Barber wants to play, Jones to get more carries

Marion Barber wants to play and plans to play but won't be sure he can play until his leg responds favorably to workouts. In the 20-minute portion of practice that's open to reporters, he looked fine jogging through drills and catching a few passes.

The extra day of preparation works in Barber's favor. But if he can't go, the Cowboys have two proven runners – Felix Jones and Tashard Choice – itching for more carries.

Rushing has been Dallas' strength. The line has opened holes as the Cowboys have averaged 184.5 yards per game and 7.0 yards per carry. Jones has 118 yards on 13 carries, and though Choice has only four attempts, he stepped in seamlessly as the main man last year when Barber and Jones were injured.

"The other two know that their roles are going to have to be picked up a bit," Cowboys running backs coach Skip Peete said. "Even if [Barber] is healthy, he may not be able to take as much of a load as he's taken in the past."