Bigger, Stronger, Faster, Barber
by Chad Klassen
Love of Sports Correspondent
There’s no question the Cowboys offense is one of the most dynamic in the NFL. When we talk about the explosive unit, we often think of Tony Romo and T.O.
One guy who doesn’t get much attention, but deserves some accolades as a key cog in the offensive machine, is Marion Barber.
While he only started a single game in 2007, Barber clearly emerged as a top-flight running back during his three seasons behind Julius Jones. Mainly as a complimentary rusher, he had 10 trips to the end zone and was a big run short of a 1,000-yard season last year, piling up 975 yards and averaging an impressive 4.8 yards per carry. In his only start, which came in the divisional playoff loss to the Giants, Barber was arguably the heart of Dallas’ offense, rushing for 129 yards on an incredibly tough New York front seven.
In his rookie year during the 2005 season, Barber showed that he could handle carrying the rushing load by himself in the backfield. He was given a breakthrough opportunity during the middle of the season, taking over from an injured Julius Jones for two games. The Minnesota product piled up 95 yards on the ground against Seattle and another 127 yards versus Arizona.
In 2006, the power back was terrific in the red zone, scoring 14 rushing TDs to lead the NFC while adding 654 yards on 135 carries. It’s hard to deny Barber’s ready to take his game to the next level and produce every Sunday as the Cowboys’ starting back.
You can’t make any guarantees, but when the Bears traded Thomas Jones two years ago after their Super Bowl run, part of me thought the move to give Cedric Benson the full reigns would blow up in Chicago.
But don’t get it confused with the situation in Dallas. When the Cowboys let the other Jones brother sign and leave for Seattle, there hasn’t been the same gut feeling.
Anyone who saw the Cowboys-Patriots game last year - when Barber danced around in the end zone, bouncing off New England defenders left and right to avoid the safety while unbelievably gaining yards on the play – knows he is elusive.
Not only is he quick and shifty, but his running style is overpowering; he often takes on two or three defenders at a time while gaining valuable yards as he drives his legs downfield. It’s what makes him so exciting to watch as a football player, whether you’re a Cowboys fan or not.
Certainly, we can understand the words of wisdom from Dorsett, who said “when you take a lot of hits over a period of time, it takes its toll on you. I just hope he becomes a little wiser and smarter about some of the hits he takes.”
However, being physical and aggressive running the ball shouldn’t necessarily be a criticism against Barber as a player. It’s a quality that makes him one of the top rushers in the NFL.
When he came to Dallas as a fourth-round pick, the combination of his speed and brute force made an impression and solidified him as a prolific NFL running back. It soon became a question of when, not if, he would take over the full load carrying the rock for the Cowboys.
Now that Barber is the man, he shouldn’t necessarily hang on every word from the media, even if it comes from two Hall of Famers, nor change the running style he employs on the gridiron every Sunday.
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