Thursday night during the Eagles’ 14-9 victory over the Carolina Panthers, Lesean “Shady” McCoy ripped off a 21-yard-run proving he’s more than ready for the regular 16-game-slate to commence. It’s difficult on my part to find many positive things to say about the professional football franchise in The City of Brotherly Love for obvious reasons.
That said, game has to recognize game at some point. Once Shady hit the R1 button,* Drayton Florence fell, get back up and fell again in a sequence that probably had him dreading checking his phone after the game for the potential barrage of tweets and/or texts. And Thomas Davis (#58) and Charles Johnson (#95), bless their hearts, weren’t gifted with the same stop-and-go abilities of Shady so even they were pawned off and sacrificed as collateral damage. In other words, there haven’t been many crossovers better in Philadelphia since Allen Iverson’s glory days.
Ryan Van Bibber noted last night this highlight must be a brave new world for Eagles fans because it more than likely is. Actually running the ball and all wasn’t always Philly’s top offensive priority in years past.
Bonus: Both Brandon Weeden and Jason Campbell looked impressive for the Browns and Trent Richardson even got some burn reeling off 33 yards on six carries. Meanwhile, Detroit had an all-around ugly performance last night in Cleveland coming up short 24-6.
If there was one saving grace in the form of a highlight for the Lions, however, it’s this one. Richardson matriculated great yardage on the run, but, yes, that’s a defensive tackle galloping halfway across the field to do things players of his position just shouldn’t genetically be able to pull off. If Suh can control his emotions to the point he’s not putting himself and the Lions in jeopardy, we’re all in trouble.
Granted, that’s the same thing that’s been said about him since his rookie year, but it’s not any less truthful. Demarcus Cousins somewhat has the same “if” tag on him in the NBA. Coincidence? Hell if I know. I just want both to be great.
Double Bonus: Speaking of laying down the law, Bears rookie linebacker Jonathan Bostic jackknife power-bombed Chargers receiver Mike Willie. He’ll have his growing pains throughout the season no doubt. But pending this isn’t lightening in a bottle – and the Bears have a lot invested in him so they expect it isn’t – perhaps this transition in the post-Urlacher world won’t be that bad.
Bostic’s baptism constitutes as the best media coverage the University of Florida has received all summer.
* – I haven’t played Madden in years, but when I used to on PS2, the juke button was L1/R1. That’s about as far as my video game expertise spreads. And yes, I am the worst Madden player in American history. 2K, too.
Photo: Getty