America's Team is ready for a Week 2 showdown with the New York Giants, and Dallas Cowboys fans are hoping for a bounce-back performance across the board. The season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles proved the Cowboys have a lot of work to do, which is why beating up on their NFC East rivals at AT&T Stadium would show fans that the year is far from over.
Several Dallas players disappointed the fan base in Week 1, especially linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. The veteran linebacker finished the loss to the Eagles tied for the team lead in defensive snaps (62), but failed to make the most of his opportunities, resulting in his being on thin ice in Week 2.
Cowboys LB Kenneth Murray Jr. Is on Thin Ice in Week 2
It's safe to say there wasn't much Murray did right last week. The former first-round pick, who was acquired from the Tennessee Titans in March, finished Week 1 with the second-worst Pro Football Focus defense grade (30.0) on the team. His team-worst 27.8 run defense grade further illustrates his detrimental play, and he even allowed a reception on each of the three times he was targeted.
Trading away Micah Parsons left a big hole in the Cowboys' LB room, and Murray's poor Week 1 performance solidifies that point. Jack Sanborn also struggled in the opening game to the tune of a 47.0 overall PFF grade. The situation wouldn't be as bad if Dallas had a healthy DeMarvion Overshown, who's still recovering from his season-ending knee injury.
Perhaps Murray and Sanborn's lackluster play will lead to head coach Brian Schottenheimer and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus giving more playing time to Marist Liufau. The ex-2024 third-round selection tallied two tackles and a 68.5 PFF defense grade despite playing only six defensive snaps last week, and throwing him into a bigger role would allow the Cowboys to truly assess his potential.
Regardless of what Schottenheimer's plans look like, it's clear that he can't afford to deploy Murray as often as he did against the Eagles. The shine of being a former first-round pick has worn off at this stage of his career, and the Cowboys can't keep giving him opportunities just because of his draft pedigree.
If he continues to do more harm than good on the gridiron, the Cowboys must rethink Murray's role on the defense. His $7.4 million contract is up after the season, so Dallas doesn't have to be worried about a long-term commitment.