Cruising under the radar in last weekend’s Wild Card game was the injury to Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber going into the matchup. The Barbarian is suffering from a knee injury and only carried the ball three times in the first quarter last week before he was removed from the game. With Barber’s health in doubt for the upcoming Vikings game, the Cowboys will have to turn to their backups. And for Dallas, it’s not a problem.
Blogging The Boys: Believe In The Cat
Enter Felix Jones, first-round pick from two years ago, who has fought his own injury demons during his time in Dallas. But over the last few weeks, the Cowboys have been feeding Felix the Cat more carries, including last week’s stellar performance against the Eagles. And the Cat has responded.
Jones has carried ten or more times in each of the last five games, and is averaging 15 touches and 96 yards from scrimmage. Not bad for a rotation guy, though I wonder how much Felix will rotate on par with Marion Barber or Tashard Choice, with a production curve that’s rising as quickly as his:
- vs. Chargers – 11 touches, 53 yards from scrimmage, 15% of total offensive yards;
- vs. Saints — 15 touches, 68 yfs. 15% of offensive yds.;
- vs. Redskins — 14 touches, 85 yfs., 22% of offensive yds.;
- vs. Eagles — 16 touches, 94 yfs., 20% of offensive yds.;
- vs. Eagles — 17 touches, 178 yfs., 42% of offensive yds.
16 touches seems to be the sound barrier for Felix Jones. Get him to 17 or higher and defenders can’t hear him until he’s five yards past them.
The Cowboys hope they have a three-game season in front of them. I know who I want getting the lion’s share of running backs touches in those remaining games — the biggest cat of them all, Felix Jones
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