IRVING, Texas - The phrase doesn't fit for all positions, but fortunately a "three-headed monster" can work.
Not at left tackle, not at middle linebacker and certainly not at quarterback. We all know that in football, if you have three quarterbacks it means you have none at all.
Not the case at running back. The Cowboys have three and they all need to play.
How they play is a different story. And yes, everyone has their opinions on the subject. In the bye week, with no game being played, the emails and phone calls to the radio shows haven't stopped. And the fans have a wide range of opinions on this topic.
Start Barber, play Felix and Tashard Choice gets whatever is left over.
Start Felix and play him as long as you can and then split the reps between Barber and Choice.
Or let Choice start, and let Barber be the goal-line back and the closer. And figure out some different wrinkles for Felix.
Or play all three at the same time and run the triple-option attack.
OK, so that last one is pretty out there, but trust me when I say that even the most die-hard of Cowboys fans seem to think that's a logical solution.
However you choose to slice it, the Cowboys still have a situation on their hands, but I'm not sure why this is so difficult. Why does there need to be a change?
Let's not forget the Cowboys have the No. 2 ranked offense in the NFL. Now, I've never been a big fan of the rankings, because it's only based on yards. Personally, the team with the most points should be the top-ranked offense. And with that, the Cowboys would rank just 11th in the NFL.
Still, the offense is moving the ball further than any team - other than the Saints - through the first six weeks of the season. And how are they doing it? The run, of course, averaging 161.0 yards a game on the ground.
What's odd about that stat is that the Cowboys' leading rusher is Barber with 297 yards, which is good for 23rd among all NFL backs. Then again, no other team in the league has three players with at least 200 yards.
The Cowboys are running the pill, but it's not just one guy. It's not even mostly one guy like you see with the Jets, the league's top-ranked rushing team at 163.0 yards a game. Thomas Jones has 481 yards, while Leon Washington has 324.
In Dallas, it's a different dynamic. Felix and Barber have both started games this year and Barber and Choice have both finished off games. At some point in the first five games, all three of the backs have been called on to carry the bulk of the load.
And that's what a real three-headed monster is. It's not playing them all until you make a decision on which one to play. You play all of them. Find a role for each of them and stick to it. If an injury alters the plan, then simply adjust.
It's not hard. And it's exactly what the Cowboys have done.
I'm not sure why people think Choice needs to start now. Does he need more carries? Maybe a few, but nothing over the top. Don't get me wrong, Choice has been great when called upon and the Cowboys may not have been 3-2 without him. He finished off the Panthers and Chiefs when no other back was available.
But when everyone is healthy, he's still the third-best back on the team. If you need tough yards, give it to Barber on third-and-two. If you need a big play or a spark, Felix is the better option. Not saying Choice can't provide either of the two, but when it comes to going 75 yards to the house, we all know that Felix is the best option for that.
Choice needs to play. He needs to have a role. Not just because he's earned it, but because the Cowboys can use it. But let's not get carried away and say Choice should be the starter because he's proven he can go 85 or 90 yards in a game.
Last week I suggested Cowboys fans temper their excitement just a tad with Miles Austin, who broke a single-game record by Bob Hayes. So naturally, I'm going to say the same about Choice.
But I do like this guy. I think he's got something to him. I can really see him having a career like Michael Turner. Turner was just never better than LT, and Darren Sproles was a unique type of back that the Chargers just had to keep around. So Turner was odd man out and ended up going to the Falcons, where he's now one of the best backs in the NFL.
OK, so if Choice is really a lot like Turner then maybe the Cowboys need to make sure they keep him around. But I can see some similarities there for a guy who might be really good, but it's going to be tough to evaluate because he has trouble getting on the field.
I will say this about Choice: he may not be the fastest, strongest or most exciting of the backs, but he's been the most durable. And there's something to be said for that. Emmitt Smith was the most durable back of his era and that's why he's got a record that may never be broken, at least not for a while.
Because Choice has been so durable, it forces him to stay ready - ready to play when his number is called. But the fact of the matter is, the Cowboys still have a little higher numbers to play in Barber and Felix. When they're on, they have to be out there.
Again, this team has plenty of problems. The Cowboys could only wish they had more problems like this one.
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Nick Eatman - 
