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Posted by jellis at 11/18/2010 3:39 PM CST on truebluefanclub.com
Felix Jones' 71-yard touchdown catch and run on the screen pass Sunday was his first score of the year, longest gain of the year, and the second biggest play of his career behind only the 73-yard run he broke off in last season's Wild Card win against Philadelphia.
It was particularly encouraging because the play developed so well in part because Jones ran his route smoothly and caught the ball well. His development in the passing game has been an ongoing process in his three years here.
Just a week before, against Green Bay, Jones had perhaps the worst display a running back could have in the passing game on back to back plays. He dropped an easy catch over the middle one play, and missed his blocking assignment the next, allowing Jon Kitna to get killed.
"As much as anything else, it's about opportunity for him," Jason Garrett said. "He played in that Razorback offense at Arkansas and didn't have a whole lot of chances to be an NFL third-down back with all the protection issues and then coming out of the backfield and running routes. Now he's a very natural football player, he's very instinctive, he catches the ball well, we've seen that. But I think his development has been 'in this situation, I'm playing on third down, I understand the blocking responsibilities I have.' And then you just get more opportunities to simply catch the football.
"I think anytime you can get him or really any runner out into space, that's where they want to be. I think over the course of the season and over the past couple years Felix has proven to everybody that he can run inside as well, but when he gets into space he's a pretty dynamic player."
Jones admits he's still learning how to operate in the passing game.
"First of all, take care of your assignment," Jones said. "Do the thing you're supposed to do and contribute to the play, possibly help make a play ... It did feel good to finally get that first touchdown to help my team. Hopefully we'll continue."
Felix Jones' 71-yard touchdown catch and run on the screen pass Sunday was his first score of the year, longest gain of the year, and the second biggest play of his career behind only the 73-yard run he broke off in last season's Wild Card win against Philadelphia.
It was particularly encouraging because the play developed so well in part because Jones ran his route smoothly and caught the ball well. His development in the passing game has been an ongoing process in his three years here.
Just a week before, against Green Bay, Jones had perhaps the worst display a running back could have in the passing game on back to back plays. He dropped an easy catch over the middle one play, and missed his blocking assignment the next, allowing Jon Kitna to get killed.
"As much as anything else, it's about opportunity for him," Jason Garrett said. "He played in that Razorback offense at Arkansas and didn't have a whole lot of chances to be an NFL third-down back with all the protection issues and then coming out of the backfield and running routes. Now he's a very natural football player, he's very instinctive, he catches the ball well, we've seen that. But I think his development has been 'in this situation, I'm playing on third down, I understand the blocking responsibilities I have.' And then you just get more opportunities to simply catch the football.
"I think anytime you can get him or really any runner out into space, that's where they want to be. I think over the course of the season and over the past couple years Felix has proven to everybody that he can run inside as well, but when he gets into space he's a pretty dynamic player."
Jones admits he's still learning how to operate in the passing game.
"First of all, take care of your assignment," Jones said. "Do the thing you're supposed to do and contribute to the play, possibly help make a play ... It did feel good to finally get that first touchdown to help my team. Hopefully we'll continue."
