Julius Jones remains iffy for the Arizona game

[Guest Moose Knuckle Ball Four]

Running back Julius Jones remains iffy for the Arizona game. Jones has missed the past two games with an ankle sprain. . . . Linebacker Dat Nguyen, who's missed the past three games with a neck injury, should be ready for the Cardinals. . . . Parcells expects wide receiver Peerless Price, who had just one catch Sunday, to get more opportunities this week.

[jmullen45 0]

I'm getting fed up with this. The thing I wonder is if he is hurt that badly or if he keeps aggravating it because he feels preasured to come back too soon? That, or is he just a puss...

[Jwood 0]

I don't foresee Julius being back until after the bye week.

[jmullen45 0]

I don't foresee Julius being back until after the bye week.

Seems about right to me.

[swirvenirvin 25]

I'm getting fed up with this. The thing I wonder is if he is hurt that badly or if he keeps aggravating it because he feels preasured to come back too soon? That, or is he just a puss...

its was a high ankle sprain hes done for a while remember todd heap last year

[Churchill610 0]

I'm getting fed up with this.  The thing I wonder is if he is hurt that badly or if he keeps aggravating it because he feels preasured to come back too soon?  That, or is he just a puss...

its was a high ankle sprain hes done for a while remember todd heap last year

Yeah, but Heap's a gigantor poosay!

[U Dub 0]

rbbc again this week??

[OMN 0]

I am guessing Barber will get a majority of the carries unless he misses a block or makes a fumble. I think Parcells wants to know if Barber can carry the load and at this point I think Parcells wants to find a go to guy in Jones' absence to send a message. Of course this is all just speculation on my part.

[Cruzer 1,992]

I am guessing Barber will get a majority of the carries unless he misses a block or makes a fumble.  I think Parcells wants to know if Barber can carry the load and at this point I think Parcells wants to find a go to guy in Jones' absence to send a message.  Of course this is all just speculation on my part.

I don't think it's so much Parcells trying to find out what he has in Barber - it's that this is basically his only option. The A-Train is slower than Larry Allen and Tyson can't be trusted to hold on to the ball or pick up blocks (yet). He's basically got no other options right now - it's going to be RBBC until JJ is ready.

[Kitrick Taylor 0]

High ankle sprains are tough. Duece McAllister had a nasty one last year, and only sat out a couple of weeks. It ended up affecting him most of the year.

 

Jones has sat out two weeks with this already, and by sitting out this one, they could make it four with the bye. It just makes sense really. He should be close to 100% after the bye. I kinda hope he doesn't play.

 

At least this way I am fairly confident with starting M Barber against the Cards, and hopefully get back a healthy JJ after the bye.

[Skanker 0]

rbbc again this week??

[TIKI-BARBERS-BARBER 0]

Just speculation on my part but what I read was the Parcells is worried if he can stay healthy after the time he missed last year and this year. When Jones does come back you might see him sharing more time with the other rbs to keep him healthy.

[Abusabus 0]

So anyone think Barber might be a good filler for a bye week?

 

My other option is Antowain Smith and he's sharing carries with Stecker....

 

[football_scooter 0]

Just speculation on my part but what I read was the Parcells is worried if he can stay healthy after the time he missed last year and this year. When Jones does come back you might see him sharing more time with the other rbs to keep him healthy.

That's odd speculation since Parcells gave JJ 30+ carries a week for 7 weeks last year.

 

Maybe it's partially Parcells fault for giving the rook that kind of workload.

[PittFootball 0]

So anyone think Barber might be a good filler for a bye week?

 

My other option is Antowain Smith and he's sharing carries with Stecker....

 

http://www.fanball.com/fb/newsbreakers.cfm

 

October 25, 2005 10:08 AM ET

Cowboys: Backfield remains a committee approach

The News

 

Cowboys running back Marion Barber had a breakout game on Sunday, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's now Julius Jones' primary backup. "I would like to see (Barber) do a better job with the ball," head coach Bill Parcells told the team's official web site. "But I think he's a pretty good runner and I think he's a pretty good pass blocker. And he can catch. So I'm hoping he comes along. Looks like it's going to be by committee here for a little while."

Our View

 

Our impression at this point is that Barber is slightly ahead of Thomas and Thompson on the depth chart, but it's not a landslide. All three running backs have been the featured ball-carrier during the time that Jones has been out, and with Julius possibly out again this Sunday, all three could be in the mix against the Cardinals.

 

 

October 25, 2005 10:00 AM ET

Cowboys: Parcells not sure Jones will play Sunday

The News

 

Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells took a pessimistic stance on running back Julius Jones' status Monday. Jones has missed the last two games due to a high left ankle sprain, and he's questionable for week eight. "It doesn't look good for Jones," the coach told the Dallas Morning News. "I'm hopeful we'll get over this. I think that's why we're having a tendency to not really push it, because I don't want him to have a reoccurrence and have him be out for the rest of the year."

Our View

 

High ankle sprains are notoriously tough to assess, and Parcells is probably a little frustrated with how long it's taking. The Cowboys are on bye in week nine, and while that won't stop Parcells from using Jones if the running back proves he's healthy, Julius will likely sit this week if he's anything less than 100 percent.

[cbfalcon 824]

Hopefully JJ takes this week off, and then we get a repeat of last year.

 

He comes out fresh for the stretch run after alot of time off and with a chip on his shoulder.

[Skinny_Bastard 154]

RBBC?

Are you guys kidding me? Barber has gotten the majority of the snaps since the 2nd half of week six's game. Barber will be the feature back until JJ is back. The kid had 21 carries for 95 yards against a decent seattle run D..

[Captain Spaulding 2]

RBBC?

Are you guys kidding me? Barber has gotten the majority of the snaps since the 2nd half of week six's game. Barber will be the feature back until JJ is back. The kid had 21 carries for 95 yards against a decent seattle run D..

And those weren't garbage yards against a 3rd string prevent defense (see Frank Gore). Seattle and Dallas battled to the wire, and Barber was going against 100% effort and starters from Seattle's D. If Barber is on the waiver wire, pick him up now. There has to be some dead weight bum on your roster worth cutting for Barber's potential.

[Skinny_Bastard 154]

RBBC?

Are you guys kidding me? Barber has gotten the majority of the snaps since the 2nd half of week six's game.  Barber will be the feature back until JJ is back.  The kid had 21 carries for 95 yards against a decent seattle run D..

And those weren't garbage yards against a 3rd string prevent defense (see Frank Gore). Seattle and Dallas battled to the wire, and Barber was going against 100% effort and starters from Seattle's D. If Barber is on the waiver wire, pick him up now. There has to be some dead weight bum on your roster worth cutting for Barber's potential.

I already picked him up and actually started him for my bye week fillin...i might start him again......Parcell didn't praise him, but parcell never really praises anyone......no negative reaction from parcell is a sign of confidence in the young man.

[idlewild 6]

Just speculation on my part but what I read was the Parcells is worried if he can stay healthy after the time he missed last year and this year. When Jones does come back you might see him sharing more time with the other rbs to keep him healthy.

Scooter, care to comment?

 

:ph34r:

[mpzee 0]

I just hope JJ returns and does what he did last year. When he got injuried, seeing him on the sideline, he didn't seem to be that hurt.

 

Parcells has a way of playing mind games with his players.

[Guest Moose Knuckle Ball Four]

Notes: Still A Committee At Running Back

 

IRVING, Texas - After Julius Jones didn't return for the second half of the Cowboys' Week 5 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells said he thought the second-year running back could have returned with a high left ankle sprain, but he "didn't like the look of him."

 

But two weeks later, Jones still isn't back on the field.

 

Parcells said Monday he wasn't sure Jones would be ready for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals after missing last Sunday's 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

 

"I've got my doubts," Parcells said of Jones, who also sat out the Cowboys' division win over the New York Giants in Week 6.

 

"I think he's a good kid . . . and I think he's a good running back. But part of it is durability. That's a second critical factor for that position. And I'm not saying he's not durable, but I am concerned because I think next Sunday, if he misses that game, it'll be 11 ½ games he's missed out of 24."

 

The problem in Jones' short career hasn't been the number of injuries, but their significance. He fractured his scapula in the second game of his rookie season, which sidelined him for eight weeks.

 

And although an ankle sprain may seem like a relatively minor concern, high ankle sprains are one of the harder injuries to quantify in sports.

 

High ankle sprains are temperamental injuries, as the damaged ligaments control not just the stability of the bones in the ankle, but the tibia and fibula as well. Coming back too early can damage the ligament further, a scenario Parcells said the team isn't going to risk.

 

If Jones is unable to go again, the Cowboys' running back committee of Marion Barber, Anthony Thomas and Tyson Thompson will continue to get the carries.

 

Thompson became the featured back in the second half against the Eagles, and Thomas got the most carries against the Giants. But Barber stepped into that role against Seattle, registering 22 carries for 95 yards. Prior to the game, Barber had 13 carries for 31 yards.

 

Parcells complimented both Barber and Thompson for their work against the Seahawks. He said Thompson was aggressive on his kickoff returns and ran well when he got carries, while Barber did a good job rushing and picking up blitzes, although he did fumble the ball twice.

 

"I would like to see (Barber) do a better job with the ball," Parcells said. "But I think he's a pretty good runner and I think he's a pretty good pass blocker. And he can catch. So I'm hoping he comes along.

 

"Looks like it's going to be by committee here for a little while."

[mpzee 0]

If you can pick up the blitz on a pass, you start and play more than the other RB's.

 

Marion Barber is the man.

[U Dub 0]

If you can pick up the blitz on a pass, you start and play more than the other RB's.

 

Marion Barber is the man.

hope your right. i think i'm going to pick up barber to fill my bye week and jones injury this week.

[onejayhawk 3]

If you can pick up the blitz on a pass, you start and play more than the other RB's.

 

Marion Barber is the man.

I have to agree with this, with one reservation. Fumbling will get you pine. That has been Barber's problem since day one of camp. In the Parcells quote above, he mentions ball handling issues.

 

Still, it is clearly his job to lose, though Thompson and Thomas will get touches as well. However I do not look on this as a RBBC, in spite of Parcells comments (he wouldnt blow smoke would he?). His history is to ride one back, and spot his others.

 

J