The Eagles are all but out of the playoffs. However, many individuals on this team still have a chance to lead the league in statistical categories. One such player, LeSean McCoy, is making a strong case to be voted into his first Pro Bowl.
Sunday night, against the Giants, he will have a chance to show what he’s got against a tough New York defense. While the NFC East rivals allow more than 120 rushing yards per game, they are still a tough defense.
One defender, in particular, will be looking to let his play do the talking after an offseason of back-and-forth twitter battles with the Eagles running back. Osi Umenyiora responded to McCoy’s comments of calling Umenyiora “soft n overrated” by calling McCoy “Lady GaGa.” The war of words continued when the Giants defensive end continued to call McCoy out and cited specific examples of words exchanged between the two during games.
Umenyiora did not play in the Eagles loss to the Giants in week three so Sunday night’s game will likely be the first action the two players see against each other since their offseason bickering.
Sunday will be number 25’s sixth game against the New York Giants. In his first five games, he has rushed for 410 yards and three touchdowns, with almost six yards per carry.
Many may look at McCoy’s 128 yard performance in week three as his best game against the Giants, however, in week eleven of 2010, McCoy shined bright. On just 14 carries, he ran for 111 yards, almost eight yards per carry. With under five minutes left and the Eagles down by one on a 4th and 1, Michael Vick took a bobbled snap and pitched it to McCoy who took it 50 yards to the endzone to give the Eagles the 22-17 lead.
With Michael Vick’s status still uncertain after not practicing Wednesday or Thursday, McCoy should be expected to carry the load. Even if Vick is able to go Sunday, the Eagles can protect him by handing the ball to the running back and working the run game.
According to defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, Andy Reid has been working 20-22 hour days in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Giants. Reid has to be spending an awful lot of time finding where the running lanes are in the Giants defense and how the offensive line can exploit them. With Evan Mathis back in the offensive line, replacing King Dunlap who filled in, the offensive line is back intact.
The Giants have allowed four 100-yard rushers in nine games this season. However, since allowing Fred Jackson and Reggie Bush to run for 100 
yards each in back to back games, New York hasn’t allowing a running back to run for more than 52 yards in their two games since.
If McCoy can break the Giants’ pattern in the last two games and match what running backs like Beanie Wells (138 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Fred Jackson (121 yards, touchdown) have done previously against the Giants, he can become the first running back to break the 1,000 yard mark this season. It took him 14 games to do this same feat last season.
The Eagles will look to rebound from a surprising loss at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals, a game in which McCoy only carried the ball 14 times, only twice in the fourth quarter when the Birds had the lead. Many fans watching the game were questioning the play calling when, on three consecutive drives, the Eagles went three-and-out on passing plays. Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg will have to call a better game this week if they have any hopes of winning,
“That was just the choice we made,” head coach Andy Reid said when asked about McCoy’s lack of carries.
Well, coach; a different choice will be needed if you want to start winning games. That choice may be made too late.
Of course, the defense won’t be keying on McCoy.
You have to ask yourself, “Is Reid starting Young only because of what he’s paid?”
If he doesn’t start him, fans will ask why Reid acquired him. On the hand, Young hasn’t looked good in his spot appearances.
Talk about a catch-22. But guess who created it?
Seriously folks, I said before McNabb was traded when the question was being asked, “Who’s the bigger problem, Reid or McNabb?” Reid was the bigger problem.
I may have been wrong, because Reid ruined McNabb completely.
For those who are pissed off about my post, I’m so sorry. Let me suggest that you not read whenever you see my name. That’s what I do to some of you.
Tebow with a late rushing TD in the Bronco’s huge upset of the struggling Jets 17-13.. Both Teams are 5-5 and the Bronco’s are a 1/2 game behind the Raiders for teh NFC West which is completely open for grabs.. This is a bad loss of the overhyped Jets (the AFC Version of the Eagles) for the fall behind the Pats 2 games plus lost to them last week and now they are behind the Ravens/Steelers/Bengals/Texans/Titans as potential Wild-Card Teams..
We’re not a team
Mccoy 14, Celek 7 – Giants 27