HOUSTON — At some point in the last few weeks, LeSean McCoy started being LeSean McCoy again.
If there were any question before, there aren’t anymore. McCoy’s early-season struggles are a distant memory. The Redskin and 49er games — when the two-time Pro Bowl back had a combined 29 carries for 39 yards — have been long forgotten.
McCoy hammered his way to 117 rushing yards in the Eagles' 31-21 win over the Texans Sunday, his second 100-yard performance in a three-game stretch.
After averaging 48 yards per game and 2.7 yards per carry the first four games of the season, McCoy is averaging 108 yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry the last four games.
That’s the Shady we’re used to.
“It’s weird,” he said after the Eagles improved to 6-2 Sunday. “Every time I get 100 yards it’s a big deal. I’m used to just doing it.”
McCoy has at least 80 yards in each of the Eagles’ last four games, and believe it or not, it’s the first time in his all-pro career he’s had four consecutive games with at least 80 rushing yards.
In Eagles history, only Wilbert Montgomery — who had two five-game streaks in 1979 — has had a longer streak with at least 80 yards.
McCoy’s resurgence has mirrored the return of Lane Johnson, suspended the first four games of the season.
In these four games with Johnson at right tackle, McCoy’s 430 yards are third-most in the league, behind only DeMarco Murray and Arian Foster. It looks like the Eagles will be without Todd Herremans moving forward, but center Jason Kelce returned Sunday, and All-Pro left guard Evan Mathis is due back Monday.
“I thought the guys are coming together,” McCoy said. “I felt the guys up front, Kelce, played well,” McCoy said. “I’m happy to have him there [and] his ability to make the calls and get guys set on the line.”
Four weeks into the season, McCoy ranked 24th in the NFL in rushing and 23rd out of 31 backs with at least 40 carries with that 2.7 average.
He’s now up to fourth overall in the NFL with 622 rushing yards, trailing only Murray (1,133), Foster (822) and Le’Veon Bell (711), who have all played nine games.
McCoy might not match last year’s NFL-best rushing total of 1,607 yards, but he is on pace to record a second straight 1,200-yard season and become the first Eagle ever with four 1,000-yard seasons.
McCoy also these last four games has become the first Eagle since Ricky Watters in 1996 with 20 or more carries in four straight games. The tireless Watters had seven straight.
The Eagles, 6-2, begin the second half of the season a week from Monday with a nationally televised prime-time game against the Panthers at the Linc.
The Panthers are last in the NFL, allowing opposing players to rush for 4.8 yards per carry.
Another chance for McCoy to continue his return to form.
“We’re working it,” McCoy said. “ Each week we’re winning games. We lost a tough one last week. We bounced back [Sunday].”
McCoy on Sunday passed Westbrook, his former teammate, on the Eagles’ all-time rushing list. Westbrook ran for 5,995 yards as an Eagle, and McCoy is now up to 6,095.
He needs 444 yards to break Montgomery’s franchise record of 6,538 yards.
With Nick Foles out indefinitely, Mark Sanchez taking over at quarterback and the running game more important than ever, the Eagles need McCoy more than ever.
He’s at the top of his game at the right time.
“The guys up front played tremendous against very, very tough assignments and blocked well,” McCoy said after the game. “Sanchez made some pretty good calls and was able to keep them honest for the most part. We just played smash mouth. Just ran at them.”