Philadelphia Eagles Vs. New York Giants: LeSean McCoy Ready To Be "Shady" Again

LeSean "Shady" McCoy seems to be the forgotten man in the Philadelphia Eagles offense. As his moniker implies, McCoy has been "shady" in his young career. Big name play-makers Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson get most of the recognition. But somehow, lost in the shuffle is always "Shady."  

After a rookie season that came with its growing pains, the Eagles made McCoy the feature back this season. Last year, the aging Brian Westbrook was still a member of the Eagles and somewhat limited McCoy. The Eagles took what they saw in McCoy in his rookie year and decided it was sufficient enough to make him "the guy."  

Andy Reid's complex offense needs a multi-faceted running back. This is the reason why the undersized Westbrook was able to succeed here. Though it's primarily a pass-first attack, the screens to running backs are critical and they draft with that in mind.

Following blockers, McCoy is equally as impressive on the screen. The Eagles allow their backs to get creative and keep moving forward with this type of play. It's now become a staple in Reid's version of the West Coast Offense.

McCoy's season to date is among the best of any Eagles runner ever. He will likely exceed 300 touches and about 1,800 all-purpose yards. These are great numbers for a tough young runner like McCoy.  

Perhaps most impressive are McCoy's 70 catches through 13 games. As Westbrook had done before, McCoy leads all Eagles in receptions this season. This proves how much the screen pass is a part of this offense. 

If McCoy continues to get the job done for the Eagles, they'll claim the NFC East and possibly a bye. The fact that McCoy has been as good as he has without "star" recognition shows just how lethal this offense is.

It's lived off of the big plays, even when they're not touchdown-scoring plays.  McCoy took a part in that on Sunday against Dallas with a great second half to seal the victory.  

McCoy needs to continue to play his role down the stretch. This game with the Giants will be a great test for this young Eagle squad. With division supremacy on the line, the Eagles look to defeat the Giants for a sixth consecutive time on Sunday.