The Eagles are on life-support from here on out. In a game against the 6-3 New York Giants with Vince Young starting at quarterback, the 3-6 Eagles last hope looked dim. The Giants keyed on LeSean McCoy the entire game and were shutting him down, something defenses failed to do so far this season. However, McCoy still managed to finish the Giants off late and played a big part in the Eagles Sunday night win.
Heading into the final 15 minutes, Shady carried the ball just 14 times for a lousy 43 yards. The Giants brought a lot of pressure and the offensive line just couldn’t handle New York’s front seven for the majority of the game. It seemed like every play, McCoy had to make defenders miss in the backfield just to get back to the line of scrimmage.
Throughout the entire game, number 25 had eight of his 23 carries stopped for zero or negative yards. Still, the Eagles kept a balanced attack.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Eagles led 17-10 and controlled the ball after Jason Babin forced a fumble by Eli Manning on a productive drive the Giants were putting together to attempt to tie the game. All the Eagles and McCoy needed after that was two carries to seal the victory.
On the first play of the final drive, McCoy ran for seven yards to drag the clock down to 1:11. The following play, he was able to squeeze through a small hole on the right side and was in open field. With a defender in front of him, McCoy made a move that would surprise even Barry Sanders and he was off to the races. He was finally caught and pushed out of bounds at the two yard line, but with 58 seconds remaining, and the Giants with just one timeout, the Birds were able to kill the clock.
After being shut down all day, the Eagles running back was able to put the final dagger in the Giants as he has done before. In week 11 last season, McCoy put away the Giants with a 50 yard touchdown run with under five minutes left in the final quarter. The Eagles were able to close out that game and win as well, thanks in part to McCoy’s 111 rush yards.
Even when Shady didn’t have the ball in his hands, he was important to the offense. On a number of Vince Young’s 36 pass attempts, his running back gave him extra time in the pocket to deliver a strike downfield. Thanks to the pass blocking by the offensive linemen and McCoy’s blocking, Young was only sacked one time.
For the first time of the season, the former Pitt Panther failed to get into the endzone. After his 60-yard gallop to the two yard line, the Eagles decided to just kneel to play it safe and kill the clock. McCoy likely could have finished the game with a touchdown if Philadelphia decided to run the ball once more.
In the past three seasons, Shady is the second best fourth quarter running back (based on y.p.c.). With nine carries and 70 yards in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win, he kept his case alive by averaging an impressive 7.8 yards per carry.
On the final run, he topped 1,000 yards on the season, the first running back to do so in the season and the only Eagles player to ever do so in just ten games.
Even after being shut down for three and a half quarters, averaging just 2.2 yards on 21 carries, Shady was able to take his final two carries 67 yards to put the Giants to rest and keep the Eagles season alive for at least one more week.
When we said goodbye to our beloved Brian Westbrook I thought it would be a long time before we had someone who could rival his talent. I was wrong. In a season full of disappointment and under achieving McCoy has been a consistent bright spot. Along with Jason Peter’s I can see McCoy being the Eagles offensive represenatives in the Pro Bowl.
Nice finish for McCoy who didn’t have his A game earlier in the game,
their must have been a good 4-5 times where he didn’t follow the correct hold where play was called to and instead tries his cutback and actully lost yardage.. I love watching him run but I do wish he would follow the play as called and get thryu the hole first, then make your cutbacks, he jukes around a little too much for my liking, but hell, it’s been working and effective so far..
Offense – RB McCoy & LT J Peters
Defense Possibly DL C Jenkins or DE J Babin (based on his Sack #’s alone and not necessarily on his overall play) Babin is a Pass-rusher and that’s about it…
Eagles got it right. Not enough is said when the Eagles make the right moves. We are always quick to criticize. But cudos to the Eagles and the Jason Peters signing. When he first came he was average at best. We all criticized him, myself included. But now we have the best LT in all of football. Great signing. 2 all pros this year. Peters and McCoy.
I told everyone DRC was garbage before they traded for him. Teams completed 68% of their passes against him last year and it continues.
He stands around looking at everyone play and I can’t believe guys on here were stoked when the Eagles traded for that bum. When he comes back just have him return kicks …..he’s a liability in the secondary.
Songs I heard Collingsworth on the broadcast state that the Giants were unhappy that DRC was hurt. They considered Hanson a much better slot cover corner. Well the trade worked out. We traded one bum for another.
Songs and Dag – I hear you – but if 22 leaves next year and DRC plays well on the outside – Dude has an ego problem and doesn’t put any effort or humility into becoming a good slot CB – he pretty much stated so – then you will be wrong. Look how good Peters is after being on the team for a few years. I highly doubt that we’ve seen DRC’s best football as an Eagle. Like clockwork – you’re jumping the gun with inpatient conclusions.
Look, the 3 CB thing clearly didn’t work out, and I wanted Hanson in a while ago. But if DRC pans out next year and the team is playing better overall then, I’ll be happy then, and you’ll be sitting here calling players ‘ass’ still.
It amazes me how many of you come on here and act like you know what you are talking about. Songs in particular.
DRC is not “garbage” — he’s playing out of position. Much like Nnamdi. Both players have shown they are pro bowl corners when used the RIGHT way.
I am not sold on DCR as a legitimate “All-Pro” CB, but I am not giving up on him either… He is definitely not a slot-cover CB as many of us have stated..but has a lot of upside and needs to get stronger.. He will most likely miss the next 2 games or so and will probably be used as a “Nickle or Dime Back” when Eagles are facing multiple WR’s formations but I expect it will be
Samuel,Asmo on the Outsides with Hanson on the inside to be the primary CB’s on the field as the Eagles continue to march for the Playoffs for these 3 will give the Eagles their best chance of winning .. I would like to see DCR handle Kick-offs and even some Punts..