"When DeMarco Murray burst on the scene last October, beginning a remarkable stretch when he rushed for 601 yards in four games, it appeared that the Cowboys had finally found the transcendent running back that they had been searching for since the days when Emmitt Smith galloped across the turf at Texas Stadium.

Murray flashed a unique combination of speed, power and vision. Teammates marveled at the rookie's ability to set up blocks and finish runs. Until he fractured his right ankle Dec. 11 in a game against the New York Giants , the Cowboys' 2011 third-round pick seemed destined to become the first Dallas running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season since Julius Jones accomplished that feat in 2006."