Last week, after two straight home losses to bad teams in the easiest part of the Eagles schedule, I wrote that Thursday’s game against Detroit would tell us a lot about how much fight Chip Kelly has left in him. Apparently, not much. The Eagles lost 45-14, and after the game Chip had no attitude. He spoke in the hushed, …
Chip Kelly Update: Bye, Dallas
The Philadelphia Eagles climbed in the NFC East standings this week, gaining half a game on the New York Giants and moving further ahead of the Dallas Cowboys. (Both teams lost.) That’s a bit surprising since the Eagles didn’t play, enjoying their bye week. Apparently, the NFC East is worth less than zero; taking a week off is all you …
Chip Kelly Update: Hatred and Hope
The Eagles lost again Sunday, this time to division rival Washington. The Skins are not a good team, though their defense has improved a lot, ranking second in fewest rushing yards allowed (at 78 per game). On the other hand, they had ten penalties, mostly earned, and key players were out injured (including WR DeSean Jackson and CB DeAngelo Hall). …
Chip Kelly Update: Rebuilding the Roster
This is the silly season, from the end of the Combine to the end of the official NFL “year.” On March 10 we start all over again, teams have to fit under the salary cap and free agency opens. Until that date there will be no news, aside from the release of some expensive veterans, and no one will be …
Lane Johnson: Chip Kelly’s Secret Weapon in Space?
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, Brad Smith and the Wildcat
It was Dec. 1, 2013. With the score at 7-7 in the second quarter, the Philadelphia Eagles marched to the Arizona Cardinals’ 6-yard line. It was at this moment when Chip Kelly unveiled a surprising wrinkle. If Nick Foles was there, who was lined up as quarterback? Meet Brad Smith. …
Chip and the Eagles: Attack Like Navy Seals
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 …