RADIO
Let’s face it - at this point, the NFC East is a complete and total mess. For this reason, America couldn’t wait to tune in to watch two of the division’s most popular clubs - the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys - do battle out on the field.
At the bottom of the division, the Cowboys appear to be incapable of stringing together a victory without the help of their starting quarterback Tony Romo. On the other hand, the Eagles, led by offensive juggernaut Chip Kelly, have struggled to find their stride this season, having moved many of its most keynote players in the offseason.
Fortunately, if drama’s what NFL enthusiasts wanted, drama is what they got. The contest ended with an Eagles’ victory in overtime when Sam Bradford connected with Jordan Matthews on a 41-yard, game-winning touchdown.
That said, the real key to the Eagles’ success wasn’t the passing game at all; moreover, what Ryan Matthews and DeMarco Murray were able to accomplish on the ground.
For example, in Sunday night’s featured game, Matthews rushed 11 times for a nice 67 yards and a touchdown. Sure, the back out of Fresno State only took 23 snaps, but he made the most of what was given him, seeing as how Murray was favored in his return to Dallas.
Yup, DeMarco Murray - though many a naysayer has claimed his struggles are beyond control, aggressive running might very well have placed things back on track. Simply put, Matthews wasn’t the only successful running back in Sunday night’s affair.
On just 18 carries, Murray rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown. However, becoming more involved in the passing game would be what set Murray apart from the rest of his teammates. When all was said and done, he’d caught 6-of-7 targets, adding 78 additional yards to the stat sheet.
More important than just about anything was Murray’s stellar play in overtime, though. After two long gains, as previously mentioned, Bradford found Matthews for the win. This season, Murray’s on pace for 212 carries, 1,200 total yards and 10 touchdowns.
As far as fantasy owners are concerned, seeing as how Murray looked substantially more comfortable in Kelly’s offense this week, Murray can be viewed as a safer option when the Eagles host Ndamukong Suh and the struggling Miami Dolphins next week in Philadelphia.
