DeMarco Murray, J.J. Watt lead Players of the Month

DeMarco Murray has been a wrecking ball for the first month of the season. Guiding the Dallas Cowboys to a 3-1 start and earning the running back the NFC's Offensive Player of the Month award for September.

Murray leads the NFL in rushing with 534 yards on the ground through four games -- a whopping 156 yards more than the next running back.

Behind one of the NFL's best offensive lines, Murray became just the fourth player in NFL history to record 100-plus rushing yards and at least one rushing touchdown in each of the first four games of a season, joining Jim Brown, O.J. Simpson and Emmitt Smith.

On Sunday, Murray will face off against the AFC's Defensive Player of the Month, J.J. Watt.

Watt won the award with a dominating September, carrying the Houston Texans to a 3-1 start. The defensive lineman has nine total tackles, two sacks, three pass attempts and an interception he rumbled 80 yards for a touchdown -- turning the tide of the game.

According to Pro Football Focus, Watt has 32 quarterback pressures this season. That number would have put Watt in Top 20 among 3-4 defensive ends for the entire 2013 season. Through the first four games of 2014, Watt has the most pressures among 3-4 defensive ends by an eye-opening 17. Among all defensive players, Watt is still well ahead of second-place Dwight Freeney, with 22.


When Watt meets Murray in the hole Sunday that should be a fun collision.