In desperate need of a win to stay in playoff contention, the Dallas Cowboys put the game in the strong hands of DeMarco Murray on Thursday. He rewarded them with one of the most dominant performances in team history.
Tony Romo finished with superb numbers as well, but it was Murray who made all things possible with 32 carries for 179 yards and a touchdown to go along with nine catches for 49 yards in the Cowboys' 41-28 win. He had hammered the Bears into submission before he briefly allowed his backup Joseph Randle his moment in the sun. Murray's 41 touches are the second most in club history. Emmitt Smith had 42 in a memorable win over the New York Giants in 1993.
Murray's on pace to obliterate Smith's season record of 1,773 yards set in 1995. And he just needs to average a little more than 130 yards per game to break the 2,000-yard barrier. I wouldn't put anything past him at this point.
"Like a lot of great backs, oftentimes they get better the more they touch the ball," Jason Garrett said after the game. "He's a workhorse, he's a hell of a player and we're lucky to have him."
Murray's remarkable production and durability have become the catalyst for a playoff push. Based on Thursday's performance, it's plausible to see what happened on Thanksgiving as an aberration. Romo appeared much more comfortable throwing the ball, in part because he had plenty of time.
He told the NFL Network that the Eagles game was the first time this season he didn't take an injection. In fact, he claims to have handled the preparation for that game all wrong.
"It was a bad decision on me throughout the week the way I went into that last game," Romo said about the short turnaround.
Now, the Cowboys will have 10 days to prepare for the Eagles. They will head into Philadelphia as the only team in the league with a perfect road record (6-0).
Romo has thrown for 15 touchdowns and only one interception on the road for a 125 passer rating. This team is built to withstand hostile crowds and poor weather because of how dominant it is in the running game.
At a time when the running back position has diminished in terms of value, Murray has emerged as a game-changer. With a huge assist from his offensive line, he's emerged as the league's most devastating runner. Even if Adrian Peterson hadn't been suspended this season, I don't think he could've kept pace with Murray.
The Cowboys were able to survive this three games in 12 days gauntlet with only one loss. It will likely take two more wins to ensure a wild-card spot. The Cowboys essentially get another bye week before traveling to Philly.
It's fair to expect a much better showing against the Eagles in the rematch. The Bears rallied after falling behind 35-7, but I still think the Cowboys defense deserves a lot of credit. The Bears abandoned the running game almost immediately and had trouble sustaining drives until late in the game.
The best news for the Cowboys is that Murray spent a lot of time racing through large holes. For a man who had 41 touches, he didn't take a ton of punishment. The Cowboys may indeed run him into the ground because he's their best option.
Dez Bryant made a big play in the passing game, but he spent the last couple minutes cursing at someone (Derek Dooley?) on the sideline. Murray was busy closing out another win.
This team might as well keep riding its star running back. He's the biggest reason the Cowboys have finally hopped off the 8-8 train.
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