LeSean McCoy and the Eagles run game have been grounded since a fast start in the first four games of the season. Photo Courtesy: Bleacher Report
LeSean McCoy's fast start to the season not only raised expectations that the franchise running back would spend this season marching towards the single season rushing record, but for Chip Kelly's supposed revolutionary offense as well.
Through the first seven Weeks of the season McCoy paced the league, as the NFL's leading rusher with 685 yards.
However, the pizazz of McCoy's fast start when the 25-year old eclipsed 150 yards rushing in two of the Eagles first three games has been replaced by the disappointment of him failing to reach the century mark in four of the last five.
"I think sometimes LeSean is trying to press too much and trying to hit a home run on every play instead of letting it develop," Kelly told the media Monday at his day after press conference. " If we start to move east/west and we're not getting our shoulders squared to the end zone and starting to get the ball downhill, I think we get into some situations that are tough to get ourselves out of."
McCoy's struggles have been well documented and his yards per carry average has dipped to 4.7 as the Eagles offense has struggled to make him a focal point in recent weeks.
On paper most head coahces would salivate over a back that posted over a four-and-a half yards per carry average, but McCoy's current numbers are a sharp decline from his 7.0 average from the first four games of the season.
While the offense has been stagnant as a whole in recent weeks part of the onus falls on McCoy who has the unique ability to shake defenders in the open field and make breathtaking cuts. There are times though where the holes are opened by the offensive line and McCoy cuts away from them rather then hitting them with force.
"I think at times because of LeSean's competitiveness," Kelly pointed out "He's trying to hit the home run. It's one of his strengths, too. It's the tough part where you regulate it. There's times where you're like, ‘No, no, no, great run, big guy.’ That's what you get with him."
“I just gotta try to be more consistent, making plays when plays are granted, taking them,” said a frustrated McCoy, standing at his locker in front of a group of reporters after Sunday's 15-7 loss to the New York Giants. “Today was a little better, but not good enough. I had so much success against the Giants for so long, so it bothers me. I’ve gotta get it going. It starts with me. I need to make better decisions, which I’m not.”
Kelly is quick to defend his offensive scheme which started the year heavily grounded in the run game, but against some of the brightest defensive minds in the game the onus now falls on Kelly to adjust.
"The last two weeks we haven't been good at it," McCoy said of his ability to adjust on the fly when trouble strikes. "It's just the way it is. The end result is the end result, no matter how you look at it. We haven't been productive on the offensive side of the ball, so we haven't done a good job in those adjustments."
McCoy has struggled and surely must adapt moving forward based on what he sees on film, but the head coach certainly must find a way to rediscover the spark that ignited the offense through the first quarter of the season.
Matt Lombardo is the Editor-In-Chief of Eagledelphia and also an on-air personality on 97.5 FM The Fanatic in Philadelphia. Join the conversation and follow Matt on Twitter.
Eagles schedule from TicketCity
