Looks like Emmitt saw what Randle and many of us saw

[Denim Chicken]

Group-think

 

[Fletch]

Emmitt didn't have top end speed either. Murray likely had more top end speed than Emmitt... but Murray just didn't see the holes and the cutbacks anywhere close to the way Emmitt did.

Philly sure paid DM like he was the next Emmitt. Lol

 

[Irvin88_4life]

Considering he carried the ball almost 600 times more than anyone else and was often chased down by DLs for lack of foot speed (particularly after the last SB)... I would say Emmitt probably left more yards on the field than anyone in NFL history. So I'd consider him a subject matter expert.

Emmitt isn't talking about being chased down from behind, besides Emmitt hold records in TDs and yards

 

[gimmesix]

Oh, I saw the yards he got that he shouldn't have got. That's why they're NFL caliber. I don't give people credit for what they're suppose to do. I want my #1 to break at least one tackle. Just like I want my QB to read D's and audible.

That's probably best because we really don't know what another back would do in their place. For instance, there was a play against Jacksonville (again, because I just watched that last night) where Murray was supposed to follow his blocking to the left. Murray saw that the Jaguars were all over that, planted and went around the right side for a huge gain.

On another play, he was met at the line in a short yardage by a linebacker, bounced off him and spun upfield, dragging another tackler for a few yards. That could have easily been no gain and a punt. (Can't remember if Dallas ended up scoring on the drive, though.)

Maybe other backs would have done the same thing. Maybe not. That's why I find it difficult to criticize a back who rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 4.7 yards per carry for what he didn't do.

 

[AsthmaField]

This is true, as a great man once said, "A leopard can't change his stripes"

lol, Emmitt will never live that down.

 

[joseephuss]

I think he is saying that a more talented back, say Adrian Peterson, could have rushed for 2,500 yards behind this o-line.

And DeMarco maximized his rushing yards given his talent.

Remember the Green Bay playoff game when Peppers stripped Murray of the ball. AP takes that ball to the house and the game is almost over.

That's where Emmitt is going in his own convoluted way.

Peterson probably would have fumbled the ball as well since he has had more of a fumbling problem than Murray has during their respective careers.

I don't think Peterson could have handled the workload that Murray did last season. Peterson's top season was 388 touches. That is a big difference compared to the 449 touches Murray put up in 2014.

 

[jrumann59]

My only issue with murray is he would miss hole to try and take on defenders. Its one thing to be tough back and get the tough yards another to seek out contact to try and show you are a tough back. There were many games where he would cut away froma sure 5 yards extra to take on a LB/S/CB and i am not talking cut backs on the other side of pile I am talking a lane 2 feet to his right or left.

 

[DCBoysfan]

That's probably best because we really don't know what another back would do in their place. For instance, there was a play against Jacksonville (again, because I just watched that last night) where Murray was supposed to follow his blocking to the left. Murray saw that the Jaguars were all over that, planted and went around the right side for a huge gain.

On another play, he was met at the line in a short yardage by a linebacker, bounced off him and spun upfield, dragging another tackler for a few yards. That could have easily been no gain and a punt. (Can't remember if Dallas ended up scoring on the drive, though.)

Maybe other backs would have done the same thing. Maybe not. That's why I find it difficult to criticize a back who rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 4.7 yards per carry for what he didn't do.

I agree, Murray had a great year and so did the Oline, I find if hard to criticize a back that did something n Dallas that no other hall of fame back for Dallas has ever done. You have to give the Oline credit but Murray desevers some credit also. I also think where Murray went has something to do with some of the criticism.

 

[jrumann59]

I've been going back and watching games from last season to gear up for this season. With Murray, it was clear there were times he left yards on the field, but it was also clear that he gained yards when he shouldn't have by bouncing off or running through/over defenders.

I'm up to the Jacksonville game, where Moose called him the most physical back in the league.

I think fans for some reason seem to see the yards he didn't get that he should have instead of the yards that he got that he shouldn't have. His season was the result of both of those things. Another back might have picked up some of those yards that he left on the field, but left on the field some of those yards that Murray was able to pick up.

The desire to lessen Murray's accomplishment either comes from selective memory or wishful thinking (about our current backs).

And many believe that given how much he was handed the ball he would have been little more judicious with contact. Its one thing to be tackled at the end of a play its another to seek out to be tackled. I would have taken some of those clean 5 yard extras he had passed up to truck players in return more explosiveness at the end of the year.

 

[conner01]

Did Murray leave some yards on the field? Yes
Did Murray get a lot of yards after contact? Yes
Personally I think one crosses out the other
I think he got just as many yards by breaking tackles as he missed
Will he be as good behind the Eagles oline? I don't think so but we shall see
One thing I think is a safe bet, none of the rb's we have on their own can match what he did last season though I don't think that's all that important in the great scheme of things
To me there is no reason to bash a guy who gave us his all last yeR because he moved on, and I think letting him move on was the right thing for the team

 

[tyke1doe]

Murray would hit the hole and get caught 5-10 years in, where a faster back could probably break one for a much longer gain.

Murray also worked for some tough yards that many if not most running backs wouldn't have gotten.

If he were getting caught 5 to 10 years later, then we were absolutely stupid to let him go.

 

[Nightman]

If you pick up 70 yards on 1 carry or on 8 carries, did you leave any yards on the field?

The whole argument is beyond stupid. The record for the NFL is 2105 yards but a busted down, no talent RB is supposed to gain 2500 yards. Child Please.

And our OL is not that great yet. They have the potential to be a very good unit again this year but we need to pump the brakes with the GOAT talk.

I have never seen a fan base so reluctant to give one of their homegrown stars any credit. It's mind bottling.

 

[conner01]

I saw Murray gain a lot of yards that other tailbacks would not have gained.

I'll just leave it at that.





YR

I agree
Don't get the bashing
Murray didn't and never will have the vision of the all time rusher. But then again I never expected him too

 

[Galian Beast]

If he were getting caught 5 to 10 years later, then we were absolutely stupid to let him go.

yards, sorry

 

[tyke1doe]

Emmitt was a more talented back than Murrary. He had much better vision. I think that vision allows him to see what Murrary missed. As far as them both leaving yards on the field. If Emmitt did it, it was because of foot speed in the open field. Sometimes Murrary didn't even get to that open field.

That being said, I liked Murrary, powerful back, who could break tackles. I'm proud that he was a Cowboys, and was sad to see him go.
But i'm also excited to see what Randle can do, as long as he can keep his head on straight and his underwear on tight.

FTFY.

 

[tyke1doe]

yards, sorry

I knew you meant that. Just bustin' your chops.

 

[tyke1doe]

Truth be told, if a running back doesn't take the ball to the house every play, he's leaving yards on the field. But that's a rather meaningless observation, so you have to be able to structure it so it has some relevancy.

If a back can get more yards by zigging rather than sagging and doesn't, I think that's a more meaningful way to define "leaving yards on the field".

I meant "zagging".

 

[MRV52]

Don't all running backs leave yards on the field?

 

[DandyDon52]

well if he had got 2500, that would have been 6.37 yd per carry on 392, and I dont think anyone can carry that many and avg that.
Emmitt is mad murray broke his record.
lets look at emmitt's big year
1995

• DAL

16 games377 carries1,773 4.7avg6 fumbles ! what! I thought only murray was the fumbler!
murray 16 392 1,845 4.7 3 both sites had murray with 3 fumbles?
so in their best year they were very similar, but fans today say emmitt was great and murray was a bum ! lol
Emmitt fumbles 6 times and hey its ok buddy!
murray fumbles 6 times and hey lets get rid of the bum!
in first 4 years
Emmitt had 4.5 avg
Murray had 4.8 avg
barber had 4.3 avg
julius jones 3.95 avg
felix jones 4.5 avg..... left year 1 off only 30 carries 8.9 avg, and 5 years 4.4 avg.

So who had the best avg? the guy with bad vision, too slow, and was a bum!

 

[gimmesix]

I agree, Murray had a great year and so did the Oline, I find if hard to criticize a back that did something n Dallas that no other hall of fame back for Dallas has ever done. You have to give the Oline credit but Murray desevers some credit also. I also think where Murray went has something to do with some of the criticism.

Probably so. We hate Philly so we want to diminish the back. However, some were already diminishing his accomplishments before he left, so I don't think it's all about that. I think some focus on the imperfections with any player, overlooking the things that made the player great (and yes, Murray was great last season).

I will say that I believe there are few (i.e. no) perfect backs (players) out there. Most can be criticized for something. Emmitt was too small and too slow coming out of college, and his speed did come into play at times. Barry Sanders danced too much, taking losses instead of the few yards that were there. I'm not saying that I consider Murray on their level, but he did play at that level last season, and his warts should be viewed in that context.

I don't expect him to repeat that season with Philly (few would), but it will surprise me if he averages less than 4 yards per carry because he hasn't up to this point in his career, even when our line was still rebuilding. I only hope we have a back who can average 4-plus in the lead role and consistently fall forward.