After back-to-back games in which he carried the ball 28 and 30 times consecutively, both career highs at the time, for a combined 311 yards, it looked like nothing could stop Eagles running back LeSean McCoy. Then came the stomach flu. McCoy missed Thursday's practice because of the stomach bug and has been in dire straights the last few days, unable to keep any food down. But regardless of his dwindling comfort level, McCoy won't let anything stand in his way of playing against the Chicago Bears on Monday night (after all, this is a guy who played with a broken rib last season).
"I feel a little weak," McCoy said. "I'll get back in the flow of things and I'll be fine.
"I'll play."
That's obviously good news for an Eagles team that has relied more on McCoy and the running game than is characteristic under head coach Andy Reid. This season, McCoy has announced himself as one of the premier running backs in the league, as he ranks second in rushing yards, only 44 yards behind Adrian Peterson despite playing one fewer game, first among qualifying running backs in yards per carry with 5.6, and tied for first in touchdowns with 10. Still, the third-year rusher remains humble, sharing the credit with his offensive teammates.
"You're hearing more people talk about myself or the team but I don't really get too involved with that stuff because it comes and goes," said McCoy. "Next week or two weeks from now, there will be a different guy who's supposed to be the top back. And I'm just lucky. I'm lucky to have these players around me. People would die to have DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick around them. It takes a lot of pressure off them. I'm sure, no disrespect to (Bears running back Matt Forte), but I'm sure he would love to have a Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson, Maclin, those guys, on the same side as them. It takes a lot of pressure off of them. I don't want to get too carried away, I'm just happy to have those guys on my side.
"It just shows you the hard work and the type of O-line I have blocking for me. They open up so much space for me to run, to make yards. I just have to give a lot of praise to them for kind of giving me the position I'm in right now. To be so early and recognized with those type of backs in the same sentence, it says a lot about myself and my teammates and my O-line."
Meanwhile, Forte, 6-2, 218, is having a similarly impressive season to McCoy, as he leads all running backs in yards from scrimmage. The two youngsters have both established themselves as upper-echelon running backs, and McCoy has plenty of respect for the Bears' bell-cow.
"I trained with him a little bit this summer during the lockout," said McCoy. "He's a big back, he's fast, he's very quick. I think he's a good back. I think he's one of the better backs in this league. I look at him as more of a complete back. A lot of guys are pretty good just running the ball. I think Forte is good at everything. He blocks, he runs, he runs well, breaks tackles, he's shifty in his own little way and he catches the ball well. Any guy that can make plays after the first defender in the area is a pretty good back."
But not the best back. That mantle, in NFL history, goes to Barry Sanders in McCoy's opinion. McCoy said that any comparison between him and Sanders are beyond flattering, but totally out of line this early on.
"Barry Sanders was my favorite player growing up," McCoy said. "I've got a long way to get on his type of level. I mean, you're talking about one of the best players, I say the best back of all time. So I've got a lot of improvement to be in that type of shoes. I've got a long way to fulfill Brian Westbrook's shoes, so I don't really get too wrapped up in who's who, who I'm better than, who I run like. That stuff will take care of itself."
