The Eagles-Cowboys rivalry kicked up another notch after DeMarco Murray left Dallas for the always sunny Philadelphia. Murray’s decision was a difficult one after the Cowboys drafted him in the third round of the 2011 draft and made him their feature back in 2012. He had a career season last year, but the Cowboys weren’t willing to shell out big bucks for a running back who logged more than 400 carries last season and is quickly approaching age 30. Murray’s assimilation into Chip Kelly’s offense has not been easy, but the former rushing champ broke out in his Week 9 match-up against the Cowboys in more ways than one.
Murray ran for 83 yards and a touchdown, but he used his possible knowledge of the Cowboys’ playbook to help his team even when he was off the field. In the video above, you can hear him yelling at Eagles cornerback Nolan Carroll to watch the “hitch” from Dez Bryant, a route where a receiver fakes going downfield before stopping to grab a short pass. The play happened on the Cowboys final drive of regulation, and Matt Cassel was forced to go away from Bryant and check down to Darren McFadden for a five-yard gain.
Maybe the Cowboys haven’t changed their offensive scheme from last season? Perhaps. Might explain Murray’s knowledge of the play, though it’s impossible to know for sure. Ultimately, his knowledge didn’t have a huge impact on the Philly defense, because Matt Cassel still threw three touchdowns including an incredibly absurd toss to Dez Bryant. But it does make you wonder how many plays DeMarco affected with his knowledge.
