Pro Bowl running back DeMarco Murray had no idea why he wasn’t asked to do more on Sunday during the team’s practice, but it had nothing to do with an injury. Murray did what they asked him to do, brushed it off and chilled yesterday.
“That’s out of my control,” Murray said. “That’s how it goes some days, some guys get more reps one day than other guys. Guess that’s part of the deal. I’m fine. That’s how it goes. I don’t know whose decision it was [that he not do much at practice on Monday]. I was trying to do as much as I can. I feel great.”
Murray knows that the season is a marathon and not a sprint, so he’s not going to get all worked up about a practice. For some reason yesterday, Chip Kelly and Duce Staley had him take it easy. That’s not necessarily a bad thing when you consider how the Cowboys worked Murray in 2015.
Today he did everything. He was carrying the football on inside runs and outside runs, catching the football coming out of the backfield.
He’s a big, imposing figure, who isn’t going to be dancing in the backfield. Murray is going to run the football decisively and aggressively.
“I’ve been here the last couple of months and I feel a part of this team. It’s a great team, a great group of guys and a great group of coaches. I definitely feel like an Eagle. Working with these guys has been amazing.”
Murray thinks he’s going thrive in Chip Kelly’s uptempo attack. He could be the difference between the Cowboys winning the NFC East last year and the Eagles winning it this season.
“In this offense, you have to be in great shape, and I feel that I’m in the best shape of my life.. It’s cardio and strength. I’m trying to be in game mode in every situation. I focus on something to improve on every time I go out on the field. I’m trying to better myself and the group around me.”
The leading rusher in the NFL, who ran behind what many consider to be the best offensive line in the league a year ago, feels very good about running behind the Eagles O line this season.
“With this offense, I think we have playmakers across the board and the offensive line has been playing together for a long time [though Allen Barbre, Matt Tobin and Andrew Gardner are all new guards]. Adding veteran guys were going about it the right way and competing against each other. I think we’re giving ourselves a chance to win and be good.”
May have been a mistake of not having Murray at the forefront of Opening Day Summer Camp as he was the Off-Season’s most lauded Signing. I wonder if Chip was sending him a subtle message about who’s Team this is…
The Mind games of Chip Kelly continue.. Daren Sproles taking the most reps with the #1 Team Yesterday when it’s very likely that he won’t have 50 Carries during the Regular Season when it counts just doesn’t seem to make sense.. S