Updated: January 12, 2008, 6:07 PM ET
Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips has decided
to have the NFC's Super Bowl favorite open the playoffs with a
different look on offense. According to Cowboys sources, Pro Bowl
running back Marion Barber will replace season-long starter Julius Jones in Sunday's game against the New York Giants.
It
is not only something of a belated acknowledgement that Barber is the
team's best runner, blocker and receiver out of the backfield but
perhaps also an indication of how much the Cowboys intend to make the
emotion that results from his punishing style a factor at Texas Stadium.
The Giants have won eight straight road games, losing only to the Cowboys in their season-opener at Texas Stadium.
Although
Barber has not started a single game this season, he is responsible for
all three of the Cowboys' individual 100-yard rushing performances. The
Cowboys are 8-0 when Barber scores a rushing touchdown. He has 23
rushes for 99 yards and a touchdown in Dallas' two regular-season
victories over the Giants.
"You see how excited he is when he
gets up after every run -- even if he lost yardage,'' Giants linebacker
Antonio Piece said. "He's one of the toughest backs in the league to
bring down even though he's nowhere near being the biggest. You can't
tackle that guy high because he'll run you over and he has that great
stiff arm.''
Phillips informed Jones of the decision during the
bye week so that he had time to recover from his disappointment.
According to the source, Jones was upset with the decision and clearly
not himself for several days. But he has apparently improved his
attitude after being assured he will be rotated into the game and will
continue to have the kind of plays he prefers as part of their game
plan against the Giants.
Sorry if this is a dupe...I didn't see it posted anywhere. Interesting move at this point...funny that Jones was upset. Has he watched tape of himself running???