Calvin Watkins, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

DeMarco Murray comes up short vs. Eagles

The Dallas Cowboys' running game had a difficult time against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday.

DeMarco Murray, the NFL's leading rusher, finished with a season-low 73 yards on 20 carries. It did push his season total to 1,427, surpassing Emmitt Smith's 1,397 yards for eighth on the Cowboy's all-time single-season rushing yards list.

Murray's longest run Thursday was for nine yards, the first time this season he didn't have at least a 10-yard run.

"I just thought our guys played hard," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said. "We knew, a non-traditional week, you've got to play with a lot of energy and you've got to bring it and I thought our guys did."

Murray has seen defenses stack the line of scrimmage the last few weeks. At times, the Cowboys have had to defend against eight while using just six blockers.

Murray, who wasn't available for comment after the game, has said he's used to seeing defenses attempt to take him out with this strategy. For most of the season, Murray has succeed against it.

However, of his 20 carries, 12 were for four or fewer yards, including two negative runs. And if you think somebody else could have done better, No. 2 back Joseph Randle had two carries, with his longest run going for just three yards. Lance Dunbar picked up 15 yards on two carries out of shotgun formations.

"Stopping the run was huge as well, they are not shabby at that either," safety Malcolm Jenkins said, alluding to the Eagles front four. "They really lead us when you talk about our defense. When they get going it is so much easier on the backend."

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