Why didnt TJ do this in AZ?

[WildBB]

I think that TB would have liked to have kept TJ, but he wanted a starting job. That's what he got with Chicago, and probably could have found a couple other places to do it in, as well.

Thomas Jones is playing GREAT football right now. Anyone who tries to deny is are either totally biased against him or haven't seen him play. He's the only thing happening in Chi-Town's offense right now.

Evidently they (TB) should have given it to him (the starting job). They blew it bigger time.

 

[kerouac9]

Evidently they (TB) should have given it to him (the starting job). They blew it bigger time.

Probably. No one's going to accuse Jon Gruden of being an astute judge of ability. Look at that team.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Alot of young backs require some patience to "come up to speed" in the NFL.
.

Dont ever play poker WildBB. You go against the odds too much. If you started TJ for 4 years waiting for him to come up to speed you are spitting in the face of the FACT that the average starting RB plays 3 years before his body gives out or due to injuries.

 

[WildBB]

Probably. No one's going to accuse Jon Gruden of being an astute judge of ability. Look at that team.

Not in this (TJ) case, that's for sure. They are in rebuilding mode now.

 

[WildBB]

Dont ever play poker WildBB. You go against the odds too much. If you started TJ for 4 years waiting for him to come up to speed you are spitting in the face of the FACT that the average starting RB plays 3 years before his body gives out or due to injuries.

Ya - I posted that in this thread too. That although RB's do have short careers - some do need some time. That was his case, I believe.

One tidbit though - one reason the avg. careers of RB's are so short lived is that so many are drafted and brought in who never make it. They hang on for only 1-2 yrs and are gone. Say like D. Anderson.

Also another reason for the Cards to give up on him were obviously financial. Cutting their losses. I still say they were'nt patient enough with him. He was made a into a bust before his time.

 

[kerouac9]

FACT that the average starting RB plays 3 years before his body gives out or due to injuries.

The way that you're wording this makes it a FICTION. The average NFL RB has a three-year career, but they get drafted, and then get cut, or whatever.

Starting RBs tend to be guys who stay healthy, etc. Look at the starting RBs around the league last season, and it's pretty obvious that the vast majority of them have been playing for more than three seasons. Three years is the average life cycle of an NFL player, but that counts guys who were drafted and cut in camp, or only are on the roster (and don't play) for a season or two, etc.

There are so many of these guys that they basically marginalize players like Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis, and Eddie George, who seem to play forever.

 

[NMCard]

T. Jones is either hurt or on the **** list 1 carry for 1yd tonight

 

[Pariah]

T. Jones is either hurt or on the **** list 1 carry for 1yd tonight

He got hurt early in the first Q.

The guy that is 80% of your offense usually doesn't end up on the **** list.

 

[Jasper]

A-train:

25-98yards
4rec-46yards

I credit the O-line and the Bears game plan.

 

[kerouac9]

A-train:

25-98yards
4rec-46yards

I credit the O-line and the Bears game plan.

To say nothing of a banged-up, talent-poor 49er defense, right?

 

[Jasper]

To say nothing of a banged-up, talent-poor 49er defense, right?

Yes that too!

My point is TJ is replaceable!

 

[buff17]

Dont ever play poker WildBB. You go against the odds too much. If you started TJ for 4 years waiting for him to come up to speed you are spitting in the face of the FACT that the average starting RB plays 3 years before his body gives out or due to injuries.

The thing about it is though, that TJ wasnt really a starter here for all 3 years. Yeah we can say he "lost" his job to Pittman 2 of the 3 years and lost it to an freak injury his 3rd. Pittman was productive, but I feel that if TJ would have been given the carries, even if he stunk it up for a while he would have ended up being as productive as Pittman those 2 years. Sure we can say Pittman outplayed him then, but why do you take the confidence away from the kid you just drafted at numner 7. Jones has the ability to be a great player, where as Pittman was productive, and can be productive given the right situation. We all saw what how TJ played before he had the ankle injury in 2003, he did a very good job. He was well on his way I believe. He wanted out of Arizona after all of that happened, but we know he still had a bad taste in his mouth from his very under productive first 2 seasons, and so did the fans. I believe, maybe under the current head coach Denny Green, that Jones would have had a better chance to prove his abilities. Yes TJ danced in the backfield at some points, I think if he had the right guidance and in the better suited offense he would have flourished.

Getting ready to draft a running back I figured Id bring this topic back up. Speaking of TJ, does anyone think the Bears will take a running back? Or do you guys think they should take a WR? I think at this point that would be crazy to go RB in the first round.

 

[40yearfan]

The thing about it is though, that TJ wasnt really a starter here for all 3 years. Yeah we can say he "lost" his job to Pittman 2 of the 3 years and lost it to an freak injury his 3rd. Pittman was productive, but I feel that if TJ would have been given the carries, even if he stunk it up for a while he would have ended up being as productive as Pittman those 2 years. Sure we can say Pittman outplayed him then, but why do you take the confidence away from the kid you just drafted at numner 7. Jones has the ability to be a great player, where as Pittman was productive, and can be productive given the right situation. We all saw what how TJ played before he had the ankle injury in 2003, he did a very good job. He was well on his way I believe. He wanted out of Arizona after all of that happened, but we know he still had a bad taste in his mouth from his very under productive first 2 seasons, and so did the fans. I believe, maybe under the current head coach Denny Green, that Jones would have had a better chance to prove his abilities. Yes TJ danced in the backfield at some points, I think if he had the right guidance and in the better suited offense he would have flourished.

Getting ready to draft a running back I figured Id bring this topic back up. Speaking of TJ, does anyone think the Bears will take a running back? Or do you guys think they should take a WR? I think at this point that would be crazy to go RB in the first round.

What is this love fest with TJ. He had 948 yards in 14 games and 7 TD's. Whoop de doo. If we were going to settle for that, we could have brought Emmitt back.

 

[Renz]

What is this love fest with TJ. He had 948 yards in 14 games and 7 TD's. Whoop de doo. If we were going to settle for that, we could have brought Emmitt back.

Agreed. As the 7th pick in the draft the guy is a bust. Leonard Davis has been described as a bust, but at least he is still starting for the team that drafted him.

 

[joko4]

Yeah right! Cards can draft Ronnie the Bust Brown at #8 because if we do not have a OL that"s whats going to happen.

 

[JeffGollin]

Correct he would be considered a bust while here. But that was not his fault.
Whatever the reasons - the player, the coaching, the blocking - the important thing is: the TJ story isn't an isolated one - there's a pattern here. There is something chronically wrong with the Cardinal running game, and no one has figured out how to fix it yet.

That's the overriding question. Maybe taking a long, hard look at TJ - here vs. elsewhere - will provide a clue.

 

[Pariah]

Why did this thread rear it's head again?

TJ came down to earth after his injury last season. But, was it due to TJ, or the fact that Chicago was literally signing QBs off the street?

If you watched Jones play last season you need to face facts: TJ played better in Chicago than he ever played in AZ. Love fest? Whatever. I'm just calling it like it is.

 

[Shane]

Why did this thread rear it's head again?

TJ came down to earth after his injury last season. But, was it due to TJ, or the fact that Chicago was literally signing QBs off the street?

If you watched Jones play last season you need to face facts: TJ played better in Chicago than he ever played in AZ. Love fest? Whatever. I'm just calling it like it is.

The guy put up 950 yards and 7 TDs with by far the worst QB play in the league. If he wouldnt have been hurt that would have been 1100 yards. With what that team had to work with its quite impressive.

 

[Duckjake]

Correct he would be considered a bust while here. But that was not his fault.
Whatever the reasons - the player, the coaching, the blocking - the important thing is: the TJ story isn't an isolated one - there's a pattern here. There is something chronically wrong with the Cardinal running game, and no one has figured out how to fix it yet.

That's the overriding question. Maybe taking a long, hard look at TJ - here vs. elsewhere - will provide a clue.

Basically it is because the Cardinals have not had a top RB in their uniform since OJ Anderson. Most of the guys they have used were second day draft choices or UDFA's. And the Cardinal in Arizona have a terrible track record with the RB's they have taken on the first day of the draft. Tony Jeffery, Anthony Thompson, Chuck Levy, Leland McElroy. The only exception was Garrison Hearst whose injury kept him from contributing more than one season.

siMEon Rice theory: I think that all the Cardinals problems since 1998 can be directly related to Rice. He corrupted Boston (as well as Swann and Mark Smith among others) who corrupted Jones and that led to the poor corporate culture that Green and Graves have spent the last two seasons rooting out of Arizona.

No factual basis just my theory.

 

[abomb]

siMEon Rice theory: I think that all the Cardinals problems since 1998 can be directly related to Rice. He corrupted Boston (as well as Swann and Mark Smith among others) who corrupted Jones and that led to the poor corporate culture that Green and Graves have spent the last two seasons rooting out of Arizona.

No factual basis just my theory.

I find this pretty interesting/accurate.

A-Bomb

 

[CaptTurbo]

Thomas Jones? Did he do anything last year? Certainly missed him at the pro bowl or playoffs.

Did he have an enshrinement year or something? We giving him a heisman?

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Thomas Jones Sucks and is a bust. I wish I could create a magic little team, with McCown, Jones, Plummer and all these other guys who will continue to suck, that everybody loves, for some reason and continues to make excuses for them.

 

[john h]

This isnt a thread about "Why did we get rid of Thomas Jones" but seriously I want to know what you guys think the factor of TJ running so well in Chitown is. Was our O line that bad? Did he just not want to play here even when he got the starting job? Is the Bears Oline that much better than ours? Did he just pick up his intensity playing in Chicago where the whole city is behind the team and some of the most passionate fans ever. These are things that come to mind but would love to hear some of your guys thoughts on this.

TJ is just like Garrison Hearst in that circumstances and injuries did not allow him to do well in AZ. Add to this being on a poor team never helps a runner. When you are behind all the time you start passing. Our OL has sucked for a long time. From my reading the Chicago papers I think they go for a receiver in the draft and will depend on Jones as their runner. I never was for getting rid of Hearst or TJ when we did. In particular Hearst. Buddy was on Hearst case from day one and wanted him to play hurt. Hearst has had a nice carreer since leaving AZ and we sure could have used him. I doubt we have had as good a runner since he left. Two more wasted drafts.

 

[Duckjake]

Thomas Jones? Did he do anything last year? Certainly missed him at the pro bowl or playoffs.

Did he have an enshrinement year or something? We giving him a heisman?

Hey, can't you see we are trying to hijack this thread? Post something about why the Cardinals have had little success running the ball for the past 15 years or on the siMEon Rice corruption theory.

 

[john h]

Hasn't TJ had only one super game but averaged less than 3 yds a carry in the other 4? Same crap he showed here.

Skorp: He seems to be popular in Chicago both with the coaching staff and fans. They must see something in him if he will continue as their feature back.