PHILADELPHIA - DeMarco Murray didn't envision a 1-3 start to the season when he left defending NFC East champion Dallas to sign as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles.

And last year's NFL leading rusher certainly didn't see himself with just 47 yards on 29 carries after four games.

Despite the team and individual numbers, Murray was composed and reflective as he talked after Thursday's practice in preparation for Sunday's game against the Saints.

"I think we're fine," Murray said. "You just have to be patient. We're not worried about what other people think. We know what's at stake. We know what we have inside this locker room. We have the right group of guys and the right group of coaches.

"We have a lot of guys with a lot of pride. We're not just going to give up. We're still in reach for the division. We just have to come to work every day with our hard hat on and be ready to work."

The Eagles' running game, thought to be the strength of the offence during the preseason, has been a work in progress. As a team the Eagles have run the ball just 89 times in four games for 280 yards.

"... DeMarco was hurt and didn't play against the Jets and he didn't practice last week," Eagles head coach Chip Kelly said. "So we're trying to get him back up to speed."

Murray says he's fine this week, and while he mentioned after Sunday's loss to Washington that he needed the ball more, he rephrased those comments Thursday.

"It's not just carries, I just want to be on the field," Murray said. "We all do. (Darren) Sproles does, (Ryan) Mathews does, (Nelson) Agholor does, Miles (Austin) does.

"I don't think I'm frustrated. We all know what needs to happen to get this offence going."

Is that running the ball more?

"Yeah, but if you have 22 carries for zero yards, we better call another play," Kelly said on the running game in general. "You know what I mean?

"And it falls on everybody. It falls on the play calls; it falls on the play design; it falls on the offensive line; it falls on the receivers; it falls on the quarterback; it falls on everybody. It's on the entire offence."

NOTES: Tackles Jason Peter (quad) and Lane Johnson (knee) were both full participants in practice and said they would go Sunday against New Orleans. Cornerback Byron Maxwell (quad) also returned to practice. Three players did not practice: DE Brandon Bair (groin) and LBs Kiko Alonso (knee) and Mychal Kendricks (hamstring), and could miss Sunday's game.

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