IRVING, Texas -- Getting off to strong start has earned DeMarco Murray an impressive honor. The NFL's leading rusher has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September.
The Dallas Cowboys' Pro Bowl running back has rushed for Murray rushed for 534 yards and five touchdowns on 99 carries.
"Well, he's certainly off to a good start, there's no question about that," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. "He's a good football player and he has been since he walked through these doors.
"You know, with experience you get better, if you approach it the right way. I think you're seeing him mature as a runner, mature as a complete back."
Murray recently became only the fourth player in NFL history to rush for at least 100 yards and one touchdown in each of his first four games. Jim Brown (1958), O.J. Simpson (1975) and Emmitt Smith (1995) are the only others to accomplish that feat.
"He's a good running back," Houston linebacker Brian Cushing said Wednesday. "He breaks a lot of tackles, but at the same time I think they're really blocking well for him. They're opening up a lot of different lanes and a lot of different running holes for him. Everything is just kind of clicking for them right now as far as the running game goes."
Murrayis the first Cowboys player to be named NFC Offensive Player of the Month since Tony Romo in Nov. 2009. Murray is the first Cowboys running back to receive the honor since Smith in Sept. 1995.
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