The Browns have another interesting task ahead of them Sunday when they play at Tennessee against a Titans team they have beaten in each of the last two seasons.
One player that will most certainly be the focus of the Browns on defense is that of Tennessee running back DeMarco Murray, who is off to a solid start in his first season in the Music City.
After a rather forgettable season in Philadelphia in the chaos that was Chip Kelly and the Eagles, this season Murray has already rushed for 461 yards and three touchdowns, a season after rushing for just 702 yards and six scores in 15 games for the Eagles.
Murray figured a new team would equal a fresh start, and he’s making the most of it with the Titans.
“Obviously, having a year there, you learn some things no matter what the situation is, no matter what the outcome is,” Murray said of his 2015 season in Philadelphia.
“I tried to move forward, and I thought this was a great situation for me.”
Murray might be licking his chops as he thinks about the Browns this Sunday. Coming off a game in which he ran for 127 yards on 21 carries against Miami last week, he now faces a Browns team ranked 22nd in rush defense, allowing 114.2 yards per game.
The back though isn’t ready to start predicting a big game against the Browns, instead taking the high road and paying the Browns high praise despite being the NFL’s only winless team.
“We know there is a huge challenge that presents itself this weekend with Cleveland. They are a really good defense, young guys. They move around well,” Murray said.
“They are fast. Most of the time, there are all 11 guys in the film. We know we will have our hands full this weekend.”
The Browns did a nice job against the Patriots at home Sunday, holding New England to 98 yards on 35 carries, a 2.8 yards per carry average.
This week they play a team though without Tom Brady, and instead a club that puts a lot more emphasis on running the ball, using the services of a former Browns coach, Terry Robiskie, who is the Titans offensive coordinator, and was at one point a Browns wide out coach and even served as interim head coach in 2004.
“I love him,” Murray said of Robiskie.
“He is a great guy, very, very smart. He is a little bit loose so he likes to have fun and makes sure we are all getting the job done and nobody is uptight. He makes sure and it is his personality that everybody has fun and plays hard. He is a smart guy. He definitely puts us in the right position.”
If there’s a player the Browns defense will key in on Sunday it’s Murray, but thus far in 2016 he’s been up to the challenge, and while not looking past the Browns, looks forward to seeing them Sunday in Nashville.
“This is a good football team. They are a young team and they are hungry,” Murray said.
“We could definitely be in the same position that they are in. We are a new team, a young team, new coaching staff and what not. We are building our identity, and I think they are, too.”
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