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Nick Foles isn't the only Philadelphia Eagles player to have his game gear sent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this season. Joining Foles is now Eagles running back LeSean McCoy after his performance in the Eagles' 34-20 win over the Lions on Sunday. According to reports, McCoy's jersey, gloves, and cleats will be making their way to Canton, Ohio.
McCoy was purely dominant in Philadelphia's victory. The man they call Shady rushed for a single-game franchise record 217 yards on 29 carries; a whopping 7.5 average yards per carry. McCoy finished with 2 vital touchdowns and a longest run of 57 yards. Plus, he did it all despite the challenge of the snow. Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Steve Van Buren previously held the franchise record. In 1949, Van Buren gained 205 yards on the ground against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Shady's effort topped that performance by 12 yards.
After the game, McCoy spoke on the honor of breaking Van Buren's record.
[Van Buren] is definitely a hall of famer and one of the best backs to ever play this game, and he played here in Philadelphia. It means a lot. I think records are meant to be broken, and it's been standing for so long. He's the kind of guy that if you're going to break a record, why not his? He's a guy that put so much work in. [We're already connected] by the [single-season] touchdown record. We have some history together.
[I've] actually watched some tape on him. He was pretty good and very dominant.
The Eagles' star running back is having a great 2013 campaign. McCoy is currently the NFL's leading rusher with 1,305 yards. That's not simply a volume number, either. His 5.0 average yards per carry is the highest among qualified NFL running backs. When you account for McCoy's receiving yards, he boasts a total of 1744 yards from scrimmage with an average of 134.2 per game. Talk about instant offense.
McCoy's individual success leads to larger team success. The Eagles rank first in the NFL in rushing yards per game with an average of 158.5 yards. The next closest team is 14.7 yards short of that mark. Philadelphia has rushed for 2061 total yards on the season. Chip Kelly was known for running the ball often at Oregon so it's not surprising to see him doing the same thing in the professional ranks. Especially when there's a player as talented as LeSean McCoy on the roster. McCoy in Kelly's offense was a match made in heaven.
Earlier in the year, I wrote about how McCoy is the best running back in the NFL. This recent franchise record breaking performance is just another reminder that he's also one of the best backs in team history, if not the best.
