The sweep play was a big part of the Bills rushing attack on Monday night. Just five minutes into the second half, running back LeSean McCoy showed why it is. McCoy took off on a sweep to the right, darting and dashing through the Patriots defense for a 27-yard touchdown run.
That sweep play is so dangerous because it allows McCoy, one of the NFL's most elusive running backs, to get out in space with an opportunity to make defenders miss like he did on his touchdown run. When healthy this season, the high profile offseason acquisition has shown exactly what the Bills wanted to see out of him.
In the Bills 20-13 loss to the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Monday night, McCoy totaled 82 yards on the ground in addition to the touchdown. He also caught six passes for an additional 41 yards. His 123-yard day put him over the 100 all-purpose yard mark for the fourth consecutive week. He is the first Bill to rack up that kind of yardage since running back CJ Spiller accomplished the feat in six straight games during the 2012 season.
McCoy, though, wasn't satisfied with his performance.
"I didn't play up to my standards," he said. "There were certain plays that I should've made out there. And I'm only speaking about myself. I'm not speaking for anybody else. But next week we'll get back to the drawing board, do the right things. [I'll] take care of my body and get ready to go."
It may be difficult for McCoy to be satisfied with his performance because of the team's loss, but the numbers suggest he was the team's best offensive weapon. One reason he may feel that his performance was not up to snuff is that he missed an opportunity on a potential 30-yard touchdown catch with 57 seconds left in the first half. McCoy had his hands on the deep pass from quarterback Tyrod Taylor, but the ball was knocked away by Patriots safety Devin McCourty.
"I felt like I should've caught that. I didn't even know [McCourty] was there," said McCoy. "It touched my hands, and if it touches my hands, then I've got to catch it. It's as simple as that. Something like that I've got to catch. I usually catch those passes."
Still, McCoy's game was statistically good enough to extend his yardage streak another week.
In this four game stretch, which dates back to the Bills Week Seven game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, McCoy has totaled at least 80 rushing yards and at least 40 receiving yards twice (at New York, Week 10; at New England Week 11). He's rushed for more than 100 yards twice (112 yards at New York, Week 10; 112 yards vs Miami, Week Nine).McCoy has totaled at least 20 touches in three of the four games, and has averaged at least 4.1 yards per carry in the last three contests.
McCoy has gained 705 total yards on the season (528 yards rushing, 177 yards receiving). He's played in only seven of the Bills' 10 games, but now appears to be hitting his stride.
