DeMarco Murray’s great start to the season has become historic. The Cowboys running back topped the 100-yard mark in Dallas’ 31-21 win over the Giants, meaning he owns the NFL record for 100-yard rushing games to start the season with seven. As DeMarco Murray scampered past the century mark on Sunday against the New York Giants, he became the only player in NFL history to begin a season with seven consecutive 100-yard rushing games. The Dallas Cowboys running back came into the game tied with the legendary Jim Brown, who started off on a six-game streak in 1958. With a 3-yard carry in the fourth quarter, Murray put himself in a legendary list of rare running backs.
- DeMarco Murray-Games 7-Season 2014
- Jim Brown-Games 6-Season 1958
- O.J. Simpson-Games 5-Season 1975
- O.J. Simpson-Games 5-Season 1973
- Terrell Davis- Games 4-Season 1997
Murray finished the game with 121 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries.
Heading into the Giants game Murray was on pace for a mind blowing and alarming 424 carries. He’s making every single one count these days as he just keeps going and going and going.
Through seven games, only Terrell Davis in 1998 (1,001 yards) and Jamal Lewis in 2003 (977 yards) have rushed for more yards through seven games. Murray is well outpacing his contemporaries this season. Only 3 other players have more than 500 rushing yards so far this season.
NFL Rushing Leaders This Season
- DeMarco Murray-Dallas-913
- Le’Veon Bell-Pittsburgh-542
- Arian Foster-Houston-513
- Justin Forsett-Baltimore-503
- Matt Forte-Chicago-448
The fourth year pro entered Week 7 leading the league in rushing and averaging 131 yards per game. He’s been the catalyst for a Dallas offense that has led the team to a 5-1 start, and Murray himself is outrushing most teams in the league. He is out rushing 28 other teams in the NFL by himself. That’s kind of a big deal.
Murray’s monster start has been one of the league’s biggest surprises in 2014, but not because anyone doubted the 2011 third-round pick’s abilities. It’s been injuries that have allowed him to break the 1,000-yard mark just once in his first three seasons. He missed 11 games in that span and was constantly hampered by nagging issues even when he was healthy enough to make it onto the field.
If he can stay healthy, Murray is on pace to become just the eighth player in league history to break 2,000 yards rushing in a season and the first to do so since Adrian Peterson in 2012. So far, so good.
Like Nathan said about Peyton Manning, we really are watching history unfold this year in the NFL before our eyes. This weekend was a very historic one and I myself cannot wait to tell my children one day about this weekend that I watched both Peyton Manning break the 508 passing touchdowns in a career held by Brett Farve and DeMarco Murray break the consecutive 100 yard rushing games to start the season with seven. Murray I believe has a lot more to show us. Lets all just sit down on Sunday’s and watch this historic season play out and take it all in. We may never see something like this ever again.
