Cowboys Will Continue 2-Back Attack

Much has been said about the 2-Back system in the NFL, some have called it a gimmick, and some call it a phase. But when you look at the teams in playoffs last year, a majority of them ran an effective 2-Back system. The Cowboys are on the forefront with perhaps the best 2-Back attack going into the 2007 season, the Saints and Chargers are the other two premium running attacks next to the Cowboys.

The major misconception amongst fans and outsiders is that we run a single running back attack, where we have a clear #1 starting running back that carries the load. This is not the case in Dallas, neither previous Coach Parcells, nor, current Coach Phillips announce the starting running back because there is no starting running back, its a shared load. There’s no camp battle, its a lethal 1-2 punch to the nose with Julius and Marion providing the knockout runs.

“It used to be you had one running back,” coach Wade Phillips said. “Now it’s changed where a lot of teams have been able to utilize two good backs. That’s the situation I’ve walked into and I think it’s a good situation.”

Phillips came into this 2-Back system, he knew it would be effective, because he saw it, and practiced against it while with the Chargers. Phillips likes the system and doesn’t appear close to abandoning it anytime soon. Phillips likes the dynamic that both runners bring to the table:

“I think they’re a good combination in that one of them is smaller, faster and one of them is bigger, stronger,” Phillips said. “What I’ve noticed already with both of them is they have real good vision. That’s what you need in a running back.

“Julius is kind of a slasher, movement guy, and Marion kind of skips into it and goes. They’re a little different styles, certainly they’re different body types, but they both have good vision. And they both catch the ball. So we’re going to try to utilize both of them.”

Patrick Crayton calls Marion Barber III, our Mini-Bus, in reference to former Steelers RB, Jerome Bettis. Crayton also gives us his thoughts on the 2-back system in Dallas:

“They’re not selfish like that,” he said. “There’s no selfishness on this team. They know that each one of them complements the other.

“They’re a two-headed monster.”