After the dramatic fashion in which Micah Parsons was traded away, it’s been all doom and gloom surrounding the Dallas Cowboys.
Heading into a Week 1 matchup with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, nobody is giving Dallas a chance at coming away with a win. At +7.5, they’re the biggest underdogs in the league this week.
But that could all change if one player puts up the performance of a lifetime.
Kenneth Murray could be the key to a Cowboys upset win in Week 1
Back in March, the Cowboys quietly pulled off a trade for former Tennessee Titans linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. The move flew under the radar at the time, but he could be the key to toppling a division rival in the season opener.
This game will come down to whether the Cowboys can stop the run. Jerry Jones has focused (perhaps too much) on building up his team’s run defense this offseason, and Murray is an important piece of that puzzle. Defensive linemen like Kenny Clark, Osa Odighizuwa and Marshawn Kneeland will play a big part in limiting running lanes, but it’s on the Cowboys’ linebackers to fit their gaps and consistently make tackles.
Last season, the Eagles relied heavily on finding explosive runs. It seemed like Saquon Barkley took off for a 50-yard touchdown every week. When Philadelphia didn’t have that home-run element, their offense often stalled out.
That wasn’t a problem in their late-season matchup with Dallas. Without Jalen Hurts on the field, Barkley ran for 167 yards that day, including four carries for more than ten yards. The Cowboys’ defensive line and linebackers were helpless against the Eagles’ overpowering offensive front.
Is Murray the secret weapon to solve all of the defensive woes Dallas has dealt with in recent years? No, probably not. But he doesn’t have to be to help the Cowboys to victory on Thursday. He just needs to keep Barkley and Hurts from ripping off long touchdown runs for four quarters. It’s easier said than done, but he has the skill set to make it happen. The linebacker’s speed allows him to work from sideline to sideline, snuffing out perimeter runs and tracking down breakaway ball carriers.
If Murray and the rest of the defense can at least slow the Eagles down, Dak Prescott has enough firepower surrounding him to turn this game into the biggest upset of Week 1.