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DeMarco Murray deals with the running game
December, 17, 2013
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com
The morning after the two interception fourth quarter and the questions why the running game disappeared, the man who is given the ball to run, DeMarco Murray, got up and visited a hospital.
Sporting a beard that Santa would love, Murray visited Scottish Rite Hospital for Children to sign autographs, pose for pictures and visit hospital rooms.
The visits gave Murray a pause from the reality of his world: He's frustrated. He's angry. He's everything that says mad.
Murray won't admit this and he declined to speak to reporters after the Cowboys' 37-36 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday and despite talking briefly to the media on Monday morning, he didn't talk football.
But you could tell in his face, he's not happy. If he played Santa, he would be grumpy Santa.
"Yeah, yeah. You think about (Sunday) and you are mad about that, and then as soon as you step here, you totally forget about it," he said. "It's the last thing that crosses your mind. Just knowing what these kids are going through on a daily basis, how much fight they have, just makes you look up to them."
While Dez Bryant walked to the locker room to hide his tears, frustrated at how the Cowboys' lost, Murray probably wanted to go somewhere, too. He rushed 18 times for 134 yards. He caught four passes for 19 yards, targeted seven times. He produced a wonderful day for the Cowboys.
It got lost. Or it got forgotten.
The Cowboys ran the ball just seven times in the second half despite holding a lead they treated like weeds in the front lawn. The Cowboys played, or rather called a game, not to lose.
Murray wants to win and prove something to some people, maybe at Valley Ranch, or maybe outside of Valley Ranch.
In the fourth quarter after the Cowboys saw their lead dwindle to 29-24, Murray carried the ball just twice. But Dallas pushed the lead to 36-24 and with the defense falling apart, allowed another score to bring the deficit to five, Murray carried the ball just one more time.
That's right one more time.
He was scheduled to get a carry on a second-and-six, but quarterback Tony Romo didn't like the defensive look and changed the play as if it were the second quarter instead of the final one where the clock needed to be chewed up. Romo changed the play to a quick pass and instead of Murray running into seven or eight defenders he watched as the quarterback threw an interception.
Murray storms off the field and takes off his helmet yelling.
That's the only outwardly expression Murray showed you on Sunday that leads you to believe he didn't like the decision or the result of the decision. When the game was over, Murray didn't storm out the locker room, he causally walked out the back door and declined to talk about what just happened.
Does Murray have a right to be upset?
He's battled discussions he's not durable enough to play, he missed two games with a sprained knee, increasing the talk he can't survive a 16-game season.
Murray might not play 16 games, but he's on the verge of reaching 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. Murray needs just 23 rushing yards, something he should get in Landover, Md., on Sunday afternoon, to become the first running back to hit 1,000 since Julius Jones did it in 2006.
Murray should be upset. He's turned into a fighter, someone who Bryant wants on his side.
If the Cowboys are going to do anything this season, and they have two games remaining, Murray needs the ball more often.
December, 17, 2013
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com
The morning after the two interception fourth quarter and the questions why the running game disappeared, the man who is given the ball to run, DeMarco Murray, got up and visited a hospital.
Sporting a beard that Santa would love, Murray visited Scottish Rite Hospital for Children to sign autographs, pose for pictures and visit hospital rooms.
The visits gave Murray a pause from the reality of his world: He's frustrated. He's angry. He's everything that says mad.
Murray won't admit this and he declined to speak to reporters after the Cowboys' 37-36 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday and despite talking briefly to the media on Monday morning, he didn't talk football.
But you could tell in his face, he's not happy. If he played Santa, he would be grumpy Santa.
"Yeah, yeah. You think about (Sunday) and you are mad about that, and then as soon as you step here, you totally forget about it," he said. "It's the last thing that crosses your mind. Just knowing what these kids are going through on a daily basis, how much fight they have, just makes you look up to them."
While Dez Bryant walked to the locker room to hide his tears, frustrated at how the Cowboys' lost, Murray probably wanted to go somewhere, too. He rushed 18 times for 134 yards. He caught four passes for 19 yards, targeted seven times. He produced a wonderful day for the Cowboys.
It got lost. Or it got forgotten.
The Cowboys ran the ball just seven times in the second half despite holding a lead they treated like weeds in the front lawn. The Cowboys played, or rather called a game, not to lose.
Murray wants to win and prove something to some people, maybe at Valley Ranch, or maybe outside of Valley Ranch.
In the fourth quarter after the Cowboys saw their lead dwindle to 29-24, Murray carried the ball just twice. But Dallas pushed the lead to 36-24 and with the defense falling apart, allowed another score to bring the deficit to five, Murray carried the ball just one more time.
That's right one more time.
He was scheduled to get a carry on a second-and-six, but quarterback Tony Romo didn't like the defensive look and changed the play as if it were the second quarter instead of the final one where the clock needed to be chewed up. Romo changed the play to a quick pass and instead of Murray running into seven or eight defenders he watched as the quarterback threw an interception.
Murray storms off the field and takes off his helmet yelling.
That's the only outwardly expression Murray showed you on Sunday that leads you to believe he didn't like the decision or the result of the decision. When the game was over, Murray didn't storm out the locker room, he causally walked out the back door and declined to talk about what just happened.
Does Murray have a right to be upset?
He's battled discussions he's not durable enough to play, he missed two games with a sprained knee, increasing the talk he can't survive a 16-game season.
Murray might not play 16 games, but he's on the verge of reaching 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. Murray needs just 23 rushing yards, something he should get in Landover, Md., on Sunday afternoon, to become the first running back to hit 1,000 since Julius Jones did it in 2006.
Murray should be upset. He's turned into a fighter, someone who Bryant wants on his side.
If the Cowboys are going to do anything this season, and they have two games remaining, Murray needs the ball more often.
