DeMarco Murray can't slow down
DeMarco Murray can’t have a disappearing act right now as the NFC race begins to heat up.
The NFL's leading rusher at 913 yards has been outstanding this season, and current and former teammates thought a stretch such as this was always in Murray's DNA.
DeMarco Murray is on a historic run, and it's one the Cowboys need to see continue.
With Arizona knocking off Philadelphia in the desert on Sunday and all of a sudden the New Orleans Saints looking pretty good again after that waxing of the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night, things are getting a little interesting in the NFC.
Murray and the Cowboys host Washington on Monday Night Football at AT&T Stadium and this is no time for a bad game, especially when the nation is checking to see if you’re really for real.
The Cowboys are for real.
Probably the best team in the NFC, whatever that’s worth at this stage of the season, but Cowboys have morphed into a run-first unit in the first two months of the season and Murray has benefited. He’s an MVP candidate, with a Pro Bowl berth a certainty. A new contract, whether he gets franchised or not, also will happen in 2015.
A bad game can’t happen now.
Murray is human, yet he has produced a superhuman effort. He has carried the ball at least 25 times four times this season and is doing a wonderful job reading his blocks and keeping his footwork when the holes aren't there so he can fall forward and get those junk 2- and 3-yard gains.
The big question for Murray is durability. He sprained an ankle in last week’s victory over the New York Giants and downplayed it. But he has yet to play 16 games and regardless if you like Joseph Randle, the Cowboys can’t afford to lose Murray.
For as strong as Murray has been, he has proven to be more valuable to this offense next to Tony Romo. Murray has even surpassed his buddy Dez Bryant on the depth chart of importance. Bryant is a close No. 3 with Jason Witten not too far behind.
You can add up all the numbers each week and compare Murray to Jim Brown and Eric Dickerson and Adrian Peterson and Larry Johnson and wonder how long will this streak last?
It’s not about 100 yards for Murray it’s making sure the offense continues to set the tone with the run game. If Murray gets 85 yards on Monday night and the Cowboys win, that’s fine.
If Murray gets 26 yards and they lose, well, that better not be the start of a trend.
