and one touchdown on 69 carries. Those numbers put Barber on pace to rush for more than 1,000 yards on more than 170 attempts, about 30 carries more than he had in 2005 or '06 and surpassing last seasons 654 yards in 16 games. Barber's aggressive running style has earned him respect around the league and forced teams to swarm the 6-foot, 220-pound back whenever he has the ball. New England's Ellis Hobbs told the Boston Globe that Barber's stiff arms last week were more like punches, saying, "He's a great runner, man, but some of that stuff he's swinging out there. ... We tried to complain to the ref.")
Barber's aggressiveness also earned him the nickname Marion the Barbarian, conjured up by teammate Terrell Owens.
"It's just how he runs," Romo said. "(The nickname) is just something the guys use once in a while, and someone might throw it around there. He just runs with a passion and with aggressiveness that you don't always want to tackle the guy. He is going to deliver a blow to you, just the same as you are trying to do to him."
Barber's blows, whether by way of wicked stiff arms or full hits, are what make him such a threat offensively, Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said, adding that that is why Minnesota will have to pay extra attention to getting at Barber when he gets the ball Sunday.
"The big thing is the yards (he gets) after contact," Frazier said. "(On the 2-yard run against New England), you just know that he is going to be tackled for a safety, and five or six guys bounce off him and he gets plus yardage.
"You see it all the time: Guys have him wrapped up, and all of a sudden he breaks a tackle. So we have been talking all week about swarming to the football, and that's something we are always talking about but even more so with the way that he breaks tackles. ... (He's) a great runner after contact."
The Cowboys' fourth-round pick (109th overall) in 2005, Barber established hope for a bright NFL future last season when he scored a team-high 16 touchdowns. Those tied him for the most by one player in the NFC, tied him for third most in the league and were the most by a Cowboys running back since Emmitt Smith scored 25 in 1995.
"He's physical," Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said. "He's a young running back, still learning, but you want all guys running to the football (when he has it). We know he's going to break tackles. We need to get him down to the ground."
Barber said he came into this season with one goal - to stay healthy. If that happens, he said, he'll continue to improve. Barber can't explain his impressive ability in the red zone, but no matter where he gets the ball, he approaches his job the same way.
"Wherever the ball is," he said, "you have to have that (red zone) mind-set."
posted by The Gryphon at 6:24 PM
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