Jones averaged 3.6 YPC in 2007. The last time he averaged under 4 YPC was in 2002 with the Arizona Cardinals. I wouldn't use 2007 as a season to prove how great he is. Running for 1000 isn't a huge accomplishment anymore... any back with enough carries, which Jones had enough of at 310 (his career high is 314), can run for 1000 in the modern NFL.
It sucks we lost Leon, no argument there. But i hope this has some kind of "Bledsoe going down and Brady coming in" type effect on S.Greene......watching him run yesterday reminded me of Adrian Peterson's running style. Don't get me wrong, I'm not getting ahead of myself...because Peterson is on another astral plane completely. But, Greene runs like he wants to take someone's head off on the way to the endzone.....i loved it!
Since we are being realistic 1. I've posted this before, this is the nature of the NFL running game. You feast on the have NOTs rushing defenses and stick with running game enough against the HAVEs to keep them honest and not become one dimensional. This applies to all RBs, AP included. 2. Every game TJ has had 20+ carries this year, he has rushed for over 100 yards. 3. Since the addition and play of Braylon Edwards in the MIA game, defenses have had to actually guard against the past. I specify "after" the MIA game because it was one thing to have Braylon but it was another to prove that we can and are not afraid to use it. MIA still had 8 and 9 in the box because they did not think we would go over the top on them. Seein how we burned MIA, BUF and OAK did not do the same. In a nutshell, there are no perfect RBs in the league, AP included, and no perfect running style. All RBs can be contained. Even the great AP can be slowed if you are willing to commit enough players to do so. I'm glad that the 2nd leading rusher in the past 5 years is on my team and is extremely consistent and durable. In light of having a 230 lb, Jim Brown/Barry Sander/Gayle Sayers type running back, I'll not going to complain about having TJ.
I love when they follow up Shonn Greene with a TJ run. It almost looks as though TJ is running to show up Greene. Like he's competing to be the better runner. Almost every TJ run that follows Greene is a big gain.
this could get tough for the jets - they will have to pay leon eventually - while jones will likely continue to put up pro bowl numbers this year..... you know jones is gonna hold out next year. i would bet on it. trouble is he is north of 30 and there is no way the jets give him any deal. they have too much coin tied up in some higher picks including phuckin VG. jones wont have much value on the market - unless someone is in a pinch. be interesting to see it pan out jil
If Greene continues to produce at a high level, it will hurt Jones bargaining position in my opinion.
For the record, I'd love to see him get paid next year if it's an uncapped season. He's due, what, $5.8 million? If there's no cap to hit, I'd love to see him get paid that kind of money. I just don't think it's going to happen. Most people on here see the amount he's going to be paid and just assume that he won't be on the roster because of that number.
but you see, you're using both sides of the arguement. 1st it's because there's a good oline (they're good) except when we had a bad O-Line then it's because he got carries but his ypc sucked.... You can't do it. Yet you mention Martin whose greatest attribute was his consistency and the fact that he also needed a good line ...but then again, there are only a handful of RB's who can create on their own and to deminish a RB who uses an O-Line (which ftr some call 'Vision') to his advatage is a good thing. But that's the double standard we get on here when fans don't like a player for whatever reason... One Mans 'Vision' is another Man's 'needs an o-line' :smile:
I'm not trying to diminish what Jones has done, just point out that 2007 isn't an example of Jones at his best. Jones wants to be paid like the total package RB - like an Adrian Peterson if you will, or a LaDainian Tomlinson even. I don't see him being worth that. I'd put Jones in the next class down. His production is outstanding but he's not a gamebreaker for the Jets. You don't pay a very good player like an elite player... not as long as the salary cap is around.
i think the TJ hate is wanting to see the 2nd string RB's you watch TJ run and he's not very fast or overly explosive. he doesn't break many tackles. he's just a solid back who knows how to run. whenever you watch leon he is obviously fast and explosive and can hit his head on the goal post any time he touches. shonn greene is the physical back who runs over people and he's a rookie who we all want to see. like i said, TJ doesn't have one great quality as a back which is why he gets hate! when people see leon running like lightning and greene running people over they want more. thomass isn't flashy. When you think of TJ what do you think? elusive? power? speed? i think of none. just solid all around.
Thomas Jones is 2nd to only Ladainian Tomlinson for rushing yards over the past 4 years. All he does is produce year in and year out. Jets fans don't appreciate him nearly enough. People want to bitch and moan about him going down by the first guy that touches him. When you're getting hit by a LB with a full head of steam because the defense has 8 or 9 guys in the box and there aren't enough people to block them you're going to go down. The great thing about his cut back style of running is that when he does get through the first line of defense against a stacked box he usually gets a monster gain. You know, those gains people want to take away all the time? I don't see anyone taking away Shonn Greene's long runs to recalculate his average. I've read the arguments about his style, I think they're stupid. So long as he continues to produce you guys can bitch about his style all you want. It will look foolish at the end of the year. Again.
What I love about Jones is that he's a grinder. It might not be pretty, but he gets it done. He's the kind of guy where you watch him play, and you don't assume that he's a good back. Then you check his stats after the game, and you say "Wow, it didn't even look like he ran for 200 yards." I do agree with what WSW said, alot of people like to attribute Jones' average or his yardage on the season to those big gains he breaks, and they want to take them away. That's like taking completions away from a QB. You just can't do it.
I dont hate TJ but you have to admit that he goes down WAY to easily. he certainly is not a power back that people make him out to be. Its just suprising because of hes obviously strong (at least ripped) but he doesnt hit the holes with power and is not good at breaking tackles. He falls on first contact to easily.
exactly, so why have TJ and LW when both are more finesse runners, LW is just faster and more elusive. TJ's best assest is his knowlede and experience but if Greene can run like we all think he can then Greene/LW would be a better tandem.
I guess you missed the LW out for season threads. TJ and Leon are different types of RB's too. TJ has proven that he can handle a pretty good load and that he's durable. TJ is a cutback "grinder".
Call me crazy. (And I know people will) I like the Jones/Greene duo better than I like a Greene/Washington duo. Atleast for the next two years. Washington is a great KR, and back that can get out of the backfield for those dump off pass plays. But, until he puts up a 1,000 yard season I'll stick with TJ.
LW was only getting 10-15 touches a game until this season.....I would say your expectations are a little skewed.
Great quote. There are a couple of things that stand out regarding TJ. Posters have said that TJ goes down relatively easily when he's hit at the LOS. However, we are forgetting that teams know what TJ can and can't do, so defenses stack up against TJ to stop what he does best and thats power running. LW has stupid cuts and can juke a lot of defenders but he can't do at the LOS what TJ can do and that's power run. SG looks really good but its too early to tell how good he will be. He can be great after him watching go helmet to helmet and taking out defenders while still plowing ahead. But the biggest intangible that everyone is seemingly overlooking on TJ is durability. Everyone in the league from Arizona, to the Bears and now the Jets - everyone around him always talks about how much he works out and how strong he is and his regemented work out and diet, etc. All high quality things to remain durable as a running back and TJ has proven that he can take a pounding and still keep going. We don't know SG's durability yet and LW's got an injury. Do we really want to let TJ go so fast thinking SG is the future? What happens if SG's ankle give out? What if LW's tibula slows him down. I wouldn't be so quick to toss TJ out. Pay all three and let next couple years work itself out. This could be a serious rushing team with the possible 3 headed monster we could put on the field. Just a thought...
