Certain divisional rivalries on the NFL’s Week 2 docket are generating headline after headline with verbal barbs being tossed back and forth.
Reporters covering Sunday’s Cowboys-Eagles game at Philadelphia, however, won’t get any of those sound bites from DeMarco Murray.
The Eagles running back is going up against his former team. The Cowboys didn’t feel the need to re-sign Murray after he led the NFL with 1,845 rushing yards in 2014.
Murray told ESPN.com that he’s “emotionless” about facing his former team and that he understands the business aspect of the game.
It’s a sound approach. Murray and the Eagles have a job to do. They have to avoid an 0-2 start.
However, it would be interesting to hear what Murray is saying when the cameras and microphones are turned off. It’s hard to believe he doesn’t feel a little bit of extra motivation. If nothing else, he wants to improve on the nine yards that he gained on eight carries in the Eagles’ 26-24 loss Monday night at Atlanta. He doesn’t want to provide Jerry Jones with any evidence that he made the right decision letting him sign with Philadelphia.
Teams have to budget for players but DeMarco Murray was a loss for Cowboys on the field and inside the locker room. https://t.co/wWW4f1ky8p
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) September 16, 2015
The committee of backs that has replaced Murray in Dallas fared only a little better in the Cowboys’ opener on Sunday night. Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden combined for 81 yards on 22 carries. The trio of Randle, McFadden and Lance Dunbar caught a total of 12 passes for 131 yards.
Since the Eagles and Cowboys both fell behind early in their respective contests, it was difficult to gauge the effectiveness of their rushing attacks because both teams had to throw the ball to get back into the game.
Perhaps Sunday’s game will offer a clearer comparison, and we’ll see just how “emotionless” Murray will be.