John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
Philadelphia Eagles fans took a deep breath when LeSean McCoy went down with a leg injury late in the second quarter. It was a scary sight for the team and its rabid fan base. The man they call “Shady” is one of, if not the most important players on the team, and his loss would have devastated any chance the Eagles had of being a viable playoff contender this season.
McCoy returned in the third quarter and you could almost feel a collective sigh of relief as he got a standing ovation. He is a man the Eagles simply need to make the offensive engine run. Chip Kelly leans on him in the running and passing game, as well as blocking in line in key situations. His loss would be equated to Jason Peters‘ loss last season.
Player health is going to be one huge factor in how far this team goes both in the 2013-14 campaign and in future seasons. McCoy right now is on pace for over 2,000 yards, a remarkable achievement that’s nothing to scoff at. He is playing, with no disrespect to Adrian Peterson, like the very best running back in the league. He is quite comfortably ahead in rushing yards at running back after three games.
Fantasy owners must have also breathed a sigh of relief. McCoy avoided what looked like certain disaster. His leg is fine, and now the Eagles need to ride Shady’s legs as far as they can take them.
