Running back LeSean McCoy is returning for the final two games of the season. After missing four games with a concussion, McCoy wants to be on the field with his teammates to help the Eagles finish the season on a positive note. McCoy's time away from the team has allowed him to take a big-picture view of what happened to the 2012 Eagles. A team expected to make a playoff run, the Eagles will not make the postseason for the second straight year.
In the weeks ahead, the reasons for the team's disappointing run will be dissected and analyzed. McCoy knows one thing is for certain. Head coach Andy Reid is shouldering too much of the blame for the team's performance.
"Coach Reid is a good coach. He gets blamed for everything. Sometimes when you break down the plays and you break down the mistakes, how do you fault the coach for that?" McCoy said. "Sometimes you feel like he's taking the blame for everything and it's kind of your fault."
McCoy has gone as far to tell Reid personally that he feels as if he's let the head coach down.
"I'm behind Coach Reid 110 percent," McCoy said. "I think we're a good enough group, but we have to go out and do it. I don't think he should get blamed for the turnovers that we caused or the blown mistakes. Things like that he shouldn't be blamed for."
After not playing in four weeks, McCoy expects that he'll split carries more evenly with rookie Bryce Brown, but admitted that he "might want to play more" once the competitive juices get flowing. In Brown's four starts, he compiled the two highest single-game rookie rushing performances in franchise history. McCoy has been impressed by Brown's rapid development.
"He's actually progressed faster than most rookies, even myself," said McCoy who set the franchise single-season rookie rushing record in 2009.
The one area where Brown needs to improve is ball security. He has lost three fumbles this season in 103 carries.
"I believe each rookie has something to work on to get better," McCoy said. "His thing is just holding onto the ball because he's mastered a majority of the stuff so far."
Even thought the Eagles are out of playoff contention, McCoy believes in fighting until the end. If the head coach is willing to shoulder the blame, McCoy will do whatever he can in his power to eliminate those mistakes on the field.
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