IRVING —
When Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray took the field Sunday, six days after having surgery to repair a broken bone in his hand, coach Jason Garrett called it his finest moment of the season.
Forget setting an NFL record by rushing for 100 yards in each of the first eight games.
Never mind that Murray is the NFL’s leading rusher by more than 400 yards and needs just 29 yards Sunday to pass Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith as the team’s single-season rushing leader.
For Garrett, it was not about the numbers, it was the leadership Murray showed while providing an inspiration for his teammates.
More importantly, Murray was just the latest example of the mental and physical toughness from players on a team that is 11-4 going into Sunday’s season final against the Washington Redskins and has clinched its first division title since 2009.
“I believe it’s contagious, but I think maybe more than anything else, it’s a reflection on the guys that we have,” Garrett said. “We talk a lot about the character of our players, the makeup of our players. How important football is to them. How mentally and physically tough they are. And each of those guys, and many more, have all those traits that we’re looking for.
“I do think when players see each other doing that, I think it incentivizes them in some ways. But I believe that our guys would do that anyway. ... Mental and physical toughness is line one in this game and certainly we have a lot of guys who have manifested that in recent weeks where everybody can see it, their teammates and everybody else.”
Murray was not alone in dealing with pain against the Indianapolis Colts last week. Rookie Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin played on a sprained ankle that kept him out of practice all week.
Quarterback Tony Romo’s injuries this season have been well chronicled. He’s had to manage rehabilitation of a twice surgically-repaired back. He has also played this season with fractured bones in his back and torn rib cartilage.
Linebacker Rolando McClain has been on injury report with knee and groin injuries virtually the entire season.
Defensive tackle Henry Melton has yet to return to 100 percent following last season’s torn anterior cruciate ligament, but he has been on the field every game.
Those are a few notable examples.
“A lot of us are tough, whether it’s magnified or not,” defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. “A lot of us have played through things this year. The psyche of this team is so strong. That is special to see guys like Tony playing through what he is playing through, DeMarco playing through what he is playing through. It’s an example you can do the same. DeMarco could have easily sat that game out and nobody would have been mad at him. He wanted to be out there to make history. He wanted to help his team win.”
Playing through injury to help the Cowboys win is nothing new for Romo, who battled through a herniated disc to lead a comeback victory against the Redskins in Week 15 last season. Romo also returned to action during a 2011 victory at San Francisco where he suffered a fractured rib and punctured lung.
There are few things that will keep Romo off the field. Especially with a division title in hand and a chance to make noise in the playoffs.
“I think our football team knows how lucky we are to play this game for a living and how special it is to just be a part of the Dallas Cowboys and be in position to play in January and go do some great things,” Romo said. “Anytime you have that opportunity, you want to take advantage of it. Our guys understand that and they bring it every day and every week.”
Tight end Jason Witten has always had a similar mindset. He missed one game as a rookie in 2003 after suffering a fractured jaw and has not missed a game in the past 12 years, despite suffering a lacerated spleen in training camp in 2012.
“Some of that wasn’t real smart,” Witten said. “But I love playing.”
It’s paying off because the Cowboys have bonded.
Not only have they played through injury, but through the pain and adversity of three straight 8-8 seasons that brought doubters and even raised questions from within their own organization.
“Murray picked up a blitz last week and I was so impressed,” Mincey said. “You knew his hand was messed up. But he blocked the hell out of the guy. That got me fired up. It helps the team morale, seeing guys battle through stuff. We walked a long hard path. At the end of the day, it’s a group of resilient men. No nonsense. No backing down. That’s the mentality.”
Clarence E. Hill Jr.
Read more here: Playing with pain is part of Dallas Cowboys’ revival | The Star Telegram
When Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray took the field Sunday, six days after having surgery to repair a broken bone in his hand, coach Jason Garrett called it his finest moment of the season.
Forget setting an NFL record by rushing for 100 yards in each of the first eight games.
Never mind that Murray is the NFL’s leading rusher by more than 400 yards and needs just 29 yards Sunday to pass Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith as the team’s single-season rushing leader.
For Garrett, it was not about the numbers, it was the leadership Murray showed while providing an inspiration for his teammates.
More importantly, Murray was just the latest example of the mental and physical toughness from players on a team that is 11-4 going into Sunday’s season final against the Washington Redskins and has clinched its first division title since 2009.
“I believe it’s contagious, but I think maybe more than anything else, it’s a reflection on the guys that we have,” Garrett said. “We talk a lot about the character of our players, the makeup of our players. How important football is to them. How mentally and physically tough they are. And each of those guys, and many more, have all those traits that we’re looking for.
“I do think when players see each other doing that, I think it incentivizes them in some ways. But I believe that our guys would do that anyway. ... Mental and physical toughness is line one in this game and certainly we have a lot of guys who have manifested that in recent weeks where everybody can see it, their teammates and everybody else.”
Murray was not alone in dealing with pain against the Indianapolis Colts last week. Rookie Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin played on a sprained ankle that kept him out of practice all week.
Quarterback Tony Romo’s injuries this season have been well chronicled. He’s had to manage rehabilitation of a twice surgically-repaired back. He has also played this season with fractured bones in his back and torn rib cartilage.
Linebacker Rolando McClain has been on injury report with knee and groin injuries virtually the entire season.
Defensive tackle Henry Melton has yet to return to 100 percent following last season’s torn anterior cruciate ligament, but he has been on the field every game.
Those are a few notable examples.
“A lot of us are tough, whether it’s magnified or not,” defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. “A lot of us have played through things this year. The psyche of this team is so strong. That is special to see guys like Tony playing through what he is playing through, DeMarco playing through what he is playing through. It’s an example you can do the same. DeMarco could have easily sat that game out and nobody would have been mad at him. He wanted to be out there to make history. He wanted to help his team win.”
Playing through injury to help the Cowboys win is nothing new for Romo, who battled through a herniated disc to lead a comeback victory against the Redskins in Week 15 last season. Romo also returned to action during a 2011 victory at San Francisco where he suffered a fractured rib and punctured lung.
There are few things that will keep Romo off the field. Especially with a division title in hand and a chance to make noise in the playoffs.
“I think our football team knows how lucky we are to play this game for a living and how special it is to just be a part of the Dallas Cowboys and be in position to play in January and go do some great things,” Romo said. “Anytime you have that opportunity, you want to take advantage of it. Our guys understand that and they bring it every day and every week.”
Tight end Jason Witten has always had a similar mindset. He missed one game as a rookie in 2003 after suffering a fractured jaw and has not missed a game in the past 12 years, despite suffering a lacerated spleen in training camp in 2012.
“Some of that wasn’t real smart,” Witten said. “But I love playing.”
It’s paying off because the Cowboys have bonded.
Not only have they played through injury, but through the pain and adversity of three straight 8-8 seasons that brought doubters and even raised questions from within their own organization.
“Murray picked up a blitz last week and I was so impressed,” Mincey said. “You knew his hand was messed up. But he blocked the hell out of the guy. That got me fired up. It helps the team morale, seeing guys battle through stuff. We walked a long hard path. At the end of the day, it’s a group of resilient men. No nonsense. No backing down. That’s the mentality.”
Clarence E. Hill Jr.
Read more here: Playing with pain is part of Dallas Cowboys’ revival | The Star Telegram
