One of the many running subplots this season for the Cowboys is Marion Barber vs. Julius Jones, which will come to a head when the Seahawks play in the final Thanksgiving Day game at Texas Stadium on November 27th.
Since Barber was drafted in 2005, Jones, who was drafted in 2004, saw his opportunities and production drop while Barber saw increased opportunities and had a Pro Bowl season last year as a result. As Barber began to flourish in the Cowboys system, Jones struggled to keep up with Barber’s intensity and eventually fell out of favor with the organization. In last season’s playoff game against the Giants, Barber was named the starter, and in the game, Jones saw only limited action. The strategy backfired as the Giants pulled off the upset on their way to a Super Bowl victory, but the Cowboys felt they had their “back of the future” in Barber.
As the Cowboys entered the offseason, it was evident that Jones’ time in Dallas was done. When free agency began, Jones signed with Seattle, where he would have a chance to be the feature back.
Jones’ selection in the 2004 draft was controversial in that many people felt the Cowboys should have taken Steven Jackson, who was available as the clock ticked down on the team’s first round pick. Instead, they traded the pick and selected Jones in the secound round. He entered the organization with high expectations and pressure to perform under then head coach Bill Parcells. Jones displayed much promise with his speed and vision. But as quickly as Jones displayed those attributes, they seemed to disappear.
Enter Marion Barber.
Barber was drafted with the intention of him being a third-down back – a player that could get that tough yard or two to keep a drive going. But as Barber was given more opportunities, it became more and more evident that it was Barber, not Jones, who was going to be the back of the future for the Cowboys. With Barber, you know what you are going to get: a tough, hard-nosed runner who doesn’t shy away from contact and has a nose for the end zone around the goal line.
As the season progresses, I will compare how the two backs are performing and provide additional insight. We are now three weeks into the season. Here are their current stats after Week 3:
Julius Jones rushing: 61 carries, 312 yards, 2 TDs
Marion Barber rushing: 62 carries, 285 yards, 4 TDs
Julius Jones receiving: 6 catches, 35 yards, 0 TDs
Marion Barber receiving: 10 catches, 87 yards, 1 TD
Fumbles:
Julius Jones: none
Marion Barber: 1 (1 lost)
Information gathered from DallasNews.com and Yahoo! Sports.
