Running back DeMarco Murray was on the sideline when the Philadelphia Eagles coughed up the ball and gave the New England Patriots a shot at a comeback, and the $42 million ballcarrier let his frustrations be known.
But, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder, Murray did not go to coach Chip Kelly. He climbed the ladder one rung to owner Jeffrey Lurie. Per Werder, Murray was trying to avoid making a scene.
Murray played a complementary role in the offense Sunday, when the Eagles featured Darren Sproles. Sproles had 15 carries, Kenjon Barner had nine and Murray ran eight times. He is averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry.
Kelly defended the split of carries as the best thing for the Eagles on Monday.
“We have to do what’s the best thing for the Philadelphia Eagles,” he said. “We are not trying to win a rushing championship or a passing championship or a receiving championship or anything from that stretch of the imagination. We are just trying to win football games.
“I think everything is a weekly basis depending on who we are matched up with,” Kelly added. “Who is healthy has a lot to do with it. Where does Ryan (Mathews) fit in when Ryan gets back healthy? But it’s a good problem to have when you have some backs that when you used all three of them, all three of them are productive for you. … We have three running backs right now that we felt were productive. There were some things we were trying to do with the big linebackers and with Darren and Kenjon, but (Murray) fits in.”
Murray was the 2014 Offensive Player of the Year, rushing for 1,845 yards with the Dallas Cowboys, and left as a free agent to join the Eagles and former University of Oklahoma backfield mate Sam Bradford.
The Eagles first pursued Frank Gore and thought the veteran was signed, sealed and delivered until he balked to sign with the Indianapolis Colts instead. That opened the door for Murray and Ryan Mathews, a former first-round pick who was the starter in San Diego, to join forces with the Eagles.
Behind a ragged offensive line and a passing attack that is anything but lethal, the Eagles are near the bottom of the NFL in rushing.