IRVING, Texas (AP) – Felix Jones was supposed to be unleashed this season. The Dallas Cowboys were going to find all sorts of ways to showcase his swerving moves and swift feet.
Maybe it still will happen. But his paltry production is especially glaring this week because the Cowboys are facing the big-play running back they could have drafted instead of him: Tennessee’s Chris Johnson.
Last season, while Jones was backing up Marion Barber, Johnson ran for 2,009 yards and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year by The Associated Press.
Johnson again is among the most productive players this season, a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball. His two longest gains are 76 and 42 yards; that total of 128 is the same Jones has, for all his runs and receptions, through three entire games.
Then again, Jones hasn’t had as many chances. Still backing up Barber, he’s had the ball a total of 26 times, never more than 10 in one game. He hasn’t scored a touchdown.
“Everyone is in unanimous agreement with the staff, scout and everyone involved that Felix needs to touch the ball more,” team owner Jerry Jones said on his radio show this week. “He’s just too much of a threat and that was our intention in preseason coming out, no matter whether he’s getting a chance to be in the running game, but certainly in the passing game as well. I really look for you to see a lot more of Felix Jones.”
Jerry Jones is a huge fan of Felix Jones, an admiration that stems from the running back’s college career at Arkansas, the owner’s alma mater.
Jerry Jones saw Felix Jones break so many big plays in the SEC that he expected more of the same in the NFL. So when Felix Jones was available at No. 22 in the 2008 draft, the Cowboys grabbed him. Two picks later, the Titans snagged Johnson.
Dallas coach Wade Phillips really liked Johnson, and his speed “was the best that we had ever seen for a running back, ever,” Jerry Jones said. However, the Cowboys considered Felix Jones more of a complete package.
“We liked his vision and we liked his speed and just the type of individual that he was,” Jerry Jones said. “His college coaches at Arkansas told us that you’d have to shoot him to get him off of the practice field. That work attitude really convinced us that Felix was who we wanted.”
Jones is no bust. His average of 5.9 yards per carry tied for the best in the NFL last season. For his career, he’s averaged 6.5 yards per run and 7.2 yards per reception.
But Jones has only started one game. He’s missed 12 more because of injury. As a result, 10 guys from his draft class have rushed for more yards than him – and eight were drafted after him.
“Felix has been an important part of our team in a lot of wins,” Phillips said. “I thought last year at the end of the year he was as good as any of (his draft class). Numbers don’t tell everything. He had what, two 60-, 70-yard runs at the end of the year? Pretty spectacular.”
The last two years, the Cowboys also used him as a kick returner to take advantage of his breakaway ability. He averaged 24.2 yards per carry, with a 98-yard touchdown. He was taken off those special teams this season because he was going to be featured more in the offense.
Phillips said Wednesday that could finally happen this week against Tennessee. Then he changed it to should happen because “we can hand him the ball.”
“We’re going to try to do that,” Phillips said. “As long as we’re effective, we want to see him carry the ball quite a bit. You’d like to run it and control the game.”
Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett noted that Jones has had two long plays called back by penalties. He also mentioned that Jones didn’t get much of a chance last game because Dallas was grinding out yards, which is Barber’s specialty.
“Just give him different opportunities, he’ll make some big runs,” Garrett said. “If you get him out in space, he can make plays. But he’s also proven he can run it between the tackles and make plays.”
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