After a month of making history, running back LeSean McCoy has been awarded the NFC Offensive Player of the Month award for the month of December. McCoy’s month to conclude the season included numerous franchise records and countless highlights.
In the month of December, McCoy ran the ball 101 times for 598 yards and four touchdowns in five games. He added 18 receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown through the air. With 147.6 total yards per game and a 6.2 yards-per-touch average, Shady was unstoppable.
Undoubtedly number 25’s best game came on December 8th in a game that has since been deemed as the “Snow Bowl.” In eight inches of snow, McCoy broke the Eagles franchise record for rushing yards in a game with 217 yards. The previous record, held by Steve Van Buren, was over 60 years old. The game included a 40-yard and a 57-yard touchdown in the second half, touchdowns that helped seal the 34-20 victory in a game that will be remembered by Philadelphia fans for generations.
McCoy’s franchise records didn’t stop there. In the month of December, the former Pitt Panther’s 738 total yards put him at the top of the leader board for the Eagles single-season franchise records in rushing and total yards from scrimmage. Since 1979, Wilbert Montgomery’s 1,512 rushing yards stood atop the list for the Eagles franchise. McCoy’s 1,607 rush yards in 2013 crushed the former record. In addition, Brian Westbrook’s 2007 season was one of the greatest of all-time for an Eagles running back. With 2,104 total yards, Westbrook held the franchise record for total yards for just six years until McCoy’s 2,146 from 2013 broke the record.
The NFL’s rushing title, given to the player with the most rushing yards in the season, will be in Philadelphia for the first time since 1949. McCoy was far ahead of all other NFL running backs and took home the title by a margin of 268 yards over the next leading rusher, Matt Forte. LeSean McCoy was helped by leading the league in rushing attempts, as well, but nobody else in the top 16 averaged the 5.1 yards per carry McCoy piled up – the true stat by which an effective back should be measured.
In just four years and 58 games as a starter, Shady has already catapulted his name into the top ranks of running backs in the league and possible the best running back in the Philadelphia Eagles 80-year history. “There’s always room for improvement,” McCoy says.
In McCoy’s only two playoff games, losses to the Cowboys and Packers in 2009 and 2010, he totaled 115 yards. To ensure he is the best running back in Eagles history, he will have to perform in the postseason like his predecessor, Brian Westbrook did. Westbrook was always a dangerous weapon in postseason play and McCoy has his first big opportunity to do just that this year.
“We’re made for the playoffs,” says McCoy. “Everyone is so excited for us to be here, but we should be here. We prepared to be champions of the division.”
December is over but the Eagles season is far from over. LeSean McCoy rushed for 134 more yards than the entire Saints team. He has a chance to face the 19th ranked rushing defense, allowing 111.6 rushing yards per game, on Saturday night. If the Eagles plan to head to Charlotte in the divisional round, Shady will definitely have to play a big role. He’s admired his season’s accomplishments but he knows better than anyone, the 2013 NFL season is far from over.
Follow Brenden on Twitter @brendenp2011.
Its well deserved! The most important, key contributor to the offense has been Shady!! He is the best running back in the league!!
He is defiantly the best RB we have ever had. I’m not old enough to fully appreciate Wilbert Montgomery so somebody would have to tell me something I don’t know. I watched games of him but its not the same. With that being said Shady is a combination of the fast Rick Waters from SF and the Big Ricky Waters that played here and Seattle mixed with Brian Westbrook’s shiftiness. He is not the wr Westbrook was but a lot of that is bc he is not asked to catch that many balls and we have more weapons than we did then. he runs with speed and he finishes runs too. His jukes are second to only Barry Sanders. I can’t recall another back this elusive that wasn’t one dimensional. On top of that he is tough plays through pain like he did 2 years ago and is always in tip top shape. As fans its hard for us to truly appreciate what it takes to get up and work as hard as Shady does when you are already paid and already really good. When you get players that are truly in love with playing football no matter the score/record or where they are personally you have to enjoy it. I don’t care who you are or how good you are football is not something you can just do and be great at without that next level of dedication. Shady is a great back I’m glad he plays for the birds.
What a tremendous honor bestowed upon a such a magnificent and desrving talent. Congrats Lesean!!!
Wilbert was a Great Back and still my Favorite All-Time RB the Eagles ever had.. But Shady has unbelievable Talent,cat-like quickness and the ability to stop,change directions,and get to full speed in a heartbeat similar to what Barry Sanders was able to do inhis brilliant… The only knock, I have on Shady is his pas-protection is adeqaute at best, and could be better if he chose it to be.. McCoy is a Stronger Player than meets the eye, and can handle it if he wanted to…but outside of that , he’s an Elite RB and one of the Top 3 in all the NFL (Adrian Peterson, Jamall Charles & Lesean McCoy)
I am sure that Manning & Charles will be getting a lot of votes, but I believe that Shadey has a legit shot at the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Rushing leader plus a good number of yards on receptions, I think he deserves it.
Peyton should unanimously be the MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. Shady should be #2 on OPOTY
SI article regarding awards:
The pulse of the NFL season changes weekly. Every Wednesday, SI.com will break down the front-runners for the major NFL awards.
MVP
1. Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos (last week: 1): Manning has owned this spot dating back to his Week 1 demolition of the defending Super Bowl champions when he threw seven touchdowns. Denver wound up slipping up a few times along the way, but Manning was the catalyst for the league’s best offense and top seed in the AFC. His 55 touchdowns are a single-season record and he broke — albeit somewhat controversially — the single-season yardage record as well with 5,477. This award with be Manning’s fifth, most in the history of the league, but it will certainly mean more to Manning if he can finish this season with a Super Bowl ring to go along with it.
2. LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (2): Nick Foles’ numbers are stunning, but he would not have achieved them without the help of McCoy. Arguably the league’s most versatile weapon, he led the NFL in rushing and yards from scrimmage, setting an Eagles record. But the Eagles didn’t just constantly feed him the ball — McCoy averaged 5.1 yards per carry, good enough for second-best among regular starters. It’s hard to imagine the Eagles winning the NFC East — even in a down year — without the magnificent performance of McCoy as an all-purpose weapon.
3. Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers (NR): Don’t be fooled by the record or the narrative surrounding Rivers, who’s coming off some inconsistent seasons under Norv Turner. Rivers nearly broke the single-season completion record, was second among regular starters in passer rating and tossed 32 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions. Rivers also lead four game-winning drives and aside from that awful pick-six against Houston, played extremely well late in games for the Chargers, leading them to the playoffs.
Offensive Player of the Year
1. Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos (1): I was shocked to see not one other SI.com expert picked Manning for this award given the season he had. There’s no question Manning had the best season of any offensive player in the league, considering he had one of the greatest seasons ever at the quarterback position (although, as I argued Tuesday, it’s not even his best year). Think about this: Peyton Manning attempted nine more total passes than Drew Brees, but threw 16 more touchdowns, 315 more yards and two fewer interceptions. It wasn’t just an incredible offensive season for Manning, but it was light years ahead of anyone else at the position.
2: LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (2): Beyond Manning, there’s such a dropoff that whomever you put second really ought to be third with blank in second. But that’s not a slight to the seasons that guys like McCoy, Jamaal Charles, Josh Gordon and others had. McCoy, in particular, was brilliant. His make-you-miss runs are reminiscent of Barry Sanders and no one in football is more dangerous in the open field. If not for a few blowouts and the competency of Bryce Brown as a No. 2 running back, McCoy could have really had a historically great season. To have 2,146 total yards on 366 touches and just one fumble is also truly an amazing feat.
3. Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (3): To me, McCoy and Charles are interchangeable here. Charles’ 19 total touchdowns lead the league, and he was a tick behind McCoy in rushing yards and total yards, all while playing one game fewer than McCoy. His 70 receptions was good for 17th best in the league at any position and led the Chiefs in every conceivable offensive category. He was the Chiefs offense, and found ways to affect the game every week, whether it was with 20 carries or 10 catches.
Defensive Player of the Year
1. Robert Quinn DE, St. Louis Rams (1): In a passing league, the most important thing a player can do defensively is put pressure on the quarterback. No one was better at doing that in 2013 than Robert Quinn. He had five multiple sack games this season and two games where he recorded three sacks. His defensive effort turned multiple games for the Rams who have one of the most ferocious pass rushes in the league. Robert Mathis was the only player to have more sacks and more forced fumbles than Quinn.
2 Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers (3): Carolina hung its hat on its defense and Kuechly was the biggest reason why. He finished with 156 tackles, four interceptions, two sacks and seven passes defended. The Panthers finished second in points allowed, yards, and against the rush, plus sixth against the pass. Kuechly possesses tremendous range and burst, allowing him to make plays in both phases of the game with equal dexterity. The Panthers boast one of the best defensive lines in football to keep opposing linemen off their linebackers, but Kuechly has incredible instincts which he uses to shoot gaps and make plays at the line of scrimmage. He’s the best inside linebacker in football.
3. Robert Mathis, OLB, Indianapolis Colts (NR): Statistically, Mathis had a better year than Quinn, but his impact certainly wasn’t equal. For instance, five of his 19.5 sacks came in two games against Jacksonville, games the Colts won by a combined 67-13. Mathis was a one-man wrecking crew against the Broncos in the Colts’ win over Denver, and was perhaps the most consistent pass rusher in the NFL this season, despite playing with almost no help in that department. In a season loaded with big-time defensive players, Mathis certainly belongs in the discussion, but his lack of marquee games hurt him.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
1. Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay Packers (1): It’s hard to go wrong between Lacy and Keenan Allen. Lacy gets the nod because of the adversity he dealt with while still performing. Even without Aaron Rodgers for seven games, Lacy rushed for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns, second-most in the league. Lacy wound up fifth in attempts and eighth in rushing yards, a credit to how much Green Bay leaned on him in the absence of their star quarterback. Lacy also scored five touchdowns in the final four games as the Packers went 3-1 and bounded into the playoffs.
2. Keenan Allen, WR, San Diego Chargers (2): Had Allen been San Diego’s No. 1 option from Week 1 on, it’s likely he’d be atop this list because once Rivers found out what kind of talent Allen had, the passing attack went through him. Even in just 14 starts, Allen managed 71 catches for 1,046 yards and eight touchdowns. His numbers did dip late in the season when teams began to plan for him — which is another reason he sits at second on this list — but both Allen and Lacy are future studs at their positions. It’s hard to imagine either Green Bay or San Diego making the playoffs without the contributions of their rookie playmakers.
3. Giovani Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals (NR): Bernard was one of several rookie running backs suffering from a dearth of touches, particularly in comparison to his team’s options at the position. Bernard was lightning seemingly every time he touched the ball, yet the Bengals never consistently integrated him into the offense. He finished with 170 carries for 695 yards plus 56 receptions for 514 yards and eight total touchdowns. When the Bengals were trying to find a complimentary offensive weapon for A.J. Green, they should have focused more on their jitterbug rookie back.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
1. Sheldon Richardson, DL, New York Jets (1): Richardson was one of two rookies to make the SI.com All-Pro team and was one of the best run-stoppers in football this season. Fighting double teams constantly, Richardson was a force on the interior for one of the best rush defenses in the league. New York never really cut him loose as a rusher, but he certainly has the physical skills to be a special pass rusher as well. He is the thunder to Muhammed Wilkerson’s lightning in the best 1-2 defensive line punch in football.
2. Tyrann Mathieu, DB, Arizona Cardinals (NR): Mathieu’s season was cut short by a knee injury, but prior to that he was fast becoming one of the most versatile defenders in the NFL. The statistics don’t tell the whole story for Mathieu who played safety, corner, and even linebacker at times for the Cardinals. He turned into an All-Pro caliber corner in nickel situations, even making honorable mention for SI.com. Given how well Arizona’s defense played down the stretch, it’s scary to think how much better they could have been with the Honey Badger patrolling the defensive backfield as well.
3. Kiko Alonso, LB, Buffalo Bills (3): Alonso started the year like gangbusters and fell off as the season went on. Still, he became one of the best cover linebackers in football and finished the season with 159 tackles and four interceptions — all four interceptions came in the first four weeks of the season. Alonso was a tackling machine for the Bills on what developed into a really solid defense. You’d like to see him make a bigger impact in the running game and making plays on the other side of the line of scrimmage, but he’s one of the best young linebackers in the game.
Coach of the Year
1. Chip Kelly, Philadelphia Eagles (1): No team was affected more by a coach in 2013 than Chip Kelly, who gave the Eagles an identity. Kelly turned Nick Foles from a middling backup to a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback playing at efficiency level matched only by Peyton Manning. Kelly injected life into Philly’s defense, despite many of its personnel flaws. And in Philadelphia’s biggest games this year, the Eagles came through, one of the biggest criticisms of the Andy Reid era. Even in a game the Eagles didn’t need in Week 16, they pummeled the Bears in a game that prevented the Bears from clinching the NFC North, and ultimately kept the Bears out of the playoffs.
2. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots (2): Perhaps no coach in the league could have steered the ship in New England this season as well as the future Hall of Fame coach. The Patriots, coming off a tumultuous offseason, faced the first four weeks without Rob Gronkowski, and integrated a host of new offensive players. Over the course of the season, New England lost more than a dozen of its premiere contributors on both sides of the ball including All-Pros like Gronkowski, Vince Wilfork, Jerod Mayo and others. To go 12-4, win the NFC East and snag a first-round bye with a roster of plug-and-play guys cannot be overlooked.
3. Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers (NR): On the hot seat at one point, Ron Rivera became a potential COY candidate with a simple change of philosophy: trust your players and gamble a little more. He never really lived up to the “Riverboat Ron” moniker, but as the season wore on, it appeared he began to understand the mistakes he’d made in the past. Helping lead one of the best defenses in the league and as Cam Newton has grown, the Panthers developed into a legitimate NFC contender.
Thanks Mhenski, good picks by SI. No doubt my pick has a lot more emphasis on me being an Eagles fan than objective!!
GO BIRDS!!
Some Good Picks but I have to differ with some of them
League MVP
1) Manning
2) McCoy
3) Charles
Coach of the Year
1) Chip Kelly (from Worst to 1st in the NFC East)
2) Ron Rivera (Panthers – 1st NFC Crown in Years for Panthers)
3) Mike McCoy (Chargers over Bellicheck.. Hell, I could catch 50 Receptions with Tom Brady as my QB)
Defensive MVP
1) Luke Kuechley – Leader of Panthers D and led them to 12-4 Record, though Quinn had a great Season, the Rams sill finished in the basement of a tough NFC West
2) Robert Quinn – (DE) SL Rams
3) Richard Sherman (CB) Leader of that Seahawk Secondary,has made important Int’s and who plays well in the Big games…
Offensive Rookie of the Year
1) RB Eddie Lacy (Packers had a nice Season and helped keep the Packers in it once Rodgers went down)
2) WR Keenan Allen (Chargers had a great Rookie Season and really stepped up the final 10 Weeks of the Season to become the go-to WR for the Chargers and QB P Rivers and remember that Chargers lost their 2 Top WR in Pre-season in Floyd/Johnson and really had an unknown WR Corp coming into this Season)
3) Tie with RB’s G Bernard (Bengals) and RB L Bell (Steelers)
Defensive Rookie of the Year
1) Kiko Alonso – LB Buffalo Bills – Hands down, became a leader, 159 Tackles 2 Sacks , 4 Int’s 1 Forced Fumble 2 Fumble Recoveries and flew around the field and was a demon on Special Teams also
2) Sheldon Richardson – DT NY Jets – became a force for one of he NFL’s best Young DL with the JEts paird with Mohhamed and Q Couples gives the Jets a nice D: for many years ahead.. Also ran for 2 TD’s in red-zone packages for the Jets tying the Fridge for most Rushing TD’s by a DL..
3) Alec Ogletree – LB (SL Rams – 117 Tackles, 10 Passes Defended, 1 Int – 6 Forced Fumbles and played every game)
The SI article recognizes what I have been saying for weeks…Shady McCoy is the superstar on this team, the best offensive player…hands down!
Yep, McCoy is a superstar.
So is Peters…. He is a 5-time Pro Bowler & 2-time First-Team All-Pro.
Master of the obvious. Every eagles fan has been saying he was the best player for three years. You just realized it six weeks ago?
Looking at it objectively Jamaal Charles may just of had a better year than Shady.Charles is on a KC team where he is the ONLY threat on offense. He plays with a very pedestrian passing game and the only player defenses have to game plan against. He sat out week 17 and ended up with 1300 yards rushing 12 tds and 70 rec for 700 yards and 7 tds. in 15 games. Not taking anything away from Shady but he has 2 all-pro OL a stud receiver and a prolific passer on his offense. Just saying.