- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 120,136
Cowboys committed to the run
By Tim MacMahon
ESPNDallas.com
This is not a knee-jerk reaction to RB DeMarco Murray's dominant performance in the Dallas Cowboys' smashmouth win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
I believe Murray will break Emmitt Smith's franchise season rushing record of 1,773 yards, set in the Cowboys' last Super Bowl season, because the team is truly committed to the run and the Pro Bowl running back is due some breaks in the durability department.
After two games and 51 carries, Murray leads the NFL in rushing with 285 yards. That puts him on pace for 2,280 yards, which would shatter Eric Dickerson's league record. That's a stretch, but Smith's franchise mark is certainly within reach for Murray and his premium-pick-packed offensive line.
Look at Murray's production in the last nine games: 947 yards on 173 carries. That's an average of 105.2 yards per game. Assuming Murray plays all 16 games, he needs to average 106.3 yards per game the rest of the season to catch Smith.
That, of course, is a dangerous assumption, considering that Murray has never played all 16 games in his career. Maybe it's foolish to think that trend will end this season, but stranger things have happened.
For example, did you ever think coach Jason Garrett would ever pay more than lip service to committing to the run?
The Cowboys had plenty of excuses to get pass-happy in Week 1, when Murray's fumble on his first carry contributed to a 21-3 hole in the first quarter, but he still got 22 carries in that loss to the San Francisco 49ers. And the Cowboys fed him 29 times the following week.
It's a common-sense approach for a team with an elite offensive line, a quarterback with back problems, and a defense that needs to be protected as much as possible.
At this point, the question isn't whether the Cowboys will feed Murray enough. It's whether they will they wear their workhorse down.
Twenty carries will be the norm for Murray, not the exception. He's carried at least 20 times in 13 games during his career, rushing for 1,596 yards in those contests. Make it 16 this season and he'll break Smith's record.
By Tim MacMahon
ESPNDallas.com
This is not a knee-jerk reaction to RB DeMarco Murray's dominant performance in the Dallas Cowboys' smashmouth win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
I believe Murray will break Emmitt Smith's franchise season rushing record of 1,773 yards, set in the Cowboys' last Super Bowl season, because the team is truly committed to the run and the Pro Bowl running back is due some breaks in the durability department.
After two games and 51 carries, Murray leads the NFL in rushing with 285 yards. That puts him on pace for 2,280 yards, which would shatter Eric Dickerson's league record. That's a stretch, but Smith's franchise mark is certainly within reach for Murray and his premium-pick-packed offensive line.
Look at Murray's production in the last nine games: 947 yards on 173 carries. That's an average of 105.2 yards per game. Assuming Murray plays all 16 games, he needs to average 106.3 yards per game the rest of the season to catch Smith.
That, of course, is a dangerous assumption, considering that Murray has never played all 16 games in his career. Maybe it's foolish to think that trend will end this season, but stranger things have happened.
For example, did you ever think coach Jason Garrett would ever pay more than lip service to committing to the run?
The Cowboys had plenty of excuses to get pass-happy in Week 1, when Murray's fumble on his first carry contributed to a 21-3 hole in the first quarter, but he still got 22 carries in that loss to the San Francisco 49ers. And the Cowboys fed him 29 times the following week.
It's a common-sense approach for a team with an elite offensive line, a quarterback with back problems, and a defense that needs to be protected as much as possible.
At this point, the question isn't whether the Cowboys will feed Murray enough. It's whether they will they wear their workhorse down.
Twenty carries will be the norm for Murray, not the exception. He's carried at least 20 times in 13 games during his career, rushing for 1,596 yards in those contests. Make it 16 this season and he'll break Smith's record.