LeSean McCoy deserves all the credit he’s getting from the national media for performing at an elite level as a hard running, quick-cutting all-purpose back for the Eagles. No doubt the Chicago Bears are gearing up to try to throttle Shady with some kind of defensive alteration to their scheme.
McCoy finished Sunday’s game with a career-best 185 yards on a career-high 30 carries to raise his season rushing total to 754 yards through seven games. Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, the only one ahead of him, has 798, but the Vikes have played one more game… McCoy is averaging 5.6 yards per carry, best in the league for a running back with more than 60 carries.
“I feel like I’m one of the elite guys,” McCoy said. “I think each player has a fight in them, wants to be considered as one of the best players in this league. I feel like every game is an opportunity to prove myself as a guy who is kind of underrated.”
There are two big reasons McCoy has discovered elite status…well, three, actually…
First, he listened to our very own advisor on strength and conditioning, the former GK Brizer, who back in 2009 personally urged McCoy to begin lifting weights in a supervised training regimen…something Shady had never done during his entire high school and college career. It worked.
Second, it is apparent that Howard Mudd’s zone-blocking offensive line is paying off for Shady with a huge dividend of open running lanes for the taking.
Next though, and you can appreciate this even more from watching the Dallas game twice, is the role a smarter and wiser quarterback is playing as Vick changes up plays at the line of scrimmage…plays that then become Shady’s next big run.
Vick was praised for this “smart evolution” by Andy Reid on Monday.
“Well, really, two of the touchdowns were plays that he either changed the play or got rid of one, where we had two of them called in the huddle and you could switch them over to the other,” Reid said. “I thought he played a fine football game. I think you’ve got the numbers, as far as the quarterback rating goes, and so on, that show that, but the little things like you’re talking about here, switching either protections or switching from play to play, I think he’s becoming very comfortable.”
Vick said the night before that the comfort level came from the thorough looks he received of the Dallas defense in the week of practice leading up to the game. A number of offensive players made the same claim afterward.
My favorite audible play-change is when Vick in the shotgun sees a blitz coming from the middle…
changes the play, then runs right at the blitz with a handoff to Shady from the shotgun. Impressive stuff…and Shady takes it from there, with the cutback or change of direction always an option for him to use as he drives past or around the charging masses.
The players go back to work on Thursday to begin practice for the MNF game against da Bears. “You have to prepare and you can’t get away from that,” said Reid. “You can’t compare yourself to anyone else but you have to make sure that you prepare, and preparation is key. You have to go through the process on Thursday coming up here…You have to understand all of the situations, you have to play every play hard at practice, and then you have to take the next day and do the same thing.”
I gotta admit it’s looking better…
* * * * *
Fancy Fantasy Football Results and Standings WEEK 8…..
EEB Brisuksegg Conference:
Team BONE (Boner) (3-4-1) edged Sunny’s Jock Strap (MOTHRA) (5-3), 135-120;
How You Like Dem Apples (Hud) (6-2) outlasted Lancaster RubberNecks (Gary) (3-5), 143-128;
Green Machine (David) (2-6) upset Team Conahan (Robert) (3-5), 110- 94;
Dem Stinken Buns (ATV) (5-3) crushed The Amputatoes (Jerked) (3-4-1), 133-108;
Marty Funkhouser (Harry O.) (6-2) stunned the Nut Chokers (JB) (4-4), 124- 93;
McLuvin’s Pastries (LEO) (2-6) embarrassed Team Jax Eagles (Andrew) (5-3), 111- 69.
WEST DIVISION: W L T Pctg. GB
Marty Funkhouser 6 2 0 .750 —-
Sunny’s Jock Strap 5 3 0 .625 1
Team Jax Eagles 5 3 0 .625 1
Dem Stinken Bums 5 3 0 .625 1
Lancaster RubberNecks 3 5 0 .375 3
Green Machine 2 6 0 .250 4
EAST DIVISION:
How You Like Dem Apples 6 2 0 .750 —-
Nut Chokers 4 4 0 .500 2
The Amputatoes 3 4 1 .429 2.5
Team Bone 3 4 1 .429 2.5
Team Conahan 3 5 0 .375 3
McLuvin’s Pastries 2 6 0 .250 4
Back with more after a break….
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A final thought on Jay Cutler: For the first time since 2007, Cutler gets to play under the same OC in successive seasons. Thus I expect his understanding of Martz’s system to produce better decisions. It doesn’t help my theory that a couple weeks ago, Cutler was lip-read by observers to have said “F*** Off!” to Martz on the sidelines…
Cutler’s passing mechanics have never been his strong point…and they will break down under a massive rush. Eagles D-Line will be aware of this point and will go after it…
You’re never going to get textbook technique out of Cutler… What the Bears want to see out of a pretty good athlete like Cutler is leadership under adversity. My hope is the Eagles can ramp up the adversity on Monday night to the point where Cutler gets frustrated… This tendency to break under pressure seems to be his Achilles heel.
.. I say we go there… and may the best man win… Nothing personal against Cutler, but he reminds me of Leo’s QB#1 from Leo’s youth team last summer—you know, the kid who wanted to quit and blame his teammates when the sacks and INT’s started flying…
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