JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- We thought it peculiar back in October when LeSean McCoytook a potshot at Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno.
We thought it even more peculiar when McCoy doubled down a couple of days later, telling reporters that "what I said is what I meant."
Moreno didn't have a clue at the time what he had done to incur McCoy's insults. More than three months later, the Broncos' breakout star is still nonplussed.
"You'll have to ask him, I guess," Moreno said Monday.
"Everyone has their own opinions about teams, about different individuals," Moreno continued. "It is what it is. I'm always focused on this team and trying to get better."
Moreno can't match McCoy's dynamic playmaking ability, but he did finish in the top five among running backs in yards from scrimmage and touchdowns.
Perhaps McCoy was skeptical early in the season because Peyton Manning's ability to read defenses and adjust prior to the snap tends to place Moreno in more favorable situations than other running backs.
Even if the Broncos' record-breaking aerial attack makes Moreno's life easier, it's also true that his skill set has been an ideal fit for the offense.
"You see that in his stats," Fox explained. "You see it with his pass-receiving yardage in combination with the rushing yardage, which is doing all and everything about your job. He's done a tremendous job, and he is maybe one of our most improved players this past season."
There's little question that Moreno's diligence in pass protection and ball security makes him more valuable to the Broncos than other teams.
If he elects to test free-agent waters this offseason, that likely will be reflected in the level of interest he garners.
*We handed out awards for the 2014 coaching class and talked all the latest headlines in the latest "Around The League Podcast." *
