LeSean McCoy thinks squaring off with Adrian Peterson would be a dream. Image:Sports Illustrated
In the lead up to Sunday's Eagles game in Minnesota against the Vikings, the defense may be hoping to catch a break by not having to square off against Adrian Peterson who's status is up in the air for the game.
Not LeSean McCoy.
McCoy, the league's leading rusher with 1,305 yards through this season's first 13 games hopes that he has the chance to go head-to-head with Peterson who is widely considered to be the best back in all of football.
"Hopefully he's healthy and he does play," McCoy said. "I think it's a nice challenge for our team, and also myself. A one-on-one battle."
Peterson did not practice for the Vikings on Wednesday due to a foot-sprain suffered in Sunday's game in Baltimore against the Ravens. McCoy may just have to wait for his next chance to go toe-to-toe with the two-time rushing title winner.
Given his arsenal, McCoy is picking up steam in terms of his recognition league-wide and among fans in terms of possibly surpassing Peterson as the league's best running back, but he isn't quite ready to go there.
"I definitely think I'm in the top five," McCoy told reporters Wednesday, before adding: "top three."
The 25-year old says he is a big fan of Peterson, Jamaal Charles, Marshawn Lynch and Arian Foster.
In McCoy's mind there is a strict skill-set one must possess to qualify for his list.
"Guys have a pretty good offensive line so they're going to get yards, but what else can you do special?" McCoy said. "Is he a shifty back, does he run you over, does he catch, does he run routes, is he a matchup mismatch for other defenders? What makes that guy special? All the guys I mentioned, I could give you two, three, four, five attributes that make them a special back."
Whether or not McCoy believes he is at the top of the class, it's hard to argue his impact on the offense, especially under first-year head coach Chip Kelly.
While it seems as if Kelly has made a conscious effort to preserve McCoy in the midst of the game to keep him fresh in the important latter stages, his contributions in the fourth quarter above all others cannot be ignored.
In his career, McCoy has 11 fourth quarter touchdown runs averaging 37 yards.
While McCoy is in the midst of a career-best season, fresh off setting the single game franchise rushing mark, his success goes beyond his uncanny ability to cut on a dime, burst past defenders or his breakaway speed.
"I think obviously there is a cumulative effect as the game goes along," Kelly said. "I also think your guys up front have to continue to do what they are doing. At times it doesn't matter how strong the running back is if we are not strong up front we are not going to get any initial push at the line of scrimmage."
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.
