It is special just to be a part of it. It is something you don't always get to do. - Tony Romo
ARLINGTON, Texas – Whether he likes it or not, DeMarco Murray now has to be mentioned with the likes of some of the NFL greats, including Hall of Famer Jim Brown.
And after Sunday, there's at least one stat in which Murray is better than all of them.
The Cowboys' star running back became the first player in NFL history to begin a season with seven straight 100-yard games, surpassing the record Brown set in 1958 as a member of the Cleveland Browns.
Like always, Murray didn't take the bulk of the credit.
"I think we did this as a group," Murray said. "So it's hard for me to accept this individually, and I definitely wish (the offensive line) were here. But they're a huge part of this … the tight ends, the receivers, the entire coaching staff. But I definitely give a lot of credit to those guys, and I'm blessed to be mentioned with that, but there's a lot of hard work that needs to be done. It's a long season."
With nine games to play, Murray is on pace to rush for 2,086 yards, which is behind Eric Dickerson's NFL single-season record of 2,105 yards he set in 1984. Minnesota's Adrian Peterson nearly broke the record back in 2012 when he had 2,097 yards.
Murray got to 100 yards on the first play of the fourth quarter when his 1-yard run put him right at the century mark. Two drives later, Murray scored his seventh touchdown of the season with a 1-yard run to give the Cowboys a 28-14 lead.
"It is special just to be a part of it. It is something you don't always get to do," Tony Romo said of Murray's record-breaking start. "It really could not happen to a better guy. I love that kid. He will always be like a brother to me when we are done. I don't think it could happen to a better person. He really exemplifies everything you could want in a player. If I was a coach, if I was a teammate-which I am- I think he is everything I would want in somebody that had a chance to go about it and have that record. He is hardworking, he is humble, and he is a team-first guy as much as anybody. He is talented, he is explosive, and he is physical. Then he goes out there and does it every single day. It is a great thing to see."
Murray's 128 yards was the fourth-highest game total of the season. He started with 118 yards against the 49ers in Week 1, followed by his current season-high of 167 agaisnst the Titans. Murray then had 100 even against the Rams, 149 in a win over the Saints, before 136 against Houston. Last week in Seattle, Murray had 115 yards.
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He's off to a great start," head coach Jason Garrett said. "DeMarco's just doing a fantastic job for us. He's seeing softness in the defense, he's feeling things, he's getting north-and-south, he's finishing runs, and sometimes when it's a two, a one, a two, a one, a three, backs can get frustrated. But he's still believing in the runs and making sure he's giving every one of them a chance. As the game goes on, you see him having more and more success."
So far, the same can be said about the regular season, too.
