George a Cowboy

[wookie]

Eddie George signs on with the Cowboys. http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=E...344CF0C758BA6A5

With the Bengals playing the Cowboys this year they have to deal with having to stop George yet again. Will this make it harder to deal with a team that had as much of a turn around under Parcells as the Bengals did with Lewis? Will this be a test of the Bengals Defense, or does George just not have it in him to test anyone?

[semiotter]

Not a COWBOY fan but, THIS will put THE BOYS right up there . EDDIE G. still has some gas left in the tank and he will help this team alot. Anytime you get a 10,000

yd. rusher on your team its got to help.

[BengalszoneBilly]

EDDIE G. still has some gas left in the tank

Yes he does. But no more than a quarter tank at best!

[semiotter]

And maybe watered down

[redsfan2]

And maybe watered down

Yeah ......... I don't know. I seem to remember Parcells winning a Super Bowl with a back up qb and a running back that almost qualified for social security. He's got a knack for getting the absolute most out of every player on the team, and he's quietly and methodically putting a pretty good team together.

Parcells definitely bears watching. He and his team are going to be a good test for anybody this year.

[BengalszoneBilly]

The Tuna alway bears watching.

[chrishcovga]

Taking the trade with the Bills to secure future draft picks all but squashed their running game this year whether Eddie George is back there or not.

- Not sold on Julius Jones , let alone playing behind Eddie George.

Power struggle seems to be taking it's normal place in Dallas with headcoach-E, vs. Jerry Jones.

* And If George does have anything left in the tank I can guarantee it's only sand and sugar !

[WHO DEY AGAIN?]

I think George is toast. He showed guts in the playoffs last year but he is 2 steps slower and is a solid hit away from the IR. This is a non-story after all is said and done.

[wookie]

The point I was bringing up was that the Cowboys were already going to be a tough test. Last year they made the playoffs, had one of the top defenses in the league, and had all that success with a mediocre offense. This year, Carter has another year under his belt and will either show he is going to be the man, or Parcells will go with Testaverde at QB until Henson is ready. They shored up the running game with Julius Jones, who is just about as fast as Chad Johnson, and then they add cousin Keyshawn Johnson, and now George. I think George has more than just sugar left in his tank, and if the Bengals don't have their Defensive woes corrected by the time the Cowboys roll into town...it could be a long afternoon. The Tuna is a dangerous coach to have to deal with and George has rushed for enough yards against the Bengals in his career that he will help point out the weaknesses to attack. I am hoping that Marvin can help the D enough to make all that history irrelevant.

[skyline]

Living in TN I see George play every week. He still has some gas left, although he needs to have his carries severely decreased to make him effective. He's never missed a game, and has pretty much worn himself down.

This makes the cowboys a perfect fit. I see him being the "starter", but splitting carries significantly with Jones. This gives the Cowboys some stability, but also gives Jones the experience he needs to become the full-fledged starter next year (if not during the latter part of this year).

[wookie]

That is what I was worried about, that George could be effective in a limited roll. He is in a good spot to do that, with a rookie like Jones playing next to him he won't have to worry about being the workhorse.

[Tiger Stripes]

i like eddie hes a great back but he just doesnt scare me like he used to i was more worried about jones because he probally would of started and by the time we played the cowboys i think he would of had the game down.

[kevnz]

Eddie is not, nor has he ever been a great back. Here is some info from SI.com

George averages 342 carries per year -- best among backs with 10,000 career yards -- but his yearly average of 1,251 yards is only fifth-best behind Barry Sanders (1,527), Brown (1,368), Marshall Faulk (1,297) and Payton (1,286). What's more, George's 3.7 yards per carry is lowest among the 17 backs with 10,000 career yards, with only John Riggins (3.9) also below 4.0.

Only twice has George averaged at least 4 yards per carry (4.1 in 1996 and 1999), and he's not a game-breaker, posting about four runs each year of 20-plus yards. By comparison, in three seasons LaDainian Tomlinson already has 31 -- four less that George in five fewer years. Ahman Green has 43 the past four years.

But George isn't a speed back, you argue. Jamal Lewis has 34 in his three seasons, Priest Holmes 36 since 1998. Neither of those backs are typical scatbacks, either.

That info implies to me average...he's an average back. I mean come on, he only twice averaged over 4 yards a carry? WTF! That's piss poor. I think he'll have a decent season in Dallas, but then, that's all he ever has.

[wookie]

I could care less about the season he has with Dallas, what I'm worried about is the game he will have against the Bengals. Will the combo of George and Jones be too much for the run defense??

I would hope not, I would hope that they are not gonna come into the Jungle and clear a path for the Cowboys to the endzone. Hopefully our Defense will step up.

In Marvin we trust, right?

[skyline]

Eddie is not, nor has he ever been a great back. Here is some info from SI.com

George averages 342 carries per year -- best among backs with 10,000 career yards -- but his yearly average of 1,251 yards is only fifth-best behind Barry Sanders (1,527), Brown (1,368), Marshall Faulk (1,297) and Payton (1,286). What's more, George's 3.7 yards per carry is lowest among the 17 backs with 10,000 career yards, with only John Riggins (3.9) also below 4.0.

Only twice has George averaged at least 4 yards per carry (4.1 in 1996 and 1999), and he's not a game-breaker, posting about four runs each year of 20-plus yards. By comparison, in three seasons LaDainian Tomlinson already has 31 -- four less that George in five fewer years. Ahman Green has 43 the past four years.

But George isn't a speed back, you argue. Jamal Lewis has 34 in his three seasons, Priest Holmes 36 since 1998. Neither of those backs are typical scatbacks, either.

That info implies to me average...he's an average back. I mean come on, he only twice averaged over 4 yards a carry? WTF! That's piss poor. I think he'll have a decent season in Dallas, but then, that's all he ever has.

Those stats don't mean a lot. The reason for those low averages are:

1) He was overworked...his body got tired after never missing a game. That being said, even though he never missed a game, he has spent a LOT of time playing injured. There has been more than one season where the Titans should have sat him out a few games and let him get healthy. Instead he played week in and week out with nagging foot injuries that obviously slowed him down. He still managed to get his yards, though...

2) Inconsistent blocking...he was at his best when Lorenzo Neal was blocking for him (for obvious reasons).

Another thing these stats don't include are broken tackles and reception statistics. He was a bulldozer...he consistently turned loss of yard situations into 2 or 3 yard gains, which is a huge boost for a team, while not padding his yards per carry stats. What this does for the team though is highlight the difference between having a 3rd and 12 and a 3rd and 5, etc. Being a threat in the passing game also opened up the Titans' offense considerably.

Also, your post made it sound as if it were shameful to be behind people like Sanders, Brown, Faulk, and Payton. You don't have to surpass them in one area to be considered a great back.

George is a punishing runner that wears down defenses with his power. He hits more like a linebacker than a running back.

Having watched every game of his career, I can say that he was a gamebreaker for sure. You don't have to bust long runs to earn that title.

[wookie]

Hear Hear!!!!

Don't underestimate Eddie George, he has been an above average RB in this league and he will help the Cowboys, and he will have to be a concern for Lewis and Frasier.

Besides, can't dis a Buckeye!!

[BengalszoneBilly]

Hear Hear!!!!

Don't underestimate Eddie George, he has been an above average RB in this league and he will help the Cowboys, and he will have to be a concern for Lewis and Frasier.

Besides, can't dis a Buckeye!!

Well...aside from Art Schlichter:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20040717/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_schlichter_scam

[skyline]

Hear Hear!!!!

Don't underestimate Eddie George, he has been an above average RB in this league and he will help the Cowboys, and he will have to be a concern for Lewis and Frasier.

Besides, can't dis a Buckeye!! 

Well...aside from Art Schlichter:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20040717/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_schlichter_scam

I'm so confused

[Barbarian]

I think it's been proven that Eddie George works best in the I-formation--and that he has a stud Fullback in front of him to plow the way!!!

Eddie George has been missing a fullback. That's been his problem for the last 3-4 years.

[The Brew Man]

I think it's been proven that Eddie George works best in the I-formation--and that he has a stud Fullback in front of him to plow the way!!!

Eddie George has been missing a fullback. That's been his problem for the last 3-4 years.

True, he wasnt the same after Lorenzo Neal left.....

[wookie]

Well...aside from Art Schlichter:

Ok, so you got me on this one...at least you didn't bring up Clarrett. He was a Buckeye for such a short time that it really doesn't count anyway. Besides Eddie George has represented OSU and his Heisman so well as a player and in his community.

As far as George missing a FB last few years, in the big D he gets Richie Anderson who is a pretty good FB, but not a blocker like Neal was. Still, I think he'll do ok, and I think the Bengals would be crazy not to plan for him.

[kevnz]

I think it's been proven that Eddie George works best in the I-formation--and that he has a stud Fullback in front of him to plow the way!!!

Eddie George has been missing a fullback.  That's been his problem for the last 3-4 years.

True, he wasnt the same after Lorenzo Neal left.....

So he needs another player to help him out? Sounds like he isn't as good as the fullback in front of him. That's the truth. He needs help, great running backs don't need help. He benefitted from having an outstanding Fullback in front of him. He took advantage of Lorenzo and reaped the rewards...Hell, a third string RB could run behind Lorenzo Neal and look good. His career average yards per carry tells the story...He's average. Was he a victem of a poorly designed offense and not having keey players kept around him? Oh hell yeah. He could have been a top shelf back, but his team ignored the O-line, let his fullback go, and never developed a passing game to take the heat of of him. But it's not about what could have been, it's about what was, and what it was was very average career stats.

[skyline]

I think it's been proven that Eddie George works best in the I-formation--and that he has a stud Fullback in front of him to plow the way!!!

Eddie George has been missing a fullback.  That's been his problem for the last 3-4 years.

True, he wasnt the same after Lorenzo Neal left.....

So he needs another player to help him out? Sounds like he isn't as good as the fullback in front of him. That's the truth. He needs help, great running backs don't need help. He benefitted from having an outstanding Fullback in front of him. He took advantage of Lorenzo and reaped the rewards...Hell, a third string RB could run behind Lorenzo Neal and look good. His career average yards per carry tells the story...He's average. Was he a victem of a poorly designed offense and not having keey players kept around him? Oh hell yeah. He could have been a top shelf back, but his team ignored the O-line, let his fullback go, and never developed a passing game to take the heat of of him. But it's not about what could have been, it's about what was, and what it was was very average career stats.

His yards per carry stats are average. His others aren't. Since when is 10,000 yards average? Since when is the 5th best all-time yards per season make for an average back? And how can you call a player average based on yards per carry stats alone, and never consider receiving yards, durability, broken tackles, and an ability to wear down a defense?

What you're doing is taking a very good running back, and saying he's just average because 1 stat on the sheet doesn't jump out as exceptional.

If you've got a team that plays a style of offense that tends for the running back to get hit hard at the line regularly, and he gets 100 yards on 26 carries, then I would call that more exceptional than a player on another team that gets 100 yards on 22 carries, but only gets hit behind the line once or twice throughout an antire game. There are times when you just have to say screw the stat sheet and move on.

[kevnz]

Sky, it's not just his yards per carry, but his season totals versus how many times he carried it (I know, that equals yards per carry, but follow along)

He got the ball a whole hell-of-alot, so he's gonna get his yards so I'm not impressed. Your arguement is that he got the ball a lot and that's why his yards are a little lower than they should. A back should get his yards regardless of how many times he get's the ball...Again, I'll point out that the Titans could have made George a much better back by giving him help, but that is really a moot point.

Plus look at his big play potential...It's not there. He's a good grinding back, all I'm saying is that he's not great...He could have been, but blame the Titans for wasting his full potential. Hell, even Eddie ripped the Titans for not giving him any help, especially on his line (guess who's gonna be ripping them next for their o-line? McNair...he get's hit too damn much, if he wasn't so tough he'd be a cripple by now)

[skyline]

Sky, it's not just his yards per carry, but his season totals versus how many times he carried it (I know, that equals yards per carry, but follow along)

He got the ball a whole hell-of-alot, so he's gonna get his yards so I'm not impressed. Your arguement is that he got the ball a lot and that's why his yards are a little lower than they should. A back should get his yards regardless of how many times he get's the ball...Again, I'll point out that the Titans could have made George a much better back by giving him help, but that is really a moot point.

Plus look at his big play potential...It's not there. He's a good grinding back, all I'm saying is that he's not great...He could have been, but blame the Titans for wasting his full potential. Hell, even Eddie ripped the Titans for not giving him any help, especially on his line (guess who's gonna be ripping them next for their o-line? McNair...he get's hit too damn much, if he wasn't so tough he'd be a cripple by now)

Were I just looking at his stats, then I would agree with you full-heartedly. Having watched every game of his career, it's easy to see how the stats are misleading (and incomplete).