sbk92
2
- Messages
- 12,134
- Reaction score
- 6
JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News
jjtaylor@dallasnews.com
INDIANAPOLIS – When Jerry Jones gave Jason Garrett the job, the new coach said the best players would play regardless of salary or draft pedigree.
It's time for him to prove it.
Right now, Tashard Choice is a better running back than Marion Barber, the starter for much of the season.
It's time for that foolishness to stop.
Now.
You don't have to be an NFL coach, scout or personnel director to see Choice has more speed, elusiveness and agility than Barber.
He showed all of that – and more – on a scintillating 20-yard touchdown in the first quarter of the Cowboys' 38-35 overtime win over Indianapolis on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The only reason Choice had an opportunity to gain 100 yards on 19 carries, surpassing his yardage and carry totals for the entire season, and carry four times for 13 yards on the game-winning drive is because Barber missed the game with a strained calf.
We don't know when Barber will return, but it shouldn't matter because Choice gives the offense more versatility and big-play potential. Choice had two runs of 20 yards or more against the Colts; Barber has one in 102 carries this season.
Garrett often says Barber's physicality is among the reasons he starts.
Whatever.
Felix Jones usually replaces Barber after 2-3 plays, hardly enough time to establish a tone.
Garrett often says Barber's 3.1 average per carry is misleading because he carries the ball in short-yardage situations.
Poppy****.
Take away Barber's 19 carries on third- and fourth-and-1 or when the Cowboys were on the opponent's 1, and his average rises to only 3.5.
Since becoming the Cowboys' interim coach, Garrett brought the organization direction and discipline, while instilling a never-say-quit attitude. All of that's impressive, but he'll eventually lose credibility with the players if he continues this sham of starting Barber.
The players know who deserves playing time.
It's not personal. It's business. It's the NFL's way.
It's all about what-have-you done-for-me-lately. Nothing else matters whether we're talking about players, coaches or general managers.
Jones is a better player and has earned the right to be the featured back, but there's no good reason for Choice to be third-string anymore. Besides, Choice has excelled every time he's been given a larger role.
In 2008, he rushed for 88 yards on 23 carries in Pittsburgh. Two weeks later, he had 17 carries for 90 yards against Baltimore.
Last season, he scored on a 36-yard run and gained 92 yards in an overtime win over Kansas City. He's averaged more than 5.0 per carry in each of his first two seasons.
Choice, 5-10 and 212 pounds, has a knack for showing patience to the hole and accelerating through it, and he has quick feet that allow him to elude defenders in close quarters and make hard cuts.
"I've got a lot of doubters," Choice said. "I'm going to make them believe in me one day. They don't know what's in my heart."
The only people responsible for stunting his career growth are employed by the Cowboys.
This should make the Cowboys expand Choice's role, but we're talking about the same organization that didn't give Miles Austin a chance for extended playing time until Roy Williams was hurt and the same organization that didn't give Doug Free a chance to play until Marc Colombo was hurt.
Notice a trend?
As good as it was, we need to keep Choice's performance in perspective. Obviously, he has fresh legs and the Colts have a raggedy run defense that ranks among the worst in the league.
Still, in a wretched season like this, it's important to find out whether players such as Choice need to be part of the future.
Choice deserves an opportunity to do that during the last four games. If Garrett's a man of his word, he'll get it.
jjtaylor@dallasnews.com
INDIANAPOLIS – When Jerry Jones gave Jason Garrett the job, the new coach said the best players would play regardless of salary or draft pedigree.
It's time for him to prove it.
Right now, Tashard Choice is a better running back than Marion Barber, the starter for much of the season.
It's time for that foolishness to stop.
Now.
You don't have to be an NFL coach, scout or personnel director to see Choice has more speed, elusiveness and agility than Barber.
He showed all of that – and more – on a scintillating 20-yard touchdown in the first quarter of the Cowboys' 38-35 overtime win over Indianapolis on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The only reason Choice had an opportunity to gain 100 yards on 19 carries, surpassing his yardage and carry totals for the entire season, and carry four times for 13 yards on the game-winning drive is because Barber missed the game with a strained calf.
We don't know when Barber will return, but it shouldn't matter because Choice gives the offense more versatility and big-play potential. Choice had two runs of 20 yards or more against the Colts; Barber has one in 102 carries this season.
Garrett often says Barber's physicality is among the reasons he starts.
Whatever.
Felix Jones usually replaces Barber after 2-3 plays, hardly enough time to establish a tone.
Garrett often says Barber's 3.1 average per carry is misleading because he carries the ball in short-yardage situations.
Poppy****.
Take away Barber's 19 carries on third- and fourth-and-1 or when the Cowboys were on the opponent's 1, and his average rises to only 3.5.
Since becoming the Cowboys' interim coach, Garrett brought the organization direction and discipline, while instilling a never-say-quit attitude. All of that's impressive, but he'll eventually lose credibility with the players if he continues this sham of starting Barber.
The players know who deserves playing time.
It's not personal. It's business. It's the NFL's way.
It's all about what-have-you done-for-me-lately. Nothing else matters whether we're talking about players, coaches or general managers.
Jones is a better player and has earned the right to be the featured back, but there's no good reason for Choice to be third-string anymore. Besides, Choice has excelled every time he's been given a larger role.
In 2008, he rushed for 88 yards on 23 carries in Pittsburgh. Two weeks later, he had 17 carries for 90 yards against Baltimore.
Last season, he scored on a 36-yard run and gained 92 yards in an overtime win over Kansas City. He's averaged more than 5.0 per carry in each of his first two seasons.
Choice, 5-10 and 212 pounds, has a knack for showing patience to the hole and accelerating through it, and he has quick feet that allow him to elude defenders in close quarters and make hard cuts.
"I've got a lot of doubters," Choice said. "I'm going to make them believe in me one day. They don't know what's in my heart."
The only people responsible for stunting his career growth are employed by the Cowboys.
This should make the Cowboys expand Choice's role, but we're talking about the same organization that didn't give Miles Austin a chance for extended playing time until Roy Williams was hurt and the same organization that didn't give Doug Free a chance to play until Marc Colombo was hurt.
Notice a trend?
As good as it was, we need to keep Choice's performance in perspective. Obviously, he has fresh legs and the Colts have a raggedy run defense that ranks among the worst in the league.
Still, in a wretched season like this, it's important to find out whether players such as Choice need to be part of the future.
Choice deserves an opportunity to do that during the last four games. If Garrett's a man of his word, he'll get it.
