With a 6-yard run late in the second quarter, LeSean McCoy surpassed Correll Buckhalter for the most rushing yards by a rookie in franchise history. For the year, the second-round pick out of Pitt has 606 yards after he carried the ball nine times for 48 yards and scored his fourth touchdown of the season in the 27-13 win over the 49ers.
"It's obviously something big for anybody to achieve a record," McCoy said. "I have to give a lot of credit to the offensive linemen and my teammates for helping me out."
McCoy's 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter helped put the finishing touches on the Eagles' fifth straight win which secured a berth in the postseason. While a majority of the Eagles have been in this position before, McCoy relishes the thought of playing in the playoffs for the first time.
"I am very excited," McCoy said. "Growing up in Harrisburg, Pa. and seeing the Eagles and the Steelers go to the playoffs a lot, it seems like a lot of fun. I am very excited."
McCoy also caught three passes for 8 yards on Sunday and his 56 yards from scrimmage were the most since he cracked the 100-yard total in the Nov. 29 win over Washington. In the last two games, McCoy had 30 rushing yards on 16 carries and 50 receiving yards on seven receptions. McCoy didn't deny that the length of the NFL season was taking a toll on his body.
"I think it's not the games, it the practices. You talk to a lot of your friends who are still playing in college and they're done," said McCoy, who also has 37 catches for 264 yards this season. "So, you kind of feel it, but as for me and Jeremy (Maclin), we are playing a lot and winning games. It's different. It's the first time we are in the playoffs and it's exciting for us. It's different for us, because we are experiencing it and enjoying it."
McCoy has had to shoulder a much bigger load than expected this season. Brian Westbrook has missed a total of eight games due to injury. McCoy is third among all rookies in rushing yards behind Denver's Knowshon Moreno (879) and Arizona's Beanie Wells (706). Both Moreno and Wells were first-round selections.
Coincidentally, the player who previously held the Eagles' rookie rushing record, Correll Buckhalter, will travel to Philadelphia next Sunday as a member of the Denver Broncos.
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 10:29 p.m., December 20*
