When Joseph Randle suggested last month that DeMarco Murray left "a lot of meat on the bone" last season, the implication was that the starting running back left yards on the field.
Does the 2014 Offensive Player of the Year owe his award to the Dallas Cowboys' dominant offensive line?
In a conversation with USA Today's Nate Davis, Murray scoffed at that suggestion.
"I think Barry Sanders is the only one who didn't have a great O-line," Murray said. "Emmitt Smith, Terrell Davis, all these guys had great lines.
"It's a little comedic to me. Every successful running back usually has a couple good offensive linemen. Those guys (in Dallas) were great, I've got a lot of respect for those guys. This group here (in Philadelphia), they've got some Pro Bowlers and great players."
It's fair to point out that Murray wasn't as explosive in December as he was in October, but nobody was questioning his talent when he put the team on his back with a record-breaking seven consecutive 100-yard rushing performances to open the 2014 season.
Prior to the new league year in March, coach Jason Garrett, quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten all rejected the notion that the Cowboys could simply plug in another backto replace Murray.
It wasn't until Murray defected to Philadelphia that a narrative was constructed to devalue the workhorse running back's contributions to the Cowboys' most successful season in nearly a decade.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast discusses Dez Bryant's contract situation and ranks the best backfields for the 2015 season. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
