RealGM Football: The Red Zone - Julius The Great?

	More from RealGM NBA: Source: Dwight Still Wants Trade MLB: Ortiz Unleashes Postgame Rant, Claims He Gets No Respect NHL: Parise: 'Don't Expect Dirty Series Going Forward'
Index News Scores & Statistics Transactions Prospects Reina Value Consensus Mock NFL Forum

The Red Zone

Red Zone Archives

28th Jul, 2011
Grading The Deal: Eagles Finally Send Kolb To Arizona

8th Apr, 2010
2010 NFL Consensus Mock Draft, Version 2.0

Full Archive

NFL Columns

RealGM Poll

Would you miss the Pro Bowl if it was abolished?

Yes
No

Poll Archives

Draft Sim ID

Julius The Great?

Authored by Andrew Perna - 1st August, 2005 - 5:28 am

Current Featured Columns

Looking Ahead: Where Could The 2013 Quarterbacks Land?

Who is going to draft this (very preliminarily) awesome and talented group of likely Top 20 quarterbacks?

Jeff Risdon. 21st May, 2012.

On Saints' Player Suspensions And Junior Seau

Jeff Risdon examines the seriousness of Roger Goodell on anything that may embarrass the shield and the life and death of Junior Seau.

Jeff Risdon. 3rd May, 2012.

Four Big Free Agents

Peyton Manning, Mario Williams, Mike Wallace and Carl Nicks headline an intriguing free agent class that can shift the balance of power this offseason.

Abu Mara. 25th February, 2012.

Opening Day Quarterback Starters

The NFL is living in a golden age of quarterbacks where the one common denominator of winning teams is a strong passing game.

Christopher Reina. 13th September, 2011.

RealGM Search

Dallas Cowboys running back, Julius Jones is entering his second season in the National Football League. In the 2004 season, Jones ran for 819 yards and scored 7 touchdowns in just 8 games. He was the rare bright spot on a disappointing 6-10 Dallas Cowboy team. In just his second game back from a collarbone injury on Thanksgiving against Chicago, he ran for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns ? leading the Cowboys to a 21-7 victory.

The Dallas Cowboys were America?s football team, but that was a Troy Aikman and an Emmitt Smith ago. If Bill Parcells and the Cowboys are going to return to prominence once again, an elite running back is a must have. The Cowboys will need a strong performance from Jones this season if they want to live up to the expectations of Dallas owner Jerry Jones, and return to the playoffs.

How does 1,700 yards and 20 touchdowns sound?

That?s what Jones is saying he?s aiming to bring to the Cowboys this season. Before you label Jones as immature, call him a dreamer or an idiot ? think about this. He ran for 819 yards and 7 touchdowns in the 8 games he played during the 2004 season. There are 16 games per team in an NFL season. If Julius had played a full 16 game season last year, and sustained his level of play, he would have ended up with 1,638 and 14 touchdowns. Those are amazing numbers for a rookie running back.

Assuming Jones is healthy in 2005, why can?t he at least match those projected totals from 2004? Do 1,700 yards and 20 touchdowns sound so out of reach now? All he would have to do then is improve less than 100 yards and 6 touchdowns. If Julius achieves his statistical goals, he?ll quickly become one of the NFL?s elite running backs. However, all Jones needs to do is sustain his level of play from the 2004 season and Dallas will have a great chance of rebounding from their dismal 6-10 season.

Ok, so imagine Jones explodes and eclipses even his lofty goals. Will it be enough for the Cowboys to return to the postseason? Dallas has stiff competition in the NFC East with the defending NFC Champion Eagles, and the Giants and Redskins who have both improved their roster in the off season. The Cowboys made a few moves themselves - QB Drew Bledsoe and G Marko Rivera ? but nothing ground breaking.

If Julius Jones makes his dreams a reality and dominates the gridiron while leading the Cowboys to a winning season, the Cowboys just might become America?s team once again.

What would you call Julius then?

Andrew Perna may be reached at PacerPerspective@Yahoo.com.

More from RealGM