Chip Kelly Update: A Great Start

Mark Saltveit Editorials

Preseason games mean nothing — we all know that. And yet … the Philadelphia Eagles stomped on the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, and it was hard not to be excited by the way the team played. Even if you ignore the final score — 36-10, not that it mattered — there were a lot of individual performances that were highly encouraging. …

Ascending Eagles — Bradford and Tebow

Noah Smith FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

With the NFL preseason around the corner, all of the intrigue that has been building throughout the offseason will finally be seen on the field. One of the most interesting stories coming out of Eagles camp this year has been surrounding Chip Kelly’s two new quarterbacks – Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow. Both players have looked impressive thus far, with Bradford looking …

Marcus Mariota to Play In Autzen Stadium Again?

Omar Garibay FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The fans chanted his name frantically as he walked off the field at the start of the fourth quarter, and he looked around and couldn’t help but smile as he raised his hand over his head to wave back to the crowd. More than 55,000 screaming Duck fans chanted: “Maaariiiootaahh … Maaariiiootaahh” – the moment was bittersweet. Oregon’s victory over Colorado on Saturday …

Lane Johnson: Chip Kelly’s Secret Weapon in Space?

Joe Kearns Analysis

Chip Kelly doesn’t just want his skill players to have speed. He places a high premium on athletic offensive linemen who can execute their blocks both at the line of scrimmage and in space. It is easy to see how Lane Johnson‘s rare athletic ability convinced Kelly to select the Oklahoma offensive tackle with the fourth overall pick last year. …

Chip Kelly Update: Rock Bottom & Rock Bottomer

Mark Saltveit FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

from Video Four weeks ago, I thought the Eagles had hit rock bottom with their 52-20 loss to Denver.  If only . . . Part of that was the schedule.  They had just lost to the dominant Broncos, the (still undefeated) Chiefs and the surprising Chargers.  Ahead was a parade of cream puffs: the Giants, Tampa Bay, Dallas (less so), …

Chip Kelly Update: Inside the Eagles’ Training Camp

Mark Saltveit FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Mark Saltveit Lincoln Financial Field — the Philadelphia Eagles’ stadium — is black and modern, with severe angles and a skeletal design.  Even the eco-friendly windmills lined up along the roof have a nasty, heavy-metal look; the intertwined blades look more like Death Scythes than renewable energy generators.  If there was a stadium designed by a brilliant and semi-sympathetic Hollywood …

The Inherent Unfairness of Sanctions

Don Gilman FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Sanctions. You either love them or hate them.  We love them when the teams we hate get leveled by them, and hate them when teams we love get the same treatment. Ironic, isn’t it? But there is something inherently unfair about the way sanctions are carried out, no matter what team we are rooting for.  I began thinking of this …

Chip and the Eagles: Attack Like Navy Seals

Mark Saltveit FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Chip Kelly’s first training camp hits full stride today, which is exciting, but it started Monday for rookies and selected veterans like center Jason Kelce, new tight end James Casey, and the quarterbacks. If you want a sense of whether veterans are buying in to Kelly’s system, Kelce and Casey showed up early, which is allowed under league rules only …

Chip and the Eagles: Quarterback Thunderdome

Mark Saltveit FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Top photo courtesy of Keith Allison and Matthew Straubmuller I’ve been resisting the endless discussions about the Eagles’ quarterback competition, because as Chip Kelly has said, he simply won’t have the data to make a decision until he sees his players wearing pads and getting tackled. It’s the same exact policy he used in Oregon. In addition to training camp …