For Jones to get 100 yards rushing on 17 carries would require an average of 5.9 YPC. The highest YPC in the league currently is 5.7 with Brandon Jacobs, then 5.1 with Warrick Dunn, and it goes down. In essence, you're asking for Jones to be the #1 RB in professional football when we don't need him to be. The offensive coordinator calls the plays, not Thomas Jones. If they don't run the ball consistently, it is NOT his fault because when given opportunities he is making the best of many of them.
Most of Jones best runs this year has come from runs in between the tackles. I believe it is his strong suit. I believe that the Jets are calling too many sidelines plays, which include stretch runs and those pass plays directly to the WR after the snap, which only work against weak cornerbacks such as those of the Bengals. The amount of sideline plays that are called send us nowhere. Jones single handedly led the Bears offense when they went to the Super Bowl... their passing game that year was AWFUL. Would it be nice to have a premier running back? Absolutely. I don't disagree at all. I would've been thrilled if we had gotten Felix Jones in this draft, but I understand the logic for taking Gholston instead, and it was the right decision. You don't need a premier RB to win the Super Bowl. You need a premier offensive line... which we certainly do not have. We need to upgrade the o-line before upgrading the running back will make a tremendous difference.
Jones Rushing totals this year: MIA - 22 carries, 101 yards, 1 td - WIN NE - 17 carries, 70 yards - LOSS SD - 10 carries, 37 yards - LOSS ARI - 18 carries, 46 yards - WIN CIN - 17 carries, 65 yards, 2 TDs, 1 Rec. TD - WIN The only real oddball game is the Arizona game, which was rich with turnovers, onside kicks, and general passing mayhem. That game is not a good gauge of Jones ability. The other 4 games, there is a direct correlation between Jones opportunities and whether we win or lose. That is on the coaching.
#1 for thomas jones to average 5.6 yards a games is not hard. They meaning backs like brandon jacobs get some big plays like in the game he played this weekend he had a couple of 20+ yards on some carries. TJ doesn't even once and a while get you 10+ on a carrie here and there. Thas all I would like to see. I watched the giants game and was rooting for NYG and on the other team there was a guy by the name of Jamal Lewis. And everytime you would get your hopes up for a defensive stand this guy broke off a chunk of yards first down here there everywhere. I want TJ to surprise us and get yards like when were in desperation we can count on him and give him the title ole faithful. #2 when tj played for the bears he rushed for a lot of yards true. But that's the bears style when the line up and play smash mouth football and you could line anyone up back there and your gonna get yards. The big play that stuck out in my mind was superbowl against the colts and thomas jones broke free and clear from the pack no one around for 20 yards and you can't take it to the house gets caught from behind. Then and there I knew I didn't like his style. You either speed away from everyone or you just high step and power your way threw a tackle.
The stats are all the TJ gets more then enough touches each games 17+ touches 4 outta 5 games he's gotta make some yards for 10+ you would hope on at least 5-10% of his carries
#1 - It is not hard for Jones to average 5.6 YPC per game? Seriously? Then why is only one running back in the NFL doing it? #2 - Jones didn't just gain a lot of yards in the Bears offense, he WAS the Bears offense. He had a fantastic offensive line in front of him and he absolutely ate up opposing defenses. He is an absolutely capable, competent back who can get the job done.
Jones should be getting the ball 25-30 times per game. He is proven to get better as the games go on since he is wearing opposing defenses out. When the offense makes stupid play calls that put us in third and long every time, then we have to rely on the passing game, which though good, limits our options.
Dude, Thomas Jones wears out defenses? Is there some other Thomas Jones in the NFL I'm not aware of??? I can't believe you actually posted that. It doesn't matter how many touches Jones gets, he fails at punishing tacklers completely. Watch the way he hits tacklers, he puts up a minimum of a fight unless he can throw one of those very uncommon still-arms and even then it's mostly ineffective. Thomas Jones does not wear down defenses. The playcalling is a problem, and we need better run blocking, but you are delusional if you think Thomas Jones wears down defenses. He is a finesse runner.
Defenses get worn down when they are on the field for too long. Usually when a running back can get 25-30 carries a game, then the defense has been spending too much time on the field, and thus is getting worn down. This is the case even with someone like Kevin Faulk running the ball. It isn't like a running back runs into a pile and hits a guy, and then that guy is "worn out" for the rest of the game. It is a combined effect of constantly running into piles, constantly running, not being able to get a break, and just generally getting your ass kicked. The effect is complete demoralization, possibly quitting or at least dogging it, and the game getting taken over by a team quite handily. You don't need Jim Brown to do that to a defense. Thomas Jones ABSOLUTELY CAN do this to a defense.
So long as we're scoring points and winning games I don't care who gets the ball. Down the stretch when weather becomes a factor and we need to run it may be a blessing in disguise that we didn't run 25-30 times a game earlier in the season because our backs will have relatively fresh legs.
Kevin Faulk I'd have him on this team anyday. He is a bruising when and if he gets contacted. He is a good screen runner he makes plays out of nothing and gets the first down. If we gave tj more carries it would result in more stalled drives. Stuff three times on goalline now when they go down there they just say f it we gonna pass shows lack of trust and being able to get the job done. And those three times weren't thee only time he's been stuffed
I could not disagree with this thread anymore. Thomas Jones is just not good. He does not brake tackles and he does not have break away speed. A back needs one or the other. I would spread it out as that plays to our stregnths. Our pass blocking is much better than our runblocking and we have a lot of weapons who can catch the ball right now ala Cotch, Coles, Stuckey, Keller. Plus, leon is good out of the backfield. We are not a smashmouth team and we do not have a featured back who can overcome a subpar runblocking line.
Wow you're one of those fans that hates NY and thinks everything outside of it is wonderful. Kevin Faulk is like Leon Washington - NOT a bruiser. You're right that he is a good screen runner and makes plays out of nothing, but our guys can do that too. And you proved that you don't know what you're talking about by citing the three goal line stops as an example. Greg Buttle reviewed that series on the radio and pointed out that the first run D'Brickashaw missed his assignment, the second play the Patriots sold out and didn't even defend against the pass and were correct in their gamble, and the third play Damian Woody blew his assignment. Any running back would've been stuffed three times on those plays.
Defenses aren't going to get worn down by Thomas Jones getting more touches, because he will stall our drives with runs up the middle, he never gets the right momentum and tries to slide off of tackles instead of taking them head-on. 3 and outs don't tire out defenses. The way the offense is currently built, Thomas Jones getting more touches would be a deathblow. He can be a good back when he has great run-blocking, but he doesn't. It's just like when Curtis was declining and our run-blocking was suffering, he was mostly ineffective in helping us maintain drives. With the current personnel, we are built around the pass, giving less carries to the backs and needing more dynamic performance than just taking what they are given. That's why I think they are giving the ball to Washington more lately and why I think they are going to be using Chatman a lot more. Jones takes what he is given, and if he isn't given huge holes and a very good lead block in the defensive secondary, he doesn't improvise. We need more than what Jones is capable of, and I don't think 25-30 touches is going to change that. Against good run defenses, it will be 2 yards and a cloud of dust.
Against good teams not running the ball is going to cost us games. You don't beat teams like New England, Buffalo, and Tennessee without running all over them. Not to mention, the run will be vital to any kind of post-season hopes we may have. I agree that the team is built around the pass, and that the run should complement it, but I don't believe it is being done correctly. Giving the ball to Washington and Chatman isn't going to make the running game any better. If anything, they were more valuable last year when the run blocking was awful as opposed to just average this year. Jones is in a better position to run this year than he was last year, and he needs to get the touches. Bottom line, no matter who is carrying it, if our run blocking doesn't improve significantly by the end of the year, we're going nowhere.
Face the facts man tj just doesn't get it done when most needed. When kevin faulk see an opponent in front of him he makes contact and runs threw or around the opponent make them miss. Tj gets it and its one and done no fight in him someone you want to give the ball 25-30 times has to have the heart to want one more extra yard when you know there's no physical way. Imma NY Jet for life but some players make no sense for the franchise. Right now that 2nd round pick looked a little bit more better. I'd rather deal with possiblitie then deal with this is what you got and thas It. Yes people do miss blocks on certain plays but what ever happen to dropping your shoulder and make some fucking way when your on the one yard line?
The Pats beat plenty of good teams last year without running the ball too much. I think it would be wise to focus on the passing game against a team like the Titans considering our O-line has been solid in pass protection.
Jones can get it done as well as if not better than Leon Washington and Jesse Chatman. Jones is what we have and if the Jets running game is going to work it is going be with Jones carrying the load. Washington is the perfect complement running back but he is not the feature back and that is how it will be for now. You're watching football but not understanding what is happening on the field. Our offensive line is being beat at the point of attack consistently by opposing d-lines and swallowing up our running plays. Even if we had Barry Sanders in the backfield there is only so much he'd be able to do with that kind of blocking. This is real NFL football we're discussing, not Madden.
