Murray or Morris?

[AsthmaField]

There is really no way to compare the two because that system Shanahan uses gets nearly every back that comes through big, big yardage.

Murray would be a beast in that offense, that much I'm sure of. He is exactly the type of slasher that does well in Shanahan's scheme.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Based on what they've done so far... Dez by a wide margin.

 

[AsthmaField]

Based on what they've done so far... Dez by a wide margin.

lol!

 

[Hardline]

It was the running game threat that Morris provided that Griffin mainly benefited from his rookie season. Griffin didn't have to be one dimensional .

 

[pupulehaole]

Yah this one is pretty obvious, at this moment Morris is the better back in my opinion.

 

[Hoofbite]

Morris.

Pretty easy to decide. Murray can't stay healthy enough to make a case for himself.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

lol!

LOL!

 

[Supercowboy1986]

This is a good thread good job everyone for staying on topic and being objective. I also agree Morris has been the superior back so far. I am looking forward to this season to see if Murray has improved his game and how teams will adjust to Morris given they have a years worth of film on him now.

 

[dbonham]

A lot of people are annointing Morris as a paragon of health after one season. The truth is, however, that running backs don't take well to being flogged as much as Morris was and Shanahan has made a living of turning pumpkins into carriages in the running game. Put Morris and Murray behind the same line in the same scheme and run them up the middle a few hundred times and you can make a comparison. Until that's possible the comparison will be as useful as a Smith vs Sanders debate.

If you ask me, I think Murray is a great fit for this offence. I hope he gets over his macho habit of spearing people with his helmet because I would like to see him play out a second contract. Morris is a powerful runner but he doesn't have the speed to hit the kind of fleeting holes our OL creates.

 

[SkinsHokieFan]

To be fair I simply have not seen enough of DeMarco Murrary (mostly due to injuries) so it is tough for me to make a fair comparison in terms of talent and ceiling

Alfred does not have the breakaway speed of Murray, nor the open field moves, however he may have the best vision of any running back in the NFL not named Adrian Peterson. The way he sees holes and cutback lanes (such as the 32 yard TD run vs the Cowboys in week 17) is uncanny.

This highlight video really demonstrates that, his vision, ability to cut back and hit the hole hard and physicality. I am hopefuly he stays healthy and by all accounts it sounds like he has lived in the weight room this offseason

 

[Califan007]

Morris had the 3rd best rookie season by a RB in NFL history...that's not simply a matter of scheme. He also caused the 3rd most missed tackles in the NFL last season (Peterson and Lynch were the only ones who did better).

Morris maximized Shanahan's run scheme...he didn't just benefit from it. I can't talk about Murray's vision, but he seems more than capable of making tacklers miss. I imagine he'd shine if on the Skins. But his injuries may not subside, regardless of which team he plays for.

 

[LatinMind]

Morris allday. He's a better RB. Period. Not even putting Murrays injuries as the deciding factor. I just love the type of RB Morris is. IMO Only AD was better last yr.

I like Murray and what he does. But i like what morris does better. He's the rounded out type of back. You dont hve to take him out in any situation.

 

[xwalker]

Here's the facts.

Alfred Morris 1 year career: 16 games, started all in 1 season. Rushed for 1613 yards and scored 13 TD's. Put over 200 yards on us in week 17 in a game to go to the playoffs and win our division. Even with his QB's knee injured in that game.

DeMarco Murray 2 year career: 23 games, played but did not start all in first 2 seasons. Rushed for 1560 yards and 6 TD's combined. Missed 3 and 6 games, 9 total of a possible 32 due to injuries.

I love our boys.... But is there any question at this point who's been the better back?

I don't know if Emmitt in his prime would have done any better than Murray with the 2011 and 2012 Cowboys OLine.

 

[KJJ]

I don't know if Emmitt in his prime would have done any better than Murray with the 2011 and 2012 Cowboys OLine.

Emmitt put up 937 yards as a rookie in 1990 behind an OL that almost got Troy Aikman killed his first 2 seasons. Emmitt would have stayed healthy Murray has already missed more games than Emmitt did his entire career.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I don't know if Emmitt in his prime would have done any better than Murray with the 2011 and 2012 Cowboys OLine.

Holy Hyperbole, Batman.

 

[Sarge]

Alfred Morris is a beast and for the time being, flying a bit under the radar. If he puts up the same numbers as last year again this year, he'll be considered a top 3-4 RB in the league. Murray still has to stay healthy. For my money, I'm taking Morris. A future star in this league.

 

[AKATheRake]

I don't know if Emmitt in his prime would have done any better than Murray with the 2011 and 2012 Cowboys OLine.

The facts are.

Emit Smith is recorded as the most productive RB in the history of the sport in rushing yards and TD's. 2nd all time in TD's by all players only to Jerry Rice.

More facts:

Emmitt Smith had a 15 year career and has only surpassed 1613 rushing yards twice in a single season. Furthermore Emmitt has surpassed 16 rushing TD's in a single season 3 times also in that same span.

More facts:

Throughout the majority of Emmitt Smith's career he ran behind multiple pro bowlers across the o-line.

Just my opinion:

Emmitt played on way better teams than Alfred Morris has in Washington and that will probably remain the case throughout the rest of Alfred Morris' career.

To compare anything Murray has done in any circumstances to Emmitt Smith is lowly quantifiable. However, the 1 season Morris has had would rank as a 3rd or 4th best overall season for Emmitt Smith. Possibly the greatest running back of all time and my all time favorite Cowboy.

The OP and question was Murray vs Morris and although I see your point of explaining Murray's less than desirable circumstances behind our o-line, Washington's isn't known to be anymore dominating than ours. Since Trent Williams has been drafted there has only been 1 pro bowl selection from that line and that was last year and it was Trent Williams.

Morris definitely over Murray if I had to choose today.

 

[tantrix1969]

I don't know if Emmitt in his prime would have done any better than Murray with the 2011 and 2012 Cowboys OLine.

xwalker I've enjoyed reading alot of your posts but cmon man, don't knock Emmitt to prop Murray up

 

[Trueboysfan]

You can't do this and "assume" health, because the reality of the situation is that Murray is rarely healthy. Unfortunately, there's no question who the better back is right now, if you're starting a team and have to pick you, you'd be crazy not to go with Alfred Morris. Now who has the higher ceiling? There's some debate there, but I'd probably give the nod to Murray.

Murray's injuries have been unfortunate and just a part of the game. However a durable running back who puts up good numbers is the smartest pick here. I still give the nod to Murray simply because of the system the Morris is in. Shanahan has proved time and time again that his system works so well for backs. How many backs that shined under Shanahan went on to acheive the same greatness they displayed on another team? Not making excuses but did Murray have a line or system comparable to what Morris had? No one can know this but would Murray have had the injuries he got with a better line? Just a couple of things to think about. No way to tell which back is better right now. It's gonna take a few more years. But right now I would take a healthy Murray over Morris.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Murray's injuries have been unfortunate and just a part of the game. However a durable running back who puts up good numbers is the smartest pick here. I still give the nod to Murray simply because of the system the Morris is in. Shanahan has proved time and time again that his system works so well for backs. How many backs that shined under Shanahan went on to acheive the same greatness they displayed on another team? Not making excuses but did Murray have a line or system comparable to what Morris had? No one can know this but would Murray have had the injuries he got with a better line? Just a couple of things to think about. No way to tell which back is better right now. It's gonna take a few more years. But right now I would take a healthy Murray over Morris.

This is not entirely true. Shanahan's system works if the back fits the scheme. It doesn't work for every back. Murray would be perfect for Shanahan's scheme as well. He is exactly the type of cutback, run to daylight back that excel in that stretch, cut back run scheme.

I think Murray has a little better acceleration through the hole, I think Morris is better in the hole and maybe has better vision there but the main difference is that Morris has been durable and Murray has not. It is what it is.