Cowboys Foes Have Another Jones To Keep Up With
Source: www.nbc5i.com
In an organization run by Jerry Jones and several other Joneses, in a season with all sorts of attention being paid to Adam "Pacman" Jones, a rookie running back with the same surname better do something really big to stand out.
Felix Jones did exactly that in the opener.
Jones' first carry went nine yards before anyone touched him and ended after 11 yards, in the end zone. He zoomed through the line on his next carry, too, and just when it looked like he again might not stop until the end zone, he was tripped up just past midfield, still gaining 18 yards.
He later had about a 30-yard run that was called back because of a penalty. Then came a 22-yarder that did count.
The final numbers were nine carries for 62 yards and a touchdown. He also had a 20-yard kickoff return on the very first time he touched the ball in an NFL game, enough to make a rookie think this NFL thing isn't much tougher than the SEC.
"No, I didn't think like that," Jones said, laughing. "This is a first game. I had some great holes, really, running lanes I could run through. It kind of worked out in my favor at that point in time. We have a long season ahead of us. You never know what can happen."
That's for sure. Now that coaches have seen what Jones can do, the Cowboys might look for more creative ways to use their newest weapon.
"He has patience when he runs with the football and when he sees the hole, he gets through it," coach Wade Phillips said. "He made one run to his right where he cut up the field and accelerated past two or three guys that looked like they could have made the normal tackle on some backs. But they didn't make the tackle on him."
Jones' dazzling debut set to rest any lingering questions about why Dallas spent its top draft pick on a guy who backed up Darren McFadden in college and would be backing up Marion Barber here.
The joke was that Jerry Jones was determined to take an underclassman from his alma mater, Arkansas, and settled for Jones when McFadden wasn't available. The Razorbacks connection seemed even stronger considering the Cowboys could've taken Rashard Mendenhall, a featured back in college who was expected to be drafted much earlier. It also was the first time since 1997 that Dallas took an offensive player in the first round.
The 1-2 combination of smashmouth runner Barber and the speedy Jones didn't happen in the first half. In fact, Jones didn't get his first carry until Barber was in the locker room with bruised ribs.
Still, the change of pace worked to perfection.
While Jones had the luxury of a huge hole to run through, he got to it and through faster than Barber would've -- and the faster than the Browns expected. Running backs coach Skip Peete said defensive Shaun Rogers didn't even look up to try finding Jones until he was already into the secondary.
"It was just a matter of finding a lane and hitting it," Jones said.
Jones laughed when asked if he and Barber are a thunder-and-lightning type of combination. He knows speed is his forte, but he'd proud to point out several up-the-middle runs against Cleveland.
"It just shows that I am not just an outside guy," he said. "Running between the tackles is something I enjoy doing anyway. It gets us close to the end zone."
Things weren't perfect, though.
Jones got a reminder about picking up his knees in the open field to avoid shoestring tackles, like the one that prevented him from having two touchdowns on his first two carries. He also got a reminder about the importance of handling his blitz assignments because a guy he failed to slow wound up forcing Tony Romo to throw sooner than he wanted, resulting in an interception in the end zone.
But Jones also learned from that, doing a better job of blocking on the following series.
"I'm never satisfied," Jones said. "I believe I can always get better."
Barber's ribs are expected to heal in time to start Monday night against Philadelphia. He may or may not miss some practice time, although extra practice-field carries for Jones might be a good idea anyway.
"I understand that you've got to get that rotation going for players in the first group," Jones said. "I'm just here to learn the offense and wait for my turn. The coaches are coaches for a reason. When my time comes, I just take advantage of my opportunity. ... I'm very confident in what I can do on the field. Just going out there and just making it happen is what makes you feel great."
In an organization run by Jerry Jones and several other Joneses, in a season with all sorts of attention being paid to Adam "Pacman" Jones, a rookie running back with the same surname better do something really big to stand out.
Felix Jones did exactly that in the opener.
Jones' first carry went nine yards before anyone touched him and ended after 11 yards, in the end zone. He zoomed through the line on his next carry, too, and just when it looked like he again might not stop until the end zone, he was tripped up just past midfield, still gaining 18 yards.
He later had about a 30-yard run that was called back because of a penalty. Then came a 22-yarder that did count.
The final numbers were nine carries for 62 yards and a touchdown. He also had a 20-yard kickoff return on the very first time he touched the ball in an NFL game, enough to make a rookie think this NFL thing isn't much tougher than the SEC.
"No, I didn't think like that," Jones said, laughing. "This is a first game. I had some great holes, really, running lanes I could run through. It kind of worked out in my favor at that point in time. We have a long season ahead of us. You never know what can happen."
That's for sure. Now that coaches have seen what Jones can do, the Cowboys might look for more creative ways to use their newest weapon.
"He has patience when he runs with the football and when he sees the hole, he gets through it," coach Wade Phillips said. "He made one run to his right where he cut up the field and accelerated past two or three guys that looked like they could have made the normal tackle on some backs. But they didn't make the tackle on him."
Jones' dazzling debut set to rest any lingering questions about why Dallas spent its top draft pick on a guy who backed up Darren McFadden in college and would be backing up Marion Barber here.
The joke was that Jerry Jones was determined to take an underclassman from his alma mater, Arkansas, and settled for Jones when McFadden wasn't available. The Razorbacks connection seemed even stronger considering the Cowboys could've taken Rashard Mendenhall, a featured back in college who was expected to be drafted much earlier. It also was the first time since 1997 that Dallas took an offensive player in the first round.
The 1-2 combination of smashmouth runner Barber and the speedy Jones didn't happen in the first half. In fact, Jones didn't get his first carry until Barber was in the locker room with bruised ribs.
Still, the change of pace worked to perfection.
While Jones had the luxury of a huge hole to run through, he got to it and through faster than Barber would've -- and the faster than the Browns expected. Running backs coach Skip Peete said defensive Shaun Rogers didn't even look up to try finding Jones until he was already into the secondary.
"It was just a matter of finding a lane and hitting it," Jones said.
Jones laughed when asked if he and Barber are a thunder-and-lightning type of combination. He knows speed is his forte, but he'd proud to point out several up-the-middle runs against Cleveland.
"It just shows that I am not just an outside guy," he said. "Running between the tackles is something I enjoy doing anyway. It gets us close to the end zone."
Things weren't perfect, though.
Jones got a reminder about picking up his knees in the open field to avoid shoestring tackles, like the one that prevented him from having two touchdowns on his first two carries. He also got a reminder about the importance of handling his blitz assignments because a guy he failed to slow wound up forcing Tony Romo to throw sooner than he wanted, resulting in an interception in the end zone.
But Jones also learned from that, doing a better job of blocking on the following series.
"I'm never satisfied," Jones said. "I believe I can always get better."
Barber's ribs are expected to heal in time to start Monday night against Philadelphia. He may or may not miss some practice time, although extra practice-field carries for Jones might be a good idea anyway.
"I understand that you've got to get that rotation going for players in the first group," Jones said. "I'm just here to learn the offense and wait for my turn. The coaches are coaches for a reason. When my time comes, I just take advantage of my opportunity. ... I'm very confident in what I can do on the field. Just going out there and just making it happen is what makes you feel great."
posted by The Gryphon at 5:31 PM
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