DeMarco Murray has performed at a level over the past four weeks that warrants a starting job on nearly every team in the league, not just the Dallas Cowboys.
But after another dominant performance by the rookie in Sunday's blowout win over the Bills, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made it clear that Murray's ascension doesn't spell doom for Felix Jones, the former starter who is approaching a return from an ankle injury.
"I'm anxious," the owner said, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "I told Felix after the game, 'Boy, am I anxious to see them both in there together.' I know we have a coach that knows how to figure on having them both in there at the same time."
Clearly, Jones envisions a backfield where two players share the load. Maybe even three, to hear the owner talk.
"I'm not at all caught up in this 'who the lead is' and 'who the lead isn't,' " Jones said. "I know what Felix can do, too, and I'm excited about what we got ahead of us this year. And (third-string back Phillip) Tanner, Tanner is a guy I don't feel the least bit concerned about when he's got the ball. I think he makes yards after being hit, and that's a good thing for us. I like our running backs."
While it make sense for Jones to think highly of his personnel -- he built the team, after all -- Murray has emerged as a legitimate impact player who deserves the 25 touches a game he's received in Dallas' past three wins. To force feed a running back-by-committee approach seems counter-productive to us.
Then again, we don't have a billion-dollar facility affectionately named after us. We're sure this factors in somehow.
