Already great, McCoy keeps getting better

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LeSean McCoy was taking off his pads at his locker Sunday after another brilliant performance when he was told that he had gotten a career-high 28 carries against the Redskins.

Doesnt feel like it, he said with a smile. Doesnt feel like it at all. Getting better at not taking those big hits. B-Dub (Brian Westbrook) was the best at that. You watch him -- he never got hit. Always knew how to get out of the way. Im getting better at that.

Most conversations with McCoy these days revolve around how hes getting better. At something.

How hes learning. How hes maturing. How hes becoming more of a student of the game.

Which is a scary thought. Because hes already awfully good. And he cant stop talking about getting better.

Six games into the 2011 season, McCoy is fourth in the NFL with 569 rushing yards, first among running backs and second overall with eight total touchdowns, tied for first with six rushing touchdowns, third with his 5.4 rushing average and firstby farwith 36 rushing first downs (nobody else has more than 27).

McCoys 569 yards are third-most in franchise history after six games but only 10 fewer than Wilbert Montgomerys 579 in 1979 and seven behind Ricky Watters 576 yards in 1996.

Pretty clear hes one of the three or four best tailbacks in football right now.

And hes 23.

Theres a lot of room for improvement, and I know that, McCoy said. I know that. Ive just got to stick with it and keep working. I watch tape, man, and I miss plays and I know that. And if I want to be the best, if I want to live up to that, Ive got to make those plays.

I think Im a work in progress. Each week, each game, getting more comfortable. But Im the kind of back where Ive got to do everything, and lately I havent done everything. Ive just got to keep working.

McCoy leads all NFL non-kickers with 48 points and nobody else has more than 36. The only other Eagles with eight TDs after six games were Timmy Brown in 1964 and Terrell Owens in 2004.

On Sunday, McCoy turned in his fifth big game in six weeks, with 126 rushing yards in the Eagles 20-13 win over the Redskins in Landover, Md.

This was McCoys third game this year with at least 120 rushing yards. Only Wilbert Montgomery, with four in 1979, had more in a full season.

Felt good, McCoy said. Running was cool but just to get the win, its been a while since we won a game, so it was big just to get back on the winning track a little bit.

After just nine carries in the 49ers game and 11 against Buffalo, McCoy once again was featured in an offense that at times can be extremely pass-heavy. If you hadnt noticed.

But the numbers say get Shady the ball.

The Eagles are 12-4 over the past three years when McCoy has at least 14 carries. Theyre 11-13 when he doesnt.

In the game plan there really wasnt really a lot of runs, McCoy said. We were going to run a little bit but not this much, so that was a little different. But we found a way to get the job done.

McCoy already has five career games with 120 or more rushing yards. Only Montgomery (11), Duce Staley (eight), Westbrook (seven) and Watters (six) have more in Eagles history.

McCoy is the first Eagle ever with a touchdown in each of the teams first six games, and he needs 11 TDs in the Eagles final 10 games to break Hall of Famer Steve Van Burens franchise record of 18 TDs in a season, set in 1945.

At his current pace, McCoy will run for 1,517 yards this year and break Montgomerys club record of 1,512, set in 1979. Hes also on pace to become the first NFL player with 1,500 rushing yards and 20 TDs since Eric Dickerson in 1983.

Maybe most impressive Sunday was his 20 yards to help run out the clock in the final minuteswhen the Redskins knew the Eagles were going to run the ball.

Hes a great cut-back runner, Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo said.

Dont tell him any of this stuff. Hell wave you off. Doesnt want to hear it.

To be honest, man, theres a lot of plays I leave on the field, McCoy said. I had a walk-in touchdown Sunday. A walk-in touchdown today and I dropped the pass. I know I have good hands, but I have to focus more.

The little things. I cant really get wrapped up in scoring in every game and things like that, because theres so many more things I can do.

E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com

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