Eagles Beat Giants: Five Big Picture Takeaways

4.) DeMarco Murray Can Be Something This Offense Has Missed in the Past

Oct 19, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back DeMarco Murray (29) reacts after a 12 yard touchdown run against the New York Giants during the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Full disclosure: I was mortified at the notion of the Eagles having to pay the ‘weeks 1-5’-version of DeMarco Murray the amount of money guaranteed to him. The 2014 rushing champion had looked stiff, slow, and somewhat disinterested during his first several weeks as an Eagle. While the stats were just as much a product as poor offensive line play as Murray’s inability to get untracked, his body language could have told fans all they needed to know. Murray was not happy with how things were going in his new home. Even against the Saints, a team against which the Eagles racked up nearly 200 yards, Murray was rather pedestrian.

Monday night, against a Giants defense that had stifled opponents in the run game throughout the season, Murray finally started to look the part of what the Eagles are paying him for. Though the first half still had a handful of plays that ended with minimal-to-negative yards, there was a smoothness and speed to Murray’s running that was not evident in weeks’ past. Whether or not this had anything to do with a reported hamstring injury is hindsight at this point. All a casual observer would have to do to realize a different player was on the field Monday than the rest of the season was to watch the tape. Murray looked faster, more explosive, and more decisive en route to his best showing as an Eagle.

Murray was especially valuable in the second half. As the Eagles bled out the clock of their 20-point win, Murray emerged as the feature option for this approach and started rolling the way many fans expected when the former Cowboy was acquired this past offseason. He finally broke the 100-yard rushing mark and helped solidify a relatively worry-free win, something that has been hard to come by during the Chip Kelly era. Aided by Kelly’s two tight end formation, Murray feasted on tired Giants defenders and an offensive line that continues to improve.

With all the talk about Ryan Mathews and Murray’s inability to break out in the Eagles offense, it was refreshing to see him deliver against one of the league’s best defense’s against the run. This is an element that will prove more and more valuable as the weather gets colder and as the offensive line continues to gel. Murray and the Eagles offense have another huge test coming up against Carolina. Monday night’s game likely will go a long way in continuing to develop the necessary amount of confidence needed for an effective rushing attack.