LeSean McCoy And Jason Peters Make The Pro Bowl
By Joseph Santoliquito
Philadelphia, Pa. (CBS)—LeSean "Shady" McCoy and Jason Peters are the Eagles' representatives to the Pro Bowl.
McCoy was a given, based on the season that he's having, and Peters has regained his previous form, after returning from rupturing his right Achilles tendon twice last year. But the process leaves some head scratching when it comes to play of Evan Mathis, Jason Kelce and punter Donnie Jones being snubbed from Pro Bowl consideration.
This will be McCoy's second Pro Bowl selection and Peters' sixth overall Pro Bowl berth, his fourth as an Eagle.
McCoy, the NFL's leading rusher with 1,476 yards, is just 37 yards away entering the NFC East showdown in Dallas Sunday night from breaking Wilbert Montgomery's team single-season rushing mark of 1,512 during the 1979 season. McCoy is only the fifth Eagles running back to have earned multiple Pro Bowl honors.
He joins an elite group that includes Tim Brown (three), Bill Barnes (three), Brian Westbrook (two), Ricky Watters (two) and Montgomery (two). At 25, McCoy is also the third-youngest Eagles running back to earn two Pro Bowl nods behind Barnes and Montgomery.
"It means a lot to me," McCoy said. "It's exciting. A lot of my teammates have helped me out to get to this point. It's exciting, I can't wait to enjoy this time with my family. I'm taking my son for the first time."
McCoy felt Chip Kelly's run-oriented offense benefitted him greatly this season.
"Just when Chip came here, we knew we were going to run the ball," McCoy said. "The linemen, they've all been healthy this whole year. They've been blocking so well for me and without those guys, it's not possible to be honored."
Peters has garnered the second-most Pro Bowl nominations by an offensive lineman in Eagles history behind Chuck Bednarik (eight), who did so as a two-way player at center and linebacker. Since Peters' first Pro Bowl selection in 2007, only Cleveland's Joe Thomas (currently six and will be seven if voted in this season) has been selected to as many Pro Bowls at tackle.
Peters missed all of last season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon on March 28, 2012, then re-injuring it again in May 2012 while rehabbing. It puts more meaning behind his sixth Pro Bowl selection.
"This is really special," Peters said. "Coming off two Achilles surgeries, and I was kind of banged up a little bit earlier in the year, it's definitely my best one yet. I felt like I was back going into training camp. Everybody was asking me how did. I felt during OTAs and I felt good. I felt like it happened but it never happened because that's how good I felt. But until you get out there and put the pads on and go to work against somebody else, you really don't know."
McCoy is certainly pleased to have Peters back.
"He's by far the best lineman I've ever played with in my career, from high school to college to the pros," McCoy said about Peters. "He's a combination of speed, power, intelligence, you name it. The guy is terrific. I'm happy to play with him. I feel like he makes my job a lot easier."
