I have spent a lot of time the last month trumpeting the arrival of DeMarco Murray to the Dallas Cowboys' lineup. With the lackluster running back play since Emmitt Smith left, I have longed for the Cowboys to find a running back who can actually dominate the game.
Now, Dallas has DeMarco Murray and thankfully Jason Garrett knows what he has and did not plug Felix Jones back into the starting lineup because Dallas needs Murray to win the NFC East.
But, as much as I love the fact that Murray is getting his due, I feel that Jones needs to play as well. In his first game back from injury, Jones finished with five carries for 18 yards. In his second, he got one reception. This is not the proper way to utilize someone of Jones' capabilities.
Murray needs to get 20 or more carries a game and I am fine with that. But Jones needs to get a few runs as well. Jones also needs to be utilized out of the backfield as a receiver. I know Murray is doing fine in that regard but I was a fan of Murray at the University of Oklahoma and he can get hurt if he is over-utilized. There is no reason that Jones can't be a weapon like Darren Sproles is in New Orleans.
The reason they dumped Tashard Choice was because he was too similar to Murray in size and running abilities. They knew they needed a thunder and lightning combination, to steal a name from the New York Giants. Of course, Choice also fumbles and has already proven to be unwanted when the Redskins dumped him as well. But Dallas knew that Murray and Jones were just different enough to give them two distinct weapons in the lineup.
Murray needs to continue to get his 20 carries a game but let Jones get involved as well. Jones can't do the goal line, but on a second and long, he might be a good person to throw a screen to or execute a draw up the middle. It is just as I expected when the season began. As much as he wants it, Jones is not an every down back but he is still a dangerous weapon. Dallas just needs to figure out how to use him.
Author Shawn S. Lealos has followed the Dallas Cowboys since he was a child, his favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s. Through the great years of the '90s and the hard times of the '80s, Shawn never turned his back on America's Team.
Source: Dallas Cowboys
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