Julius Jones - Walter's Football Site

Joey · Status: Offline

Julius Jones

Walter · Status: Offline

I would agree with that. In my fantasy rankings, I have 1,150 yards. The offensive line has improved, but Jones will be sharing some carries with Marion Barber III.

Joey · Status: Offline

I think you could compare our running game to USC's last year. Julius Jones is our Reggie Bush, and Marion Barber is our LenDale White.

Walter · Status: Offline

I don't think you can compare Julius Jones to Reggie Bush. Two completely different players. I can't wait to see how New Orleans uses Bush.

Joey · Status: Offline

I wasn't, I was just making a comparison to the way we use the players. We will use Jones on the first two downs and long yardage situations while Marion Barber will be put in on short yardage situations as White was used last year at SC.

I cant wait either. Bush was one of the most exciting college football players I have ever seen in my life last year. I will never regret staying up late that Saturday night to watch the USC-Fresno State game last year. Bush put on a clinic.

Walter · Status: Offline

I remember watching that game at a bar, celebrating Penn State's Big Ten championship. The game ended past 2, but the bar actually stayed open because everyone was locked in on the game. It wasn't even a sports bar either.

Joey · Status: Offline

I dont remember what I was doing but I remember that when I finally got to turn over to FSN, it was Halftime and the Bulldogs led 21-13. All the FSN announcers were saying "Now we know that USC has been down before but they were being beat down in the first half so they might not come back this time" and I laughingly made fun of them because I was just sure that SC was going to pull away just like they did against Oregon, Arizona State, and others. And I was right, SC pulled away at the end of third and took a two-score lead but then I remember Fresno State took the lead back in the fourth only to have Reggie Bush turn the game around. That game was awesome!

Walter · Status: Offline

Everyone knew USC was going to win, but it was extra special for us because if USC lost, Penn State would have had a shot at Texas in the Rose Bowl -- and I think PSU would have won.

Joey · Status: Offline

No way. Penn State's defense would have fared no better against Vince Young than the Ohio State defense did. I think Penn State and Ohio State were virtually the same team last season. The only reason that Penn State beat the Buckeyes was because they were at home. Penn State would have played close to the 'Horns, but Texas would have won it in the fourth quarter. You didn't think that Texas would have beaten SC either.

Why do you predict Vince Young to fail at everything he does?

Walter · Status: Offline

Ohio State held Vince Young and Texas to 25 points. USC surrendered 41 points. Huge difference. I agree that Penn State would have yielded 21-28 points. But the Nittany Lions had the offense to beat the Longhorns.

By the way, there are people out there who would agree (and I am one of them) that if USC and Texas played 10 times, USC would be victorious seven times.

Young was an incredible college player. I just didn't like the team he had around him. Texas was without a doubt a one-man show. And, I don't think Young translates well in the NFL. I hope I'm wrong because I'd like to see him develop.

Joey · Status: Offline

Texas was a one-man show on offense, not defense. You forget that they had a really good defense last year too. Penn State's offense would score in the mid-20s against Texas, but Texas would score some points too. You forget that Penn State surrendered 24 points to Cincinnati, 29 to Northwestern, 27 to Michigan and 22 to Michigan State. I don't think that Penn State's defense was as good as Ohio State's defense and Texas would have scored in the high-20s to low-30s.

Walter · Status: Offline

I covered Penn State and talked to the guys first-hand, so I may be biased. However, Cincinnati scored those points in junk time, Northwestern capitalized on turnovers, and Michigan St. scored a late touchdown that didn't matter to the team.

The only blunder by the defense was that Michigan game.

-- Edited by Walter at 08:28, 2006-08-10

Joey · Status: Offline

But Walt, if Penn State played Texas then Texas would have been far-and-away the best offense on their schedule. If they surrendered all those points to Michigan, who was the best offense on their schedule last year since they didnt play Texas, then Texas is sure to have done better.

Walter · Status: Offline

I think Penn State matched up well against Texas. The Nittany Lions had the best linebackers -- not Ohio State -- in college football. Paul Posluszny and Dan Connor would have done a solid job against Vince Young's scrambles.

Joey · Status: Offline

I have to disagree. AJ Hawk and Bobby Carpenter were lights-out last season and both were first round draft picks in this years' draft.

Walter · Status: Offline

If both are healthy, Paul Posluszny and Dan Connor will be drafted in the top 20 in the 2007 Draft. These two guys are incredible. Very knowledgable people who cover PSU admit that Posluszny is the best linebacker in PSU history -- better than LaVar Arrington. Others say that Connor could be just as good as Posluszny if he stays all four years. Posluszny will be drafted in the same spot as A.J. Hawk; if Connor stays four years, he will be a top 15 selection.

The difference-maker is at middle linebacker. I'd take Tim Shaw over Anthony Schlegel.

Joey · Status: Offline

Maybe in the future they will make a better tandem than Hawk and Carpenter but we are talking about last year. Last year, I would take Ohio State's linebackers over Penn State's linebackers.

Walter · Status: Offline

I still have to disagree. There was a lot of hype about the linebackers in the Penn State-Ohio State matchup. PSU's linebackers outplayed Ohio State's by a wide margin.

Joey · Status: Offline

But it was a different situation for that game. Penn State was at home and they were fired up to show America what they were made of. I think Ohio State got kind of complacent and underestimated the Nittany Lions. I think that if Penn State and Ohio State would have had a rematch last year at Ohio State, or even on a neutral field, Ohio State would have won.

Walter · Status: Offline

Ohio State would have definitely won at home. But on a neutral field? I disagree. Linebackers aside, Penn State had the better front four and secondary.

Joey · Status: Offline

So let me get this straight. You think that if the Big Ten had a twelfth team and a championship game last year between Ohio State and Penn State, you think that Penn State would have won? I disagree. I think Ohio State had a slightly better defense and a better offense than Penn State. I mean, Penn State struggled mightily against Florida State and Ohio State blew Notre Dame away.

Walter · Status: Offline

Penn State would have definitely won. No doubt in my mind. PSU had a better defense than Ohio State. Offenses were about the same.

You can't look at the Florida State contest as a barometer. Everyone on campus was complaining that our No. 3 team had to take on such a lowly ranked squad in a bowl game. I even wrote a column about it in the local paper. I don't think Penn State was as excited about the game as Florida State was.

Joey · Status: Offline

I dont see how you can be so sure that Penn State's defense was better than Ohio State's. Ohio State gave up 184 points last year to Penn State's 214. Not to mention that Ohio State played against Texas and Notre Dame last year.

Would you have that same oppinion that the bowl game didn't matter had the Nittany Lions lost?

Walter · Status: Offline

Yeah, it still wouldn't have mattered. What did winning the Orange Bowl do for the Nittany Lions?

You can look at stats all you want, but position-by-position, Penn State's defense was better than Ohio State's. Stats don't mean much; the Colts would have one of the top defenses in the league if you looked at numbers.

Joey · Status: Offline

Winning the orange bowl didn't do much for Penn State, but losing it would have dropped them down to 7 or 8 in the polls. I think they had alot to play for.

The Colts did have one of the top defenses in football last year. They finally had a defense to go with their offense which was one of the reasons why it was so shocking when they choked in the playoffs again.

Walter · Status: Offline

So what if it dropped PSU down to 7 or 8? The season was over. They were 10-1 and had no shot to win the National Championship. Who cares if you finish 3 or 8? All that matters is finishing No. 1.

The Colts' defense was a mirage. They are quick, but way too small, and melted down against Pittsburgh. And how was it shocking that they choked? If you look up "choke" in the dictionary, you'll find the Chicago Cubs and Peyton Manning.

Joey · Status: Offline

I disagree with you there. I think if you asked any coach they would prefer 3 and a possibility to be 2 if a team does terrible in the Championship Game than be 7 or 8.

They melted down against Pittsburgh, but Pittsburgh's defense melted down against New England a couple years ago. That doesn't mean that their defense was a mirage.

I was shocked that they choked. This Colts team looked different, they won at New England, they swept Jacksonville, they blew out Pittsburgh at home, their defense was one of the better units in the league, everything pointed towards this being the Colts' year and then lowly Pittsburgh, who probably would have lost to Cincy in the first round had Carson Palmer not gotten injured, goes into Indy and beats the Colts. If Manning and Dungy and the Colts couldn't win the big one with the team they had last year then they will never win the big one.

Walter · Status: Offline

But what's the point? What's the difference between 2 and 3, instead of 7 and 8? No one remembers the Super Bowl losers (unless you're the Buffalo Bills). People just remember the winners. I don't care about finishing second. As the cliche goes, "second is the first loser."

Indy's defense is flawed. They are fast, but not big enough up front. Their cornerbacks are terrible.

Remember, the Colts beat the Patriots IN THE REGULAR SEASON. That meant nothing. If the Pats and Colts would have met in the playoffs, New England would have won easily.

But you're right -- the Colts will never win with Dungy/Manning.

Joey · Status: Offline

I remember every Super Bowl loser and winner. Now I am completely honest now when I say that I did not look any of these up I remember all of them...

Kansas City Chiefs
Oakland Raiders
Baltimore Colts
Minnesota Vikings
Dallas Cowboys
Miami Dolphins
Washington Redskins
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
Dallas Cowboys
Minnesota Vikings
Denver Broncos
Dallas Cowboys
Los Angeles Rams
Philadelphia Eagles
Cincinnati Bengals
Miami Dolphins
Washington Redskins
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
Cincinnati Bengals
Denver Broncos
Buffalo Bills
"
"
"
San Diego Chargers
Pittsburgh Steelers
New England Patriots
Green Bay Packers
Atlanta Falcons
Tennessee Titans
New York Giants
St. Louis Rams
Oakland Raiders
Carolina Panthers
Philadelphia Eagles
Seattle Seahawks

All straight from my memory.

Most defenses are flawed. Even the '85 Bears defense had flaws. I agree that Indy's defense was flawed but you can't argue that it wasn't much better last year than it was in previous years. The stats prove it.

I disagree that the Colts win over the Patriots in the regular season meant nothing. It ended Manning's streak of never winning in Foxboro and it ended Tom Brady's undefeated streak against Manning. However, I do agree that the Patriots would have beaten the Colts in the playoffs and I think that the Patriots would have beaten the Steelers as well. I still cant believe that they lost to Denver.

Tony Dungy really is a likeable guy- and so is Peyton Manning for that matter- which is why they are picked to win the big one so often but they just cant win the big one and they never will be able to. Dungy was a choker with the Bucs, and he's a choker with the Colts. Manning is the same way. I would actually like to see them win it but it just isn't going to happen.

Walter · Status: Offline

That's pretty impressive that you remember all of them, but I think if you ask an average fan, they would probably be unable to recall most of them.

Since you're admitting that New England would have beaten Indianapolis in the playoffs, doesn't that mean that the victory in the regular season was essentially meaningless? That win should have gotten Peyton over the choking hump. Instead, he choked a playoff game away against Pittsburgh.