LeSean McCoy is an outstanding back and he’s been proving that on the football field, but just like Michael Vick has to know when it’s the proper time to pull the ball down and run with it. McCoy has to know when it’s time to leave his blocking and cut back.
He improvised on that 4th and one play and it was a mistake. In fact it was a major mistake. McCoy does that at times and should be called on the carpet for it. One of the keys to being a good football player is knowing what situation you’re in. Football is a situational sport and the key to a player’s thinking on each play should be greatly affected by the situation.
Sometimes McCoy leaves his blocking too soon before giving the play a chance. Of course there are other times when he makes something out of nothing because he leaves the blocking and it was a good decision. That’s what McCoy did on the miraculous touchdown run he made against the Giants, where he ran through about six unblocked defensive players.
The run was supposed to go to the right side of the line, but he cut it back immediately when he got the ball in his hands and left the blocking.
The 4th down and one play was a completed different situation. On the front side of the play on the left side, the 
line had blocked well enough for McCoy to get that one-yard that was needed by McCoy cut it back into a bevy of unblocked defenders.
That proved to be a costly mistake which had a lot to do with why they lost the football game. McCoy should be patted on the back for the great job he did running the football on Sunday, but he should also be called on the carpet in the meeting room for making that costly mistake.
He seemed to be looking for the big play on that fourth down and one, when he should have been only looking that one yard needed for the first down.
Michael Vick has learned to give each pass pattern a chance before taking his eyes off of the wide receivers down field and leaving the pocket on a scramble. Each time he drops into the pocket, he needs know the situation, down and distance to go for the first down.
McCoy shouldn’t make that mistake again in the future.
Nobody ever left his blocking sooner or took more tackles for losses then Barry Sanders ! This is what your gonna get with these kind of runners, The Eagles should know that and get Ronnie Brown in there for situations like that, Isnt that one of the reasons why the signed him?
Thanks for bringing up G_Man,
I posted this error in judge Sunday evening on a couple of articles after watching the replay of that play.. There are times as a Runner where you can take some chances for the big ru /play but a 4th and 1 Yard at a critical part of the game is not one of those times, The play was designed to go run off the left butt-cheeks of LT J Peters and there was a nice hole/crease for McCoy to run thru and gain the neccessary yardage..Instead McCoy immedaitely did a stop and cut back to the right and actually ran into the back pursuit of the Giants LB M Boley… It’s tough to be critical of the Eagles best and most consistent player of the game and really for the 2011 Season so far, but when they Say Football is the ultimate Team Sport, but it really is and players should be applauded for good plays as well as called out when they make poor decisions/mistatkes and this was a poor decision by McCoy which changed the momentum for the remainder of the game back into the Giants favor.. This is one of negatives about McCoy’s running style is that often time, he tries to make a big play on every run and sometimes you just have to run with what’s called and take what the defense gives you and as he matures, he will come to understand this better but on 3rd&4th Downs/Goal Line sitatuions and is no time to dance around,stutter step and reverse the field, it’s time to square your shoulders,put your head down and run to daylight to gain the neccessary yardage to move the chains or make it in to the end zone..
Andrew P, It was one of the weaknesses of Barry Sanders game. He was an offensive coordinator’s nightmare because the offensive would have trouble establishing a rhythm because Barry improvised too much. Sometimes getting the one yard means more than improvising all the time.
The Cowboys could count on Emmitt Smith to get that four or five yards each play while Sanders would gain ten, lose three, gain zero, lose two, then break run for fifty yards. Smith wore teams down and allow his offensive coordinator and quarterback to get in a rhythm. Smith has three Super Bowl rings and Sanders has zero.
I loved the call to go for it on 4th down in that situation. In opposition territory. Get one yard to win the game. Love it. I would always make this decision over freely relinquishing ball to other team. The call shows confidence in both Offence and Defence.
That being said, I was very upset when McCoy bounced outside. Completely the wrong move. The birds clearly have to practice this short yardage business. Its a yard….fall forward.
They should actually take a note from the CFL. Almost universally CFL teams bring in the backup Qb for shortyardage QB sneaks. (granted its easier ’cause dl must be a yard off ball) I know that VY still has a “hamstring” (probably code for does not know offence)….but yhow hard is it to bring this guy in at the goalline spread field with a couple WRs and dive forward 4x (if need be) for a score?
I hated the call,
TheEagles Defense had stuffed the Giants OFfense for the 2nd & 3rd Quarters and had the momentum, why not punt the ball deep into their own zone and pressure them into a mistake or at the worse, let them run a couple of minutes off the clock for you only to punt the ball back to you adn the Eagles would still have good field position.. I am a believer that when you have a team down and yyour Defense is playing well (which the Eagles were at the time of the game) then put the ball and make your opponents offense go the length of the field to take a lead.. I take away any chance of giving the other team the chance to steam momentum on stuffing a 4th Down play in that situation… Who knows what happens if they do, maybe a big punt return, maybe the Giants go ahead and socre on a 80 yard Driver anyways, Maybe the Eagles down the ball at the 5 yard line and then stuff them on a 3rd Down play oto force a punt back to the Eagles and or force Eli into a Passing Int or a sack for a safety or who knows.. But the 1 thing that
I do know, if I have the lead and my Defense is playing well , I am making that other team march the entire length of the Field to beat me and not goign to give them the chance of a short field
So GCOBB, are you really trying to subliminally tell us that Emmitt Smith was a better running back than Barry Sanders? Is that what you’re saying??
I thought at the time it was a great call – and the right decision to run behind Jason peters –
had McCoy followed Peters and run at his left butt check – harbor kicked the LB on that side (a nice block by Harbor) McCoy was gone unless he tripped over the chalk –
happens – part of the season. I screamed at the TV watchng the replays yesturday –
It was a bad call by Andy. Punt and let Defense win the game.
G, My point is Mccoy is that kind of runner and hes gonna give you plays like the great 10 yard TD run and plays like the 4 yard loss on 4th n 1, As far as comparing Barry to Emmitt? If Barry had the fullback Emmitt had and had the great O-L
Emmitt had Brry would have those rings and about 4 2,000 yard seasons
It should have been Brown in the game. Why else did they sign him?
Wow….Vinie actually posted a comment without bashing the Eagles QB…shocked!
I dont think it was a bad play call…McCoy could of gotten that yard had he went the way the play was designed…But did this play alone cost us the game, NO…so move on…
Why not line up in the I and give it to Schmidt to try and pound it in there? instead of that delayed handoff to your fullback…let your full back get a head of steam…handing the ball off to a flat footed fullback, where he can’t get any explosion….just don’t make sense…
What are options on a punt there….
Most likely:
Punt from the 43. Gets downed in the endzone and its Giants ball at the 20. Backing the Giants up a huge 23 yrds. Whoop-dee-do.
Somewhat likely:
Punt to the 10 and it gets returned 11 yards (the NYG average this year) to the 21. Another huge 22 yards. Whoop-dee do.
Somewhat possible:
Punt and ball is fair caught…say the 10? This is the best possible result. A 33 yrd gain. Wow!
Disastrous:
Somewhat likely:
Punt and NYG return is longer than their average. NYG get ball at the 30…35….40….what’s the point? What if its a PR for TD?
Or.
Get 1 yard. Continue drive in Giants territory with the lead. Run more precious time off clock. Gain 10 yards for another fg minimum.
Enough with the fraidy cat punt calls. Win the game. In the NFL 4th and 1s are converted about 70% of the time.
The reason many coaches punt in this situation is that they are afraid of exactly the reaction the decision is getting here. They get lambasted for making a “bad call”. So they punt and put the responsibility on the players…..coach can say, “I mad the right (read accepted right now) call. That the other team scored is the players fault…or the D-coord…not mine!”
I really appreciate the fact that Reid put it on his own shoulders here. It was his call and he lived with it. Love the agressiveness.
Maybe they needed Brown to run those short yardage plays