Mathews a better scheme fit than Murray?

[Rey]

I brought this up to my buds yesterday and I heard a few talk shows down here bring it up today. Mathews has better lateral agility than Murray and also better change of direction and acceleration out of those breaks. Murray is a bull between the tackles, but he looks out of his element stringing out lateral plays and doesn't have Mathews' quickness in that style. When Murray came here I thought Chip was going to go away from the Shady McCoy type play calling and go more traditional ... thus playing towards Murray's strengths. I further expected it when we cut ties with Evan Mathis (who fit this style) and went with a more traditional type Guard in his place. But here we are 3 weeks in and it doesn't look like we've changed the playbook at all to suit Murray, instead this Offense is tailored for a quicker/shiftier Back like Mathews ... who has solid size, but can adjust to this style of play better than Murray.

What's your guy's take? Do we start seeing more of a 50/50 split? or does Murray dominate carries again once fully healthy?

 

[SteelersPride]

juse oit

 

[Iron Eagle]

I could buy him having better lateral agility but Murray has to get the ball when healthy.

We paid to much too get him to not use him as the bell cow.

 

[SteelersPride]

I could buy him having better lateral agility but Murray has to get the ball when healthy.

We paid to much too get him to not use him as the bell cow.

yeah, screw winning, go with the money

 

[Rey]

How I look at it Murray (in the same blocking scheme) couldn't get going at all against Atlanta (who were torched yesterday by Joseph frigging Randle) and Dallas (who was torched yesterday by Devonta frigging Freeman). Mathews on the other hand goes up against a very good Jet Defensive front ... at their place ... behind the same offensive line Murray ran behind ... and threw up a 100 yard game at around a 4 1/2 per carry clip. And it's not just the #'s, but Murray looked like a fish out of water running indecisive while Mathews looked very comfortable. I fully understand the money aspect and giving Murray every chance first ... but winning trumps everything. If Murray comes back next week and puts up another stinker ... I think Chip either has to change up the blocking scheme for him or start using Mathews in more of an even split.

 

[Iron Eagle]

I expected a split when the season started anyway, so that's no problem.

I definitely don't see Kelly changing the scheme just for Murray when he had no inclination of doing it from the start of the season. Murray's running will improve if we ever get anything out of Bradford besides 5 yard passes.

 

[Rey]

I agree that the likelihood of Chip changing the blocking scheme 3 games into the season are slim to none ... which means that Murray has to find a way to make yards despite sub par blocking. The questions are: can he be productive on the perimeter as opposed to between the tackles where he lived last year? and 2. is he agile enough laterally to even get to the edges? Again, we all know Murray is a stud in a traditional running scheme, but can he adjust his game and still be a stud when being asked to star in a scheme tailored for a back with a different skill set?

 

[Rey]

Another thing to keep in mind is that Mathews has a couple of 1000 yard rushing seasons under his belt as well and he was paid a good deal of money also. It's not like he's a rookie who just happened to have a random good game ... it's easier for Chip to change the hierarchy with a guy like Mathews as his #2 than if it were a rookie or a player without previous proven production. All that said I fully expect Chip to give Murray another couple of games as the alpha Back before any drastic change in carry numbers.

 

[deerpathdave]

I just get the impression that it may be more than just a scheme fit issue with Murray? He was getting extra sitting in training camp and he was quite animated on the sideline last week. For whatever reason, I am just wondering if they like Mathews better. I think we will see a 50 50 split at the beginning next week and if Murray struggles they will go with the hot hand.

 

[TheSnowdog]

O-line played better yesterday
If Murray was playing I would imagine he would have had more success than he had the first 2 games

I too am fine with doing a split between Murray and Matthews
Kind of like a thunder and lightning type of thing (although Sproles would fit in more as the lightning)

 

[old duke]

As Chip says - it has to do with execution. That's the main reason why it worked yesterday.
When the Oline is settled down, I expect that Murray will get 50% of the carries; Mathews 40%; and Sproles 10% + a lot of targets as a WR.

 

[L.Freamon]

I thought Murray was an odd signing, but Chip said that they type of N/S runner he wanted...and proceeds to run him off tackle.

 

[DaEagles]

Murray is a North/South runner. He would be best in an O that runs out of the I or at least behind the QB from under center. This O is not going to do him justice.

When he was signed I thought for sure we were going to see a change it the offense and more north/south runs. Due to it not changing Matthews is better suited for this O and Shady was a much much better fit for it.

Funny thing is, quite a few thought Chip was pissed that Shady would run to much east/west...well that's all Chip has in his playbook.

Gonna be a waste of a LOT of $ if he keeps it this way cause Murray is a damn beast to waste running side to side.

 

[SteelersPride]

just throwing it out there but even some of murrays team mates said it was the line and not him in dallas, he was good in prior seasons, but not great, then that monstrous line got put together and boom there he was atop the league, now the lines gone, and well murray is murray

 

[Susky]

I thought Murray was an odd signing, but Chip said that they type of N/S runner he wanted...and proceeds to run him off tackle.

I thought the appeal of both Murray and Matthews was that they were more downhill types than McCoy was. And watching them run E-W and then do the cut-back seems a little bizarre.

 

[deerpathdave]

Paying top dollar in football is always questionable. For the Eagles, they seem to have crapped out on Maxwell and Murray, but done quite well with Thurmond, Jenkins, Carroll, Mathews and Sproles

 

[old duke]

Guys...only 3 games in, and we have this all figured out?

And, Mr. Steeler, Murray's big mouth replacement hasn't done much either.

 

[northeastphillyguy]

Murray will get the ball at least 80% of the time. Chips ego is at stake. The big money guys always get more chances. I am concerned about Matthews not getting enough chances. Chip will go to the air if Murray stinks it up.
We improved on time of possession against the Jets. (28 minutes). The prior 2 games we only had the ball for
twenty minutes. Our defense has been outstanding when you consider how much they are on the field! The Eagles must establish a run game or they will have a losing season. IMO.

 

[Birds4life81]

The o-line as a unit played much better vs the Jets than the first two games. The fact that it was the same people blocking is irrelevant -- as o-lines have a lot to do with cohesiveness. I'm not discrediting Matthews, but I don't think Murray should be evaluated as a poor fit in this scheme because of the first 2 games where he was hit 4 yards behind the LOS right as he got the handoffs. I do agree Matthews is more explosive laterally, and overall -- but Murray is a damn good RB in his own right. I'd like to see him run behind an improved line before giving the reigns to Matthews. If at that point, Matthews is still outproducing Murray, I couldn't care less about who's getting paid more -- you start the best player regardless.

 

[Rey]

While I think the OL did play a bit better, I also think Mathews' lateral quickness to elude those defenders getting penetration also helped a good deal. The only thing that's held Mathews from prolonged success has been the injury bug, but skill wise he's a heck of a player. This is a kid that was the 12th pick in the draft who ran a 4.45 at 6'0 218 lbs. Murray had a great year behind a great OL, but skill wise I don't think there's a huge difference ... I just wish both had a better OL to run behind.