Boy, it's been a while. Lots of changes to my life. A new living location, a strong commitment to my woman, and a continuous desire to write after a blah period of months.
But it's time to get right back into the saddle of things. Let's talk Cowboys!
Yesterday, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Seattle Seahawks 23-13. Sure, they could have done better. Bad red zone play along with a surprisingly mediocre rush defense, which used to be their strength, was seen on the television. Sure, we can pick apart their flaws. But what mattered most is they won. This isn't the BCS, where a bad win against a bad team will cost you down the road. No, a win is a win in the NFL, and now the Cowboys are 4-4 with a good Buffalo Bills team coming into town next week for a showdown at Jerry World.
And who do we have to thank for this victory over the Seahawks. Well, let's look into the revived Cowboy rushing attack. More specifically, the rise of DeMarco Murray. A spectacular Oklahoma product, Murray has had three straight running games of positive repute. He had another 100 yard rushing game, taking 22 carries for 139 yards against a decent Seahawk defense. He also caught four passes for 47 yards. Has there been a more versatile threat in Cowboy land in a while? I think not.
DeMarco Murray's speed, vision, and intelligence has been on display the past three weeks. His ability to cutback when a hole closes, his tenacity to plow over defenders, and his stout consistency to always fall forward has been vital in the emergence of the Cowboys rushing attack. Sure, plenty of running backs have these abilities, but what makes this so important to the Cowboys in general?
The answer, my friends, is that it makes Tony Romo better. It makes the offensive line better. It even makes the defense better, in the fact that they aren't on the field as much. And I won't deny that Felix Jones is a good player, but he is not as COMPLETE a runner as DeMarco Murray. He's a compliment back, and he should get back into that role once he returns from his high ankle sprain. Murray should start, and he should lead this team to greater things.
Of course, time will tell. It has only been three games. And let's try to forget that Philadelphia game (Murray played great in that game as well, but Dallas was so far behind so early, that they had to abandon the running game just to attempt to get back in it). But there is no doubt in my mind that if Murray shoulders the load at the RB position and stays healthy, this Cowboys team will win. Or at least, stay consistent in one facet of the offense.
All opinions are solely those of Dustin McWilliams. McWilliams is a sports writer at the Denton Record-Chronicle. If you have any questions or feedback, please message McWilliams at dmcwilliams82@gmail.com
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