Archer: Cowboys know punter Chris Jones is an athlete, too

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Cowboys know punter Chris Jones is an athlete, too
10:10 AM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer

FRISCO, Texas -- During the offseason program, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee tries to stay far away from the team's punter, Chris Jones.

"Sometimes if you're doing sprints, you go to the other end of the field because you know he might be able to outrun you," Lee said. "He can run."

The Philadelphia Eagles know that too.

Jones ripped off a 30-yard run on a fake punt in the third quarter of the Cowboys' overtime win Sunday. The Cowboys used the play to score a field goal to cut the Eagles lead to one possession.

In a locker room filled with terrific athletes, Jones and Dan Bailey, the team's kicker, are near the top, even if nobody wants to believe it. During the offseason program, they run and lift with the position players. They might not have the most taxing practice schedules during the season, but their offseason work endears them to teammates.

"In the special teams meeting Saturday night I heard Coach Bisaccia talk about that play, 'make a play that makes a difference in the game,'" tight end Jason Witten said. "At the end of the day they may be the two best athletes on our team in a lot of ways, pound for pound."

Facing fourth-and-8 from the Dallas 27 and down 20-10 in the third quarter, Jones took off running to his left. It was his first fake punt since high school. It is also the second-longest run the Cowboys have had this season.

The Cowboys have worked on a fake punt in practice over the years but the look never materialized for the call. On Sunday, Jones got the call.

"It actually came up a little bit differently in the game than how we practiced it. But he did a good job and the guys up front did a good job reacting to the middle pressure that they saw," coach Jason Garrett said. "He bounced it outside ... So to put the ball in his hands, we felt pretty confident he would be able to make the play, and he did."

After the game, Witten was asked if Jones ran a faster 40-yard dash time than him.

"Gosh the way he ran on that punt, he's probably got me beat," Witten said. "And I'm proud to say it. He's really got a lot of people beat."
 
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