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Cowboys' Murray is Rams' big concern
• By Joe Lyons
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_df13427d-60f8-5c26-b1be-9812cac79e82.html
Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray says that he has not watched the tape of his previous games against the Rams. At Rams Park, especially for the defensive unit, the opposite is true.
“You don’t want to look at it, but you need to watch in order to try and make adjustments,’’ Rams defensive tackle Michael Brockers said. “He’s had some big games (against us) and he’s leading the league in rushing.
“We’re definitely focused on No. 29 and trying to shut him down.’’
Murray, a fourth-year pro from the University of Oklahoma, was a rookie in 2011 when he came off the Dallas bench to rush for 253 yards, including a 91-yard touchdown, on 25 carries in a 34-7 Dallas rout of the visiting Rams. That set a single-game franchise record and remember, this is a franchise that boasts Hall of Fame backs Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, and Tony Dorsett, who’s No. 8 on the all-time list.
Last year, in a 31-7 Cowboys victory over the visiting Rams, Murray ran 26 times for 176 yards and a touchdown.
“Honestly, I don’t pay attention to those games too much because there are new guys (on the Rams),’’ Murray said during a conference call with St. Louis media earlier this week. “They have a very good defensive coordinator, they’re a physical team and they fly around pretty well. We’re excited about the challenge.’’
So, too, are the Rams.
“He’s a great runner, a physical guy who’s extremely versatile,’’ Rams safety T.J. McDonald said.
Brockers added: “He’s a skinny back, but he’s physical; he’s a slasher who seems to get a lot of yards after contact. We need to get to him and get him to the ground.’’
Murray, who stands 6 feet and weighs 217 pounds, will enter Sunday’s noon game at the Edward Jones Dome as the NFL’s leading rusher with 285 yards on 51 carries, an average of 5.6 per attempt. In addition, he’s caught four passes for 31 yards.
He rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys’ season-opening 28-17 loss to San Francisco and followed up with 167 yards and a touchdown with a career-high 29 carries in a 26-10 win over the Titans in Tennessee last Sunday.
In the victory, the Cowboys turned to power football, running the ball 43 times for 220 yards and chewing up better than 41 minutes of the game clock.
“If you can run the ball, run the clock, you can control the football game,’’ Dallas head coach Jason Garrett said following the win in Nashville.
That type of ball-control, smash-mouth football in Dallas begins with Murray, who was named to the Pro Bowl a year ago after posting career bests in carries (217), rushing yards (1,121 yards), catches (53), receiving yards (350) and touchdowns (10).
Dallas is 12-1 when Murray gets 20 or more carries.
“He’s an excellent football player and really has been since he got here,’’ Garrett said. “He’s a complete back and a very productive back. You really never have to take him off the field. He’s someone you can hand the ball to, you can throw it to him (and) he can play on third down.’’
To this point, the only thing that has slowed Murray has been injuries. Over his first three pro seasons, he’s never played more than eight consecutive games and he sat out 11 of his first 40 NFL games with a variety of ankle, foot and knee issues.
“I’m not worried about all that because it’s out of my control,’’ the 26-year-old said. “All I can do is continue to work hard and do whatever they ask of me, whether it’s running, blocking or catching, and try to make a successful play.
“Whatever I can do to help this team, I’m all for it.’’
Helping Murray set the tone for the Cowboys is an offensive line that features former first-round draft picks in Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith (ninth overall in 2011), center Travis Frederick (31st overall in 2013) and right guard Zack Martin (16th overall last May).
The Rams, you may recall, had Martin, a Notre Dame product, rated extremely high and considered trading up into the middle of the first round before he was selected by the Cowboys.
“Zack has done a really nice job,’’ Garrett said. “You can tell he’s played a lot of snaps at a high level in college ... the game doesn’t seem too big for him.’’
On the line play overall, Murray said: “They’re just a hard-working group. They definitely have pride in being physical.’’
The Cowboys scored the first 24 points and cruised to the 31-7 win at AT&T Stadium last year, thanks to Murray’s running and three touchdown passes from Tony Romo.
So how do the Rams turn things around on Sunday?
“I think it will be more of a challenge this year,’’ Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “I think their offensive line is experienced (and) they’re playing well together. We have some run-fit issues that we have to take care of. (Murray) is strong and he breaks tackles. One of the things that happens every game is he’ll bounce outside and people underestimate his speed and he’ll get the corner. That becomes the problem, so we have to edge-proficient, if you will.
“We’re going to have to be in the right place and guys are going to have to make plays.’’
• By Joe Lyons
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_df13427d-60f8-5c26-b1be-9812cac79e82.html
Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray says that he has not watched the tape of his previous games against the Rams. At Rams Park, especially for the defensive unit, the opposite is true.
“You don’t want to look at it, but you need to watch in order to try and make adjustments,’’ Rams defensive tackle Michael Brockers said. “He’s had some big games (against us) and he’s leading the league in rushing.
“We’re definitely focused on No. 29 and trying to shut him down.’’
Murray, a fourth-year pro from the University of Oklahoma, was a rookie in 2011 when he came off the Dallas bench to rush for 253 yards, including a 91-yard touchdown, on 25 carries in a 34-7 Dallas rout of the visiting Rams. That set a single-game franchise record and remember, this is a franchise that boasts Hall of Fame backs Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, and Tony Dorsett, who’s No. 8 on the all-time list.
Last year, in a 31-7 Cowboys victory over the visiting Rams, Murray ran 26 times for 176 yards and a touchdown.
“Honestly, I don’t pay attention to those games too much because there are new guys (on the Rams),’’ Murray said during a conference call with St. Louis media earlier this week. “They have a very good defensive coordinator, they’re a physical team and they fly around pretty well. We’re excited about the challenge.’’
So, too, are the Rams.
“He’s a great runner, a physical guy who’s extremely versatile,’’ Rams safety T.J. McDonald said.
Brockers added: “He’s a skinny back, but he’s physical; he’s a slasher who seems to get a lot of yards after contact. We need to get to him and get him to the ground.’’
Murray, who stands 6 feet and weighs 217 pounds, will enter Sunday’s noon game at the Edward Jones Dome as the NFL’s leading rusher with 285 yards on 51 carries, an average of 5.6 per attempt. In addition, he’s caught four passes for 31 yards.
He rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys’ season-opening 28-17 loss to San Francisco and followed up with 167 yards and a touchdown with a career-high 29 carries in a 26-10 win over the Titans in Tennessee last Sunday.
In the victory, the Cowboys turned to power football, running the ball 43 times for 220 yards and chewing up better than 41 minutes of the game clock.
“If you can run the ball, run the clock, you can control the football game,’’ Dallas head coach Jason Garrett said following the win in Nashville.
That type of ball-control, smash-mouth football in Dallas begins with Murray, who was named to the Pro Bowl a year ago after posting career bests in carries (217), rushing yards (1,121 yards), catches (53), receiving yards (350) and touchdowns (10).
Dallas is 12-1 when Murray gets 20 or more carries.
“He’s an excellent football player and really has been since he got here,’’ Garrett said. “He’s a complete back and a very productive back. You really never have to take him off the field. He’s someone you can hand the ball to, you can throw it to him (and) he can play on third down.’’
To this point, the only thing that has slowed Murray has been injuries. Over his first three pro seasons, he’s never played more than eight consecutive games and he sat out 11 of his first 40 NFL games with a variety of ankle, foot and knee issues.
“I’m not worried about all that because it’s out of my control,’’ the 26-year-old said. “All I can do is continue to work hard and do whatever they ask of me, whether it’s running, blocking or catching, and try to make a successful play.
“Whatever I can do to help this team, I’m all for it.’’
Helping Murray set the tone for the Cowboys is an offensive line that features former first-round draft picks in Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith (ninth overall in 2011), center Travis Frederick (31st overall in 2013) and right guard Zack Martin (16th overall last May).
The Rams, you may recall, had Martin, a Notre Dame product, rated extremely high and considered trading up into the middle of the first round before he was selected by the Cowboys.
“Zack has done a really nice job,’’ Garrett said. “You can tell he’s played a lot of snaps at a high level in college ... the game doesn’t seem too big for him.’’
On the line play overall, Murray said: “They’re just a hard-working group. They definitely have pride in being physical.’’
The Cowboys scored the first 24 points and cruised to the 31-7 win at AT&T Stadium last year, thanks to Murray’s running and three touchdown passes from Tony Romo.
So how do the Rams turn things around on Sunday?
“I think it will be more of a challenge this year,’’ Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “I think their offensive line is experienced (and) they’re playing well together. We have some run-fit issues that we have to take care of. (Murray) is strong and he breaks tackles. One of the things that happens every game is he’ll bounce outside and people underestimate his speed and he’ll get the corner. That becomes the problem, so we have to edge-proficient, if you will.
“We’re going to have to be in the right place and guys are going to have to make plays.’’
