Finally Somebody Comes To The Defense Of DeMarco Murray

I knew it was going to happen before training camp or the season started.  Not that it really matters, but someone has finally looked at the tape and come to the defense of the NFL’s leading rusher in 2014, former Cowboy and current Eagles running back DeMarco Murray.  Former offensive coordinator for two New York Giants Super Bowl Championship teams, Kevin Gilbride, stood up for Murray in an interview with Ross Tucker on The Ross Tucker Football podcast.

“I think I have a lot higher opinion of DeMarco Murray than a lot of people”, Gilbride said.  “I do not think he’s as flashy as some of the names as you have mentioned (LeSean McCoy, Adrian Peterson and LaDainian Tomlinson), but I do think in his own subtle running form, running style, I thought he made great entry decisions.  In other words, he read blocking schemes very well.  He made great decisions. He’s a downhill runner.  He’s got enough elusiveness where he made people miss.  Not as flashy, not as much shake and bake as some of those other players, LeSean McCoy, Adrian Peterson.  As good as that offensive line is, I don’t think there’s any question that they helped to make those running opportunities, but I also think he made that offensive line look a little bit better.”

I concur with Gilbride about Murray.  He does a great job of using his instincts to make good, conservative decisions with the football.  You know Chip Kelly loves this about Murray.  He’s going to make his job much easier by keeping them out of second and third and long.  It’s always going to be second and four, second and five, second and six, or second and seven.  They don’t anticipate there being many second and twelve, or second and elevens.

There’s very little indecision on Murray’s part when he gets the football.   It’s one two cut, or one, two, three cut.  He makes a quick instinctive decision regarding where he’s taking the football then executes it. The former Oklahoma Sooners will get you the three or four yards that the blocking provides and another one or two because of his strength.  He doesn’t juke defenders or dance in the hole.  Number 29 is one cut and he’s heading up the field.

Murray seems to run like an offensive coordinator would want him to.  He gets what yardage is there.  He always moving forward and falling forward at the end of the run.

Murray has a boring style of running, that kills a defense because he’s always getting plus yardage.  I’ve heard from some of the Eagles players talk about how strong he is.  Murray is as strong as a horse and you can see it by the way defenders fall backward when they hit him.

The most surprising thing about Murray is his leadership skills.  Normally it’s the quarterback who is the calming force on an offense, but I hear that Murray is that guy.  He is very unselfish and team-oriented.  I’ve had former Cowboys players who live in Dallas, tell me that Murray is a winner and I’ve seen it with the way he conducts a meeting after practice with the running backs, where they go over what they did right during the practice and what they did wrong.

Murray has a take charge presence.  He handles controversial questions at a news conference with a polished professionalism.