Time for Choice.

by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Nov 19, 2008 9:25 PM CST Comment 34 comments

Like the rest of you, I am deeply saddened by the worsening news surrounding the health of Felix Jones. If there is any truth to the notion that Felix's season may be in jeopardy, then one other fact becomes blatantly true: We have got to get Tashard Choice involved in this offense, and we have got to do it now.

Though Marion Barber's style makes us want to believe that he draws from some endless well of energy, even he will wear down as the season hits the bell lap. If we cant get Tashard Choice to at least pick up 8 carries a game here in a hurry, Marion Barber will be dead by the playoffs, if he even has enough fuel to help us get there.

I know that the coaches know more about these players than we ever will. I'm sure Choice may have some deficiencies in some areas, probably blitz pick-up like most young backs. But sometimes a situation arises in which you've got to just play the rookie, whether he is completely ready or not. They've just got to trust him. If Choice can't provide an occasional breather, it's hard to imagine Barber being Barber in January.

P.S.........Mark me down for Pacman on full time kick return duty with Felix and Miles out.

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Not sure why we haven't seen more of him?

The few carries he’s been allowed, I saw nothing that made me want to see less of him. Totally agree with your post. With the schedule the way it is we have got to get every able-bodied player on this team involved to some degree. The injury bug is biting way too much this year as it is and the next 2 weeks will probably exacerbate that to some degree. Oh crap, I sound like an English professor but you get the gist of what I’m saying.

by Benthere on Nov 19, 2008 11:25 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I have stated all along he should be getting 6-8 carries per game....It's total Garrett BS

It doesn’t matter if he’s deficient in any aspects, although I’m pretty sure he knows how to chip block, catch the ball, and run with it……..The dude is a damn good runner….and he has been for years…RB is the one position you can go with it first year………If he doesn’t pick up blitzs well…..don’t pass the ball….give him the rock 2-3 plays…..then get him out……MBIII got his breather, and he goes back in…..a few series later..you do the same thing…If he can’t block, swing him out on a pattern, If he can’t catch, run him up the gut……..The dude is a damn running back…..use him already………..you think Detrick Ward, Ahmad Bradshaw, and every other RB getting tons of work in a reserve role are better than Choice at running, blocking, and receiving ?? I can’t stand the way Garrett utilizes his options….Felix Jones would probably never had torn his hamstring if Garrett kept him in the game more, keeping his muscles warm and stretched…One friggin carry for Choice in that Washingtom game is completely unacceptable( a 6 yard dandy, mind you )………and hardly no carries at all over the first 10 games of the season….BS …..play the damn guy….NYG lead the league in rushing for a reason…..cuz the pound and pound and pound you with not one, not two, but three fresh backs every series……MBIII 18-22 carries, Felix 10-14 carries, Choice 6-8 carries….Is that so damn friggin hard to do ???? Instead we get MBIII 25 carries, Choice 1 carry, and a few double reverses ??

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

"If you don’t take him off the field as a coach, he will just about die out there," Jerry Jones said. "That impacted my decision. It’s a Michael Irvin-type work ethic. That’s what we are talking about with Felix Jones."
- Owner/G.M of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones

by BoyzRback on Nov 20, 2008 12:44 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

+1

If NE can start BenJarvis Green-Ellis and Denver can start Peyton Hillis and be successful, I don’t know why the Cowboys can’t do the same with Choice.

Now, against Wash. he did get in early because MB3 was workhorsin’ it. I think as the game went on, they felt they needed to showcase Barber—which did win the game.

I swear Garrett takes 4ever to figure out his weapons not named Tony or Jason.

George Teague did it all.

by Aaron Novinger on Nov 20, 2008 9:53 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

We need to keep Marion fresh, especially with the injury bug that has been going around Valley Ranch..

Choice was a TD maching in the Pre-season time to work him in.. Time for him to get his Ahmad Bradshaw on…

"If you see me up in the mountains with a lion, I ain't lyin
don't help me, help the mountain lion"

by Wmillion on Nov 20, 2008 12:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

"Water covers 2/3 of the world, T-New's got the rest"

by TheJman on Nov 20, 2008 8:10 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Is anyone else worried

That Felix may end up being one of those always injured type of players? :(

by gee-roj on Nov 20, 2008 8:32 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

short answer

no. not in his first year. plus, he’s practically fresh since he split carries in college with another big name

I commented. You're welcome.

another transplant from The Blue & Silver Report

by bulldog jeeper on Nov 20, 2008 8:41 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

do any of ur posts not reach Recommended FanPosts????

by bryangene on Nov 20, 2008 3:03 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

i noticed that

He speaks the real..

"If you see me up in the mountains with a lion, I ain't lyin
don't help me, help the mountain lion"

by Wmillion on Nov 20, 2008 3:13 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Tashard Choice was our....

Best pick in this draft, a very deep and talented RB draft. Why we haven’t handed the ball to him more is beyond me. The guy has cat-like quickness, and will prove to be a different kind of back than Felix or Marion. Tashard’s style is more Emmitt-like, and that will endear him to Cowboynation. He is a touchdown waiting to happen. As to why his touches have been limited- ask Jason Garrett, and he’ll give you a “well, he needs more experience…” excuse, but did Ahmad Bradshaw? I think Tashard is gonna rock the house!

"Amongst the enemy's Liar, there will always be a DallasPalace!"

by DallasPalace on Nov 20, 2008 3:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I think Wade alluded to it today

what I had thought was the main reason, and that is basically you want your best player on the field when the game is on the line. It doesn’t have to do so much with anything they don’t like about Choice as how much they do like about MB3. Early in the season they had Felix as a chance of pace, and Choice was really just MB3’s backup. He got 5 carries against Cleveland once the game was in hand, and then didn’t touch the ball again until St. Louis and New York where he got a few touches once the game was out of hand the other way. Now with Felix out for the season, I’m sure they will mix him in more, but most likely he will still get most of his touches either as just a play or two to give MB3 a breather, or once the game is in hand to help close it out. But if a game is close, I would expect to see MB3 continue to carry almost all the load.

Choice only has 13 carries on the season, but he does have a 5.5 ypc average, so I think once he gets in the mix he’s going to do well, but it will be situationally dependent, not just a certain number of touches…

by scottmaui on Nov 20, 2008 4:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't care what they like about Barber.....

Your just putting a bullseye on him if they continue this idiocy. I don’t believe Scottmaui that they couldn’t have run Choice more during the season, just to give him repitition and touches, because it would give him a better comfort level right now when we need him. They could have done that rather than alotr of the other plays they ran that were mediocre to bad offensive playcalling. He is a good kid though, and somewhat a leader type too (something our team is lacking) and has a good heart as well as a nose for the game. Anyone with Emmitt as a role model I’m gonna love, and is gonna strive for Emmitt type goals (pretty lofty) but still very noteworthy to us Cowboy fans. make no mistake though, Tashard is for real and will turn alot of heads when this is over, and will leave alot of people asking “exactly why is it that we did not play him more up until now?”. Even the one run against the Redskins left me with wanting to see more from Tashard. He may not have broke it, but it was a respectible gain and I was thinking that if Garrett was smart, he would go right back to Tashard, but alas Garrett showed me again why the playcalling on offense is still a little questionable sometimes.

"Amongst the enemy's Liar, there will always be a DallasPalace!"

by DallasPalace on Nov 20, 2008 6:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

hey man

i think you mean the enemy’s LAIR not LIAR

by 325424 on Nov 21, 2008 11:02 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

An enemy's Liar is simply...

a fan of another team, and of course he is a liar, since all he really is ever gonna do is say his team is gonna win all the time (hence, a liar) so my signature is kinda correct, but I did correct the spelling (thank you).

"Amongst the enemy's Lair, there will always be a DallasPalace!"

by DallasPalace on Nov 22, 2008 5:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

yessir...

give him a chance Wade…

"They need security in the world, Craig!"

by Tuna Helper on Nov 20, 2008 4:50 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Spot on, Glory

MB3 is a total beast, but even beasts need a break so they can be somewhat fresh down the road. Not to mention what happens to backs that end up with over 400 touches in a season. They usually are never the same after that.

I thought Choice should have gotten more carries ever since Felix went out of the line-up. If for nothing else than to spell MB3 and get experience. We don’t know what he’s capable of in the NFL yet. But I think he’s going to be very successful. Someone mentioned Forte, and I think he’s got that type of talent. He just needs a chance to show it.

This game he might need to carry 40 to 50% of the time, as the next game is on a really short week. You can’t ask MB3 to carry 20 times on Sunday and 20 times on Thurs. You need to protect him as much as possible.

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003

by APerfectStar on Nov 21, 2008 12:46 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Amen

Look at LT once Turner left. I know he has the injured foot, but not being able to rotate out has affected him significantly.

by Mandmeisterx on Nov 21, 2008 11:27 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

-1

Completely unrelated, LT has had Sproles to outshine him this year.

by Cavazos on Nov 26, 2008 10:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

exactly....this Sunday is where he needs the carries...cuz Thursday comes awefully fast for a RB.

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

by BoyzRback on Nov 21, 2008 4:45 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

what if?

i’m a barbarian fan. let me begin by making that statement, because the rest is going to seem contrary, but hang with me.

what if we rested barber and used him only on 3rd downs and goalline carries against SF?

we use the bulk of the game to rest barber, work Choice into the game and get him reps running AND blocking, and focus on the passing game. the SF dbs aren’t impressive. give TO and RW11 and PC and MBennet all the work they can handle.

at the very least it would be a chance to quiet a certain WR

play to win – certainly – but also see it as extended work on our passing game.

that eliminates the concern of the short week for barber

argue with me. flame away. i’m not 100% behind the idea, just tossing something out.

I commented. You're welcome.

another transplant from The Blue & Silver Report

by bulldog jeeper on Nov 21, 2008 5:50 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I do like some of what you are saying.

Still the best way to rest Barber is to come out firing and get a quick lead. Bury ’em and run Choice most of the 3rd and 4th Quarter.

by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Nov 21, 2008 7:33 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I quite honestly think that Garrett

will now put all the games in the hands of Romo and throw the ball a lot more.

For some reason, and I don’t know why, but the coaching staff doesn’t seem to trust Choice, even though he’s looked really good anytime he’s ever played this year.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Nov 21, 2008 7:16 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

+1

Garrett is all about the passing game and only trusting Barber back there (probably cuz he thinks that’s the guy Romo’s most comfy with).

My question is: Does Wade have NO say in getting to see what Choice can do, just because Garrett “runs” the offense. I would think Wade can pull some rank when it comes to personnel. He reminds me of Romeo Crennel. The Browns have this awesome RB in Jerome Harrison, yet they pound away with Jamal Lewis, give the extra carries to Jason Wright (huh?), and Harrison gets just a few nibbles here and there. When he does get a chance, he’s like Felix—he can score from anywhere.

I’m tired of coaches that are proving to be more conservative than their predecessors. It’s like buying Xmas presents after Xmas.

George Teague did it all.

by Aaron Novinger on Nov 21, 2008 9:39 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Wade runs the defense and Garrett runs the offense

I’m pretty sure that was mandated by Jerry since they were hired 2 years ago.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Nov 21, 2008 10:33 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well

then that makes Garrett look inefficient if he’s the sole person calling the shots on that side of the ball. I still think that Wade, as Head Coach, is as responsible for getting a guy like Choice in the game; or for getting Felix more touches in that 1st game against Washington.

George Teague did it all.

by Aaron Novinger on Nov 21, 2008 2:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

exactly

that makes Garrett look inefficient

that’s what TO said and we rip him. and yet we all agree

I commented. You're welcome.

another transplant from The Blue & Silver Report

by bulldog jeeper on Nov 22, 2008 3:12 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Garrett's still learning on the job.

He’s a young coach that thinks vertically with a set of offensive weapons that should be featured with a short passing game, almost west coast style.

He features the TE.

George Teague did it all.

by Aaron Novinger on Nov 23, 2008 9:40 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Harrison is a good back.....being wasted away..just like Dallas back ups..

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

by BoyzRback on Nov 26, 2008 9:27 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

This is why they don't play him....

He can’t do anything with the ball…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0i5NOVLl_s

…please note the sarcasm

by AikmanNailedMySis on Nov 21, 2008 9:38 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

He's a way better runner between the tackles than Barber.

When defenses keep MB3 from bouncing outside, he’s stymied.

Choice slips right through. I’ve been wanting to see more of this guy since day 1. Makes me want to rip the red out of Garrett’s hair and kick Wade in the shin.

Get the rookie experience going into December, spacecase!

George Teague did it all.

by Aaron Novinger on Nov 21, 2008 9:43 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

MBIII 3.9 yards per carry doesn't justify him getting 98% of the carries.....period.

Choice on the other hand…….5.5 ypc……let’s see it happen…

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

by BoyzRback on Nov 26, 2008 9:30 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Great Running Back

We should draft him. :)

by staubachfan on Nov 25, 2008 12:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I like how Choice

cuts at full speed, and in that way, he reminds me of Felix.

"Well, we didn't block real good but we made up for it by not tackling."

- John McKay, the first coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

by 5Blings on Nov 21, 2008 10:37 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Use Choice between the 30s.

I can see the value of playing MBIII when we’re backed up, and when we’re zeroing in for a score. But, between the 30s, they’ve got to let Choice start doing his thing. Give him 10 carries a game and see what he can do. He’s certainly a better shot to break one than Barber.

Plus he’s plenty tough. Did you see the hit he took in his one carry against Washington? Yet he had no trouble holding onto the ball.

Give him a chance to get going against SF and Seattle, so he’s ready when the tough stretch comes. We’re all mystified that he’s not in the games more. Barber can’t be Emmitt and carry the ball 100% of the time.

by VAfan on Nov 22, 2008 7:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs