DeMarco Murray was the main goal-line weapon in Dallas last year. When they got near the end zone, they liked to run him behind that crushing offensive line, and that helped him pile up big numbers. The Cowboys ran the ball 17 times inside the 5, and Murray carried the ball on all 17 of those plays.
That’s rare. No other back in the last five years has had all of his team’s rushing attempts inside the 5.
Only 20, in fact, have even had more than 80 percent of those rushing attempts. (That’s since 2010.) And only 38 total have made it over 70 percent (see below).
It could be a little different for Murray this year. He’s going to a Philadelphia offense that has more other running backs at its disposal.
| RUNNING INSIDE THE 5 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Att | Yds | EZ | T Att | Pct |
| 2014 | DeMarco Murray, Dall. | 17 | 19 | 9 | 17 | 100% |
| 2010 | Chris Johnson, Tenn. | 19 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 95% |
| 2014 | Matt Forte, Chi. | 14 | 7 | 4 | 15 | 93% |
| 2010 | Cedric Benson, Cin. | 21 | 19 | 7 | 23 | 91% |
| 2013 | LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 19 | 20 | 7 | 21 | 90% |
| 2010 | Adrian Peterson, Minn. | 18 | 21 | 9 | 20 | 90% |
| 2012 | Jackie Battle, S.D. | 9 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 90% |
| 2013 | Marshawn Lynch, Sea. | 26 | 30 | 10 | 29 | 90% |
| 2010 | Michael Turner, Atl. | 26 | 20 | 10 | 29 | 90% |
| 2014 | Matt Asiata, Minn. | 17 | 30 | 9 | 19 | 89% |
| 2014 | Marshawn Lynch, Sea. | 15 | 28 | 7 | 17 | 88% |
| 2012 | Marshawn Lynch, Sea. | 12 | 18 | 5 | 14 | 86% |
| 2012 | Arian Foster, Hou. | 29 | 42 | 11 | 34 | 85% |
| 2012 | Michael Turner, Atl. | 22 | 14 | 7 | 26 | 85% |
| 2010 | Arian Foster, Hou. | 22 | 23 | 10 | 26 | 85% |
| 2014 | Joique Bell, Det. | 13 | 13 | 6 | 16 | 81% |
| 2010 | Peyton Hillis, Clev. | 13 | 22 | 6 | 16 | 81% |
| 2013 | Jamaal Charles, K.C. | 17 | 20 | 9 | 21 | 81% |
| 2011 | Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac. | 17 | 8 | 4 | 21 | 81% |
| 2010 | Fred Jackson, Buff. | 8 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 80% |
| 2012 | Adrian Peterson, Minn. | 19 | 20 | 7 | 24 | 79% |
| 2013 | Fred Jackson, Buff. | 18 | 28 | 7 | 23 | 78% |
| 2012 | Doug Martin, T.B. | 18 | 17 | 5 | 23 | 78% |
| 2011 | Ray Rice, Balt. | 21 | 18 | 8 | 27 | 78% |
| 2011 | Frank Gore, S.F. | 20 | 19 | 6 | 26 | 77% |
| 2014 | LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 10 | 10 | 4 | 13 | 77% |
| 2011 | Rashard Mendenhall, Pitt. | 19 | 18 | 7 | 25 | 76% |
| 2011 | Michael Turner, Atl. | 28 | 31 | 9 | 37 | 76% |
| 2014 | Steven Jackson, Atl. | 12 | 7 | 5 | 16 | 75% |
| 2013 | Rashard Mendenhall, Ariz. | 12 | 21 | 9 | 16 | 75% |
| 2011 | Chris Johnson, Ten. | 6 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 75% |
| 2011 | Roy Helu, Was. | 6 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 75% |
| 2011 | Cedric Benson, Cin. | 14 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 74% |
| 2013 | DeMarco Murray, Dall. | 16 | 20 | 7 | 22 | 73% |
| 2014 | Eddie Lacy, G.B. | 13 | 20 | 6 | 18 | 72% |
| 2010 | Steven Jackson, St.L. | 10 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 71% |
| 2012 | Trent Richardson, Clev. | 12 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 71% |
| 2012 | BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Cin. | 14 | 10 | 5 | 20 | 70% |
—Ian Allan