How The Cowboys Locked Up DeMarco Murray
By Cory Mageors | @inthemageors
It was probably the most beautiful sight Cowboys have seen in a while. Vindication of sorts.
Proof that Demarco Murray was better in the Cowboys running system, behind that offensive line. We know the numbers are on a record setting pace. And the Cowboys had something to do with that.
The defensive line was nails, and disciplined and if you remember - I wrote this blog on things the Cowboys needed to consider against Philly.
Sean Lee was a huge impact in the game. Not saying I'm a genius, I just had a feeling he was going to be a focal point. He spied Demarco Murray like crazy and on a number of occasions, he forced Murray to go elsewhere which usually ended up in a tackle by Hitchens.
But let me take you through a couple of plays that showed what the Cowboys were able to do to lock Murray behind the line and often times limit him from any yards whatsoever.
Example 1
The entire offensive line starts moving right and you can see Sean Lee is going to probably get washed out of the play. However, seen below, Tyrone Crawford forces his way into the backfield forcing Murray to cutback.
When he cuts back, Tyler Patmon and Jeremy Mincey are baring down on the backside and Mincey comes up with the tackle.
Example 2
Notice the triangle from Murray to Hitchens on your left and Lee on your right at the second level. He has two running lanes, and both of them are occupied.
Murray stepped hard to the right, and Lee went right, when Murray saw him he tried to come back left. Hitchens filled the hole and made a great wrap-up tackle. One of the key things, neither linebacker was afraid to hit Murray and the D-line stayed very discipline allowing LB's to gobble up anything coming through their gaps.
Example 3
You know that scene in Boondock Saints when the Detective says "Where you going? Nowehere!" that's what Lee was thinking here. Kelce gets tripped up trying to pull to the right, and Sean Lee had all the room he wanted. When Murray peeked around the corner he say No. 50 and the only thing he had left was to try to run him over, that didn't work and he was limited again.
Example 4
Again, before he gets the ball, the defensive line his either pushing the Eagles linemen back or standing their ground and providing perfect lanes for the Cowboys linebackers to fill. The D-line swallows Murray hole on this one.
The Eagles running game relies a lot on getting to the second level and bursting for big gains from there, but the Cowboys focused on stifling that at the line of scrimmage or behind. They kept a close eye on Murray, but again, nobody ran the ball well against the Cowboys for Philly. It was one of the more dominant performances by a defense we've seen, complimented by the fact that Sam Bradford couldn't hit on pen receiver with a yoga ball.
With the pressure off in the secondary, the Cowboys linebackers were able to zero in on the running back who left the team and went to un-greener pastures.
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