Going into his third season in the NFL, Cowboys running back Felix Jones had 10 touchdowns (six rushing, three receiving and one kickoff return).
The average yards per touchdown on those 10? Try 47.1 yards per touchdown. That, my friends, is a weapon and a true big-play commodity.
So what do you do with that kind of talent in the season opener? Well, if you're a red-headed Princeton grad, you give him one touch per touchdown in his short career. Ten touches, Garrett? Really? Yep.
The Cowboys had 71 offensive snaps in Sunday night's debaucle against the Redskins, and their most explosive player touched the ball 10 times. He was in for 28 snaps, but it needs to be more. His durability has been called into question over the past two seasons -- in both he's suffered injuries, but there's really only one way to find out.
I remember back in the spring, Jones was being penciled in as the Cowboys "starting running back". Even though that title is kind of stupid in an offense where you have three very capable running backs, that was the case. On Sunday, Marion Barber had 24 snaps and Tashard Choice had 23.
How are you supposed to have any continuity or offensive rhythm when you're shuffling in three guys? Lots of teams do it with two, but three is just too much.
Jones needs the ball more, plain and simple. Every time he touches the ball, I'm on the edge of my seat as he gets past the first level of defense time and time again, seemingly one quick move from, as the kids like to say, "housin' it".
Sports Connection
Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.
So here's a tip for you, Jason Garrett. I understand I might have graduated from lowly Texas Tech University (which is going to beat Texas this weekend, book it and deal with it) and not Princeton, but it seems to me you'd want the ball in your most explosive player's hand on more than one-seventh of your team's offensive snaps.
Remember when simple was better? Back in the 90s, Emmitt Smith would get the ball 30 times a game, Michael Irvin would catch 10 balls and there's two-thirds of your offense right there. That wins. Not evenly distributing balls between three running backs, two receivers and an All-Pro tight end. Doesn't work, Jason.
Boedeker, out.
