Murray or Elliott

[SteveTheCowboy]

"Best rb in that year". That is 100% correct.

Me? I was pissed when Murray put the ball on the ground. For me, there was no shock involved. If any player will be victim of a critical turnover or not capitalize on a huge play, it will be a player with a limited distinction

"Jackie Smith was just another guy." My words will fail me so I will post this (link) instead:

Smith was one of the most reliable pass catchers in the game. He retired as the most prolific tight end in NFL history with a record 7,918 receiving yards, five straight Pro Bowls and 40 career touchdowns. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame after 15 seasons with the Cardinals and one Super Bowl season with the Dallas Cowboys. After his 1977 season in St. Louis, Smith retired; the next year, though, he was brought out of retirement by legendary Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry.​

​

At 38, Smith became a key player for the Cowboys in their run to Super Bowl XIII against the equally titanic Pittsburgh Steelers. Although most of us remember Smith for the entirety of his career, there are some who know him only for the Super Bowl touchdown pass he didn’t catch. The surest hands in football wide open in the end zone, and he dropped the ball. The memorable video and call is replayed almost every year. “Bless his heart, he’s got to be the sickest man in America,” proclaimed announcer Verne Lundquist.​

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All of the above is just another example of two fans agreeing to disagree.

Well what it is a one fan educating another.

Im old enough to know better. I just don't remember that much about jackie

Thank you for taking the time to set the record straight.

 

[HungryLion]

Zeke.

Zeke in his rookie year had superior long run speed than Murray did at any point in his career.

Zeke was incredible when he first got in the league. Sadly, he just steadily declined every season he was in the league. Primarily because Jason Garrett rode him into the dirt.

 

[JoeKing]

Murray had a better single season so its closer than you think

That's your amateur opinion, not fact. Yes Demarco has had more yards in a single season but that not what makes a great season, it's TDs and Zeke wins that stat. Points is what wins games not rushing yards.

It’s a close call, but many fans lean toward Elliott due to his consistency and versatility.

 

[McKDaddy]

Peppers, the new HOF inductee, made a hell of a play.

Tip of the hat to you sir.

 

[McKDaddy]

I understand why so many choose Zeke. He was outstanding but I feel like Murray get's slighted in these discussions.

 

[ksadler1]

Just curious which of these backs you would prefer if you were starting a team and they were in their prime. I know they were both great and all but sometimes I feel Demarco Murray doesn't get quiet the credit when discussing former Cowboy RB's.....

Zeke, hands down.

 

[Flamma]

Is this a real question?

Zeke was by far the better player

Yeah, I loved Murray. But Zeke had wire to wire speed at his best. Gotta go with him.

 

[plasticman]

The most underrated player in Cowboys history was Demarco Murray.

He became the featured back in the 6th game of his rookie season in 2011. In his first four games he ran for over 600 yards while averaging over 8 yards a carry.

If Murray hadn't been injured in the 13th game of his rookie season he would have been the OROY and the Cowboys would have made the playoff in Garrett's first season as Head Coach.

Murray started only 7 games his rookie season and still ended up with 897 rushing yards. He averaged 5.5 yards a carry. He also averaged three and a half receptions per game as the featured back.

Murray practically raised that All Pro offensive line. In his 2nd season, he ran behind a line in which none of the starters had ever started his position for the Cowboys. Murray was injured again in 2012 and missed six games. He ran for 663 yards and also had 35 receptions during those ten games for 251 yards. That's a thousand yard season over a 16 game span which would also include 56 receptions for an additional 400 yards.

In Murray's 3rd season he played in 14 games and got over 1100 rushing yards as well as 350 receiving yards. He made the Pro Bowl.

The Cowboys went 8-8 each of Murray's first three seasons. I have no doubt that if Murray had remained healthy, all three of those seasons would have been winning seasons.

In his fourth season, Murray broke Jim Browns record for most consecutive 100 yard games to start a season with 8. He had 11 hundred yard games in his first 13 that season. He broke the Cowboys all time rushing record for a single season. it was no coincidence that Tony Romo threw the fewest passes in a full season in his career. This resulted in Romo being the NFL leader that season in passer rating.

A dominant running game must have two components, an elite line and a talented RB that knows how to use it. Murray knew his line.

Murray was the lead back in both Frederik's and Martin's rookie seasons. He was the lead back the first season Tyron Smith was the starting LT. They were a machine together.

However, Jerry decided to destroy that machine. When Murray's contact was up, Jerry replaced Murray with a kleptomaniac narcissist who lasted four games before he was no longer a Dallas Cowboy.

That running attack was so special that Jerry tried to replicate it two seasons later. However, this time it cost him the 4th overall pick in the draft.

Zeke was the better athlete, however, he didn't have the common sense and intelligence of Murray. Murray was a perfect citizen while Zeke was seen at weed shops before his first training camp.

 

[jazzcat22]

Zeke. Hands down no question.

Murray for a long time had a pension for running out of bounds instead of taking on the defender. Far too often he left yards on the field. And I remember many times short of the first down.
Zeke punished the defender staying in bounds and getting those first downs.

 

[baltcowboy]

Just curious which of these backs you would prefer if you were starting a team and they were in their prime. I know they were both great and all but sometimes I feel Demarco Murray doesn't get quiet the credit when discussing former Cowboy RB's.....

Zeke had a better career with the Cowboys but Murray’s 2014 season might have been the best running back season in Cowboys history, second to Emmit of course. I would rather have 2014 Murray over 2016 Zeke if that is what you are asking.

 

[John813]

yet he wasn't, Zeke has twice the receiving tds ,more yards etc etc it's odd how skewed people's memories are but it's OK...

Bulk stats he's ahead. But he never developed a route tree here. He was used as the safety valve here.
Going back years here, the argument against Zeke was that while he was a great rusher, he wasn't like Kamara or CMC that had more of an impact in the passing game.

In 2018 he had 77 catches, but average route run was 1.38 YPR. 19th in the league for running backs.
He was a very good volume player, work horse type of back. Had durability for a good stretch too.

Murray had a short peak here. Both took advantage of a great line here.
I truly believe Murray was the better RB in a peak mindset.
Murray had a fumble issue in 2014(5 fumbles) but so did Zeke(6 fumbles) in 2018 and 2020.

There's no skewed memory issues here. Just an opinion. Don't like it, don't care.

 

[McKDaddy]

Zeke. Hands down no question.

Murray for a long time had a pension for running out of bounds instead of taking on the defender. Far too often he left yards on the field. And I remember many times short of the first down.
Zeke punished the defender staying in bounds and getting those first downs.

I'm ok with a guy not taking on defenders when he doesn't have to. I don't know that Murray avoiding contact rather than converting a down was as common as you indicate.

Zeke definitely would lay the wood though.

 

[blueblood70]

Bulk stats he's ahead. But he never developed a route tree here. He was used as the safety valve here.
Going back years here, the argument against Zeke was that while he was a great rusher, he wasn't like Kamara or CMC that had more of an impact in the passing game.

In 2018 he had 77 catches, but average route run was 1.38 YPR. 19th in the league for running backs.
He was a very good volume player, work horse type of back. Had durability for a good stretch too.

Murray had a short peak here. Both took advantage of a great line here.
I truly believe Murray was the better RB in a peak mindset.
Murray had a fumble issue in 2014(5 fumbles) but so did Zeke(6 fumbles) in 2018 and 2020.

There's no skewed memory issues here. Just an opinion. Don't like it, don't care.

So you you just basically said what everybody knows he's a power back Elliott has always been a power back that was actually good in the past game you're trying to make him into Kamara and Kirsten McCaffrey is a mistake... That isn't who he is and neither was Emmitt Smith and technically neither is some of these other big Macs like Henry are not as dynamic as Kamara or Christian McCaffrey they're totally different running backs Tony Pollard was closer to those two dudes so I don't know what you're trying to say but Murray was never better you could say he was underutilized but there's nothing in the history in writing it's all back black and white that Murray was better at anything I didn't see Marie in college being a old world sprinter and doing hurdles and coming into the league on fire like zeke did zeke could do all of what Murray could do that's all I'm saying and he did do it you're making excuses of it the guy wasn't using enough that's odd because he was on 3 different teams and somehow you're saying the coaches on all those teams somehow missed the boat and Mary didn't get his due I mean come on dude get over it zeke was better in every way even though it wasn't a big gap it's all there in black and white and Murray was not Christian McCaffrey or Kamara either by the way when Ingram left and they put Kamara out there by himself his production dropped big time his yards per carry drop he got more tired and less carries that is just a different type of running back....

 

[Proof]

Murray did take a lot of heat for that fumble, but I saw it differently. Peppers, the new HOF inductee, made a hell of a play.

yep. he made zack martin touch his toes. demarco gets flack for a freak play coming from behind him, but no one really mentions zack getting undressed and embarassed.

 

[Proof]

Prime Elliott. He just had more signature plays than Murray from where I sit. Murray was a grinder and could get you 20+ carries a game and still do it at a good clip. But when you think of things they did, you think of Murray's 91-yard run and him trucking that Philly DL guy. Most punishing run in franchise history (unless you can find me a Marion barber clip, lol). For Zeke you remember that 83-yard screen against the Steelers, the hurdle over the Philly player he should have scored on and the okie doke spin move he put on Clay Matthews Jr. in the backfield in the Green Bay playoff game in Dallas. I put him over the top just for that juke alone. Both tough, both good at pass pro, and getting the yards they needed to in short distance situations. I pick Zeke but it's true Murray is generally underrated.

I gotta add his trucking of kam chancellor in his first preseason game. i was so excited about the future

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Murray did take a lot of heat for that fumble, but I saw it differently. Peppers, the new HOF inductee, made a hell of a play.

Surely you jest.

ALWAYS...protect the rock. Even Leon Lett knows this...now.

Your fumble is YOUR fumble. Ya screwed it up...man up and take it.