It looked like the Birds offensive backfield slowed everything down yesterday with their running game in the second half. Every running play the Eagles had in the third and fourth quarter looked like a draw play because of the care Nick Foles and LeSean McCoy took in making sure there were no fumbles on the handoffs. McCoy also seemed to purposely give the offensive line time to make their blocks, then he began each carry running straight ahead north and south.
Running north and south isn’t usually McCoy’s way of running, but he made an adjustment at half time and it made a huge difference.
It may sound simple, but one of the reasons the Eagles beat the Lions yesterday was because they were fundamentally sound with the way they handed the ball off and how they secured the football when carrying it in the snowy weather. McCoy’s performance will be remembered for breaking Steve Van Buren’s Eagles record for most rushing yardage in a game, but the fact that he didn’t fumble the ball one time during game helped the Birds win it.
I had predicted that turnovers would help decide the game, but I was thinking about Matthew Stafford throwing interceptions rather than fumbling. Lions running back Joique Bell coughed up the football a couple of times in the first half with Detroit in position to score. The Eagles turned the ball over only once, when Foles threw his first interception of the season. Turnovers did a play a role in the game as it kept the Birds within striking distance because of Bell’s fumbles.
In the second half, Foles took his time making sure he handed the ball off to McCoy properly. He looked the ball into McCoy’s gut and put the ball in there during handoff. McCoy took his time getting the handoff and the timing worked out well with the offensive line because that gave them time to make their blocks. The running plays were like draw plays right up the gut.
The patience in attacking the hole, allowed the offensive line to counteract the attack of Detroit defensive tackles, Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. Suh and Fairley were active versus the run for three quarters, but they may have tired out in the fourth quarter, when McCoy went crazy and ran for 137 yards in the fourth quarter.
McCoy did a great job of avoiding slipping, by minimizing his moves and running over his feet. He kept his weight even and over his feet. He seemed to be moving with surer steps and more confidence in his stride. In the second half, Shady was moving at a different speed from everyone else.
On his forty-yard touchdown run, McCoy got the handoff, spotted a hole straight ahead of him and took off. Lions weak safety Louis Delmas attacked McCoy and tried to cut him, but the Eagles running back jumped over him, then broke a tackle by Detroit cornerback Rashaen Mathis and took the ball all the way to the end zone. Delmas looked foolish trying to dive at McCoy’s legs during the play.
On the 57-yard touchdown play, McCoy found a hole in the line of scrimmage then benefitted from a great block by Jason Avant. Number 25 jumped in back of Avant and cut back to his right as Lions free safety Delmas overran the play. It was a foot race after that and McCoy turned on the after burners on his way to the end zone.
Delmas is definitely happy he is seeing the last of McCoy for the year.
I think the single biggest factor in the Eagles’ win yesterday is conditioning. Do you remember how exhausting playing in the snow was when you were a kid? Kind of like running on sand. The Lions wilted and were pushed around late in the game.
I think that smart teams will take notice of the role conditioning played in the Eagles success this season. I think being is tip-top-shape can take a lesser player and elevate them a notch or 2, I’m fairly certain it is a huge part of their success.
I might have to start riding the exercise bike again.
E- Walking in that mess for two minutes was a chore for me yesterday. Playing/running in it? Ya our teams conditioning is going to carry us a long long way. Working in that mess is like running in sand.
I Mean…… The boy was SICK!!!!!!!! He looked like he was running on a spring day happy as shit! What kind of Cleats was he wearing? I am certain that the weather channel debacle caught Detroit in a bind unable to change to the right cleats at the half not being home., but MAN! McCoy made them all look foolish!
He’s a tremendous talent, there are very few players in the league that I’d rather build my team around than Shady McCoy.
How about Riley Cooper with huge catches again?
Ya that first endzone toss bounced right off his face mask LMAO! But he was dragging them down late in the game. cooper is a beast.
DB deflected that one. Made Cooper look bad, but it wasn’t his bad play, it was good play by the defense.
Sick game by shady and oline. Looks like he could do it again this week in Minnesota. Could be a huge day if Peterson and Gerhart are out to. Fly eagles fly.
Warren sapp picks Dallas as 3seed on nfl network …eagles out of playoffs …must be smokin that shit again !
It’s good, let the doubters doubt! We will see what happens with the cowbums tonight!
In other news…Mike Shannahan is contemplating benching RGIII.
Perhaps McNabb was spot on about Shannahan. If this happens, Shannahan is calling for his own termination!
Oh he was and is correct about Shanny Eagles but people kill the messenger because they don’t like McNabb. That whole shitshow in DC is oneverybody you have a capable back in Cousins so RGIII should have never been allowed to start without the benefit of a pre season snap.
Shanahan should have been fired for the way he handled the situation between his son and Donovan. Now he has the same problems between his son and RG3.
Snyder will never learn – Don’t let coaches hire their son! He let Marty Schottenheimer hire Brian…. It didn’t work out. He let Joe Gibbs hire Coy Gibbs during his second stint with the team, that didn’t work out either. Now he has a mess with the Shanahan’s
Here’s a stats to show how great Shady really is, kudos also goes to Chip for using him the way he should be used, Shady sure isn’t complaining like he did last year about not getting the ball enough
1. There has never been a more explosive fourth-quarter tailback in the history of the game. With his 40- and 57-yard touchdown runs Sunday, McCoy extended his own NFL record of fourth-quarter TD runs of 40 yards or more to seven. Nobody else in NFL history has ever had more than four. McCoy is 25. Think about that.
Watching the mon night game and hoping the Eagles will be in 1st place after the cowgirls lose. Anyway we can make a trade for Alshon Jeffery? Dude is a stud!
First place and it feels soooooo good!!!!!
Eagles now control there own destiny
Sole possession of first place, how sweet it is! Gotta keep up the great play to stay on top and get that playoff birth! Thanks Bears!
Before anybody even starts, yes the Bears looked good tonight but the question will not be how are we going to stop them, the question will be how are they going to stop us? Dallas ran for over 200 yards on them, imagine what we run for but as Chip has been saying, its about nrxt week, it’s not about the Bears, it’s about the Vikings, AP said he’s playing so we have our work cut out for us.
They just reported that AP is doubtful. He’s in a walking boot and doubt the Vikings will risk any further injury since they are out of playoff contentions. Not worth it
Doesn’t matter if AP plays. 3-9 with him.
We have to handle our own business! Lets beat the Vikings..the Cowboys are probably going to fold under the pressure.
Dallas in December…….Chicago didn’t punt!
Now the Cowboys have a big game against a (hopefully) Rogers led GB team that still has something to play for.
Last 2 weeks against Chicago and Dallas going to be something.
Yo guys, how great is this that we can be talking about these kind of senerios again in December? I’m loving it !