Patriots looking to stop, strip McCoy

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FOXBORO -- Bill Belichick called him a "handful." Jerod Mayo called him "great." Judging from their high praise, LeSean McCoy is more than a blip on the Patriots' radar for Sunday.

"He scores a lot of touchdowns," Mayo said. "He's a great player. He's never down until multiple people tackle him. He's a threat out the backfield, but he can catch the ball as well so he's a great threat to the whole defense."

It's proved difficult for anyone to stop McCoy this season. He has 10 touchdowns, and through Week 11 he was the only back in the league to have rushed for more than 1000 yards (1019). How does he do it? He can pick 'em up and put 'em down with the quickest players in the game.

"Just fast," is how Patriots defensive tackle Kyle Love described McCoy. "Elusive guy. Quick. When you get a guy like that, everybody has to be at the point of attack. If you're not at the point of attack, he'll burn you."

One chink in McCoy's armor might be the way in which he holds the football. At times, he has carried the ball out away from his body, unprotected, especially when he stutter-steps to make a defender miss. It's a style all his own, and the Patriots know that they may have opportunities to pry the ball loose. They have forced five fumbles this season.

"Anytime you got a guy that's loose with the ball, you have to have an emphasis on getting to him and getting the ball out of him," Love said. "We'll try to do that on him or anyone else that has the ball. Anytime you see that, you have to get the ball."

But to force McCoy to cough it up, you have to catch him first. In 222 touches -- rushing attempts and receptions -- this season, he hasn't fumbled.

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