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McCoy Getting Extra Attention

Running back LeSean McCoy is having one of the best individual seasons any Eagles player has ever put together. The third-year back leads the NFL in rushing yards with 825, is tied for first in rushing touchdowns with nine and total touchdowns with 11.

Indeed, McCoy has been giving opposing coaches fits, having compiled over 100 yards from scrimmage in all but one game this season. The 208-pound back has also scored a touchdown in each game this season becoming the first Eagle to ever do so in the first eight games of a season. The eight straight games with a touchdown also tied a franchise record set by Hall of Fame running back Steve Van Buren in 1947.

This week, when the Eagles square off against Arizona at Lincoln Financial Field, Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt knows he'll have his hands full whenever the former Pitt Panther is on the field.

"He's really playing well. Great vision, good cuts, great explosion. He's a fast player," said Whisenhunt on a conference call with Philadelphia reporters. "Having coached for the Steelers while McCoy was going to college in the area, I got to watch him a bit before he came into the league. He's a dangerous player. He's always a threat; and he's difficult to stop."

The fifth-year head coach leads a defense that has allowed a league-worst 24.1 first downs per game, as well as an NFL-high 11 total rushing touchdowns this season. McCoy and the Eagles offense will look to take advantage of the Cardinals' inability to keep teams from moving the chains and deny opposing ballcarriers from getting into the end zone. 

Monday night against the Bears, McCoy was slowed, but certainly not stopped, by Chicago's defense. He knows that with the recent success he's had on the field will invite increased attention from opposing defenses.

"The Bears stacked the box to try to slow me down Monday," said the NFL's leading rusher. "They used a lot of one-high safety coverage, bringing a safety closer to the line of scrimmage. We had opportunities, though. We'll need to take advantage of whatever we're given every week."

Asked how the Eagles will get pumped up to play a 2-6 Cardinals team whose only wins have come against teams with a combined 3-13 record, McCoy was frank.

"This is a game that we have to win; that's how we'll get pumped for it," he said. "This is our chance to get things to where they need to be and get back on track."

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