National Football League

Barber, Jones provide nice Dallas running combo

Published Jan. 6, 2010 8:13 a.m. ET

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While it may be a bit of an exaggeration in showing the balance the Dallas Cowboys have found in their running game, consider their last touchdown drive.

The two-play series began with hard-running Marion Barber taking a short pass and bulling forward for a 14-yard gain Sunday against the Eagles. Fleet-footed Felix Jones then scampered down the left sideline for a 49-yard touchdown in the regular-season finale.

Instead of alternating series between their top two runners like they did earlier this season, the NFC East champion Cowboys (11-5) have often started interchanging the backs - who have similar abilities but different styles and body builds - within plays on the same drives.

``That puts a lot of pressure on defenses, and it's a credit to both of them,'' tight end Jason Witten said. ``Not just one's an outside rusher and one's your power rusher. Being able to be interchangeable in that standpoint really helps your offense out and puts defenses in tough situations.''

The Cowboys have been expanding Jones' role, and figuring out how much time to share with Barber. Jones is fully healthy after missing the first two games in October because of a bruised left knee, then was slowed for several games while trying to play with a brace on his knee.

``We wanted to utilize his talent,'' coach Wade Phillips said. ``I do think rather than playing them series by series, playing them in and out has helped us there. Substituting during the series, those two guys are so much different running the football that defensively it's hard to think.''

Barber, Jones and Tashard Choice - or, ``Smash, Dash & Tash,'' as Choice dubbed them in the preseason - give Dallas a unique combination of depth and versatility at running back.

Because of that, team owner Jerry Jones and Phillips expected an improved running game, and they got it. After the Cowboys were 21st in the NFL last season with its fewest yards rushing since 1997, they are now seventh with 131 yards per game.

Barber and Jones both had at least 10 rushing attempts in each of the last four games of the regular season, including a three-game winning streak that gave Dallas the division title and first-round playoff game at home Saturday night against the Eagles.

Before the closing stretch, Barber and Jones had at least 10 carries in the same game only once. Barber and Choice each carried more than 10 times in one of the games Jones missed.

``They're just versatile players,'' offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said. ``A lot of people want to say this guy does this, this guy does that, this guy does the other thing. Each of them, they run the ball well inside, they run the ball well outside, they can block, they can catch.''

Garrett said his biggest challenge is trying to get all three involved, though Choice's availability Saturday is uncertain because of a concussion sustained in the first quarter of Sunday's 24-0 victory when he didn't have a carry.

During an early span when either Barber or Jones were inactive, Choice ran for 82 yards and a touchdown in one game and had 92 yards with a score in another. Choice, who occasionally still takes direct snaps in the Cowboys' version of the wildcat offense, has only 20 carries for 124 yards in 11 games since.

Choice got 66 of those 124 yards on one carry Thanksgiving Day in the same game that Barber had a 32-yard run and Jones had a 46-yard TD run.

All the sharing hasn't been a problem for the two featured backs, Barber and Jones.

``They run the same plays, but they run them differently. It's harder on the defense, and I think it's paid off for us. We've learned that's a good way to do it,'' Phillips said. ``Normally, you think `You need to play this guy a series, and he needs to get into a rhythm.' But those two guys, I guess because of their background, both of them substituted throughout their careers, when they go into a game, they're ready to go.''

Barber, the oldest of the running backs at 26 and in his fifth season, was a Pro Bowl pick in 2007 despite not even starting a game that regular season behind Julius Jones. Before the Cowboys drafted Jones in 2008, he shared a college backfield at Arkansas with Darren McFadden.

``They definitely keep defenses off balance because it's hard for them to prepare for multiple backs with different qualities,'' fullback Deon Anderson said. ``It makes my job easier. ... Defenders are actually trying to get them and not me.''

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