Sobering Reality: Eagles Blown Out Again
Following a two-game winning streak, the Philadelphia Eagles were flexed into the prime-time spotlight for a Sunday-night battle with Bruce Arians and the Arizona Cardinals.
And the result was a national embarrassment on par with the losses suffered to Tampa Bay and Detroit.
The Eagles were in the game at the half, trailing only by seven points.
However, three backbreaking turnovers on three consecutive drives would doom the Eagles.
Sam Bradford was sacked and fumbled away the ball on a drive where the Eagles had taken the ball from their own one-yardline to midfield. On the next drive, Ryan Mathews was careless with the ball and coughed it up himself, setting up another Arizona touchdown.
The Eagles trailed 30-10 at the end of the third quarter, and Sam Bradford started the fourth quarter with an ill-advised throw that turned into a pick-six for Deon Buchanan to make it a 37-10 rout.
DeMarco Murray Fades Further Into Obscurity
Chip Kelly the GM threw a boatload of money at DeMarco Murray, and the move continues to look more and more ridiculous by the week.
Murray was a complete non-factor against Arizona. He was on the field for only two plays in the first half, and took just two carries for three yards on the night.
Most notably, Murray was on the sidelines during a critical fourth and short in the first half.
The NBC broadcast crew was quick to point out that short yardage was the one area that DeMarco Murray had been consistently effective throughout the season. In situations of 3rd or 4th and 1 or less, Murray had converted all 12 of his opportunities. And yet, in this situation the creative, innovative head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles decided to keep Murray on the bench.
Quick Thoughts
Offense
- Jordan Matthews was involved throughout the first half. Matthews had six grabs for 70 yards in the first two quarters alone, and finished with over 150 yards and a touchdown.
- Its taken three years, but the Eagles have finally figured out how to use Zach Ertz. Ertz caught a 22-yard touchdown in the first half.
- Beautiful back-shoulder throw by Bradford in the first half, and an even better one armed reception by Brent Celek for a 21-yard gain.
- The offense had an opportunity to tie the game at the end of the second quarter, and drove fairly deep into Arizona territory. However, on a fourth and inches, Ryan Mathews was stuffed for a short loss, causing a turnover on downs.
- Bradford delivered a perfect strike to Jordan Matthews for a 77-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. The game was already out of reach at that point, but it was nice to seee the offense show a little something after the three straight turnovers.
- To Bradford’s credit, he took a pounding from the Arizona pass rush, but was able to get back up from a number of vicious hits.
- I’m convinced Chip Kelly doesn’t understand how to properly utilize Darren Sproles. The Eagles just can’t get him involved in the passing game.
- Why no shots down the field until the game was already out of reach?
- Nelson Agholor was shut out; no catches for the rookie.
Defense
- Terrible tackling by the Eagles on David Johnson’s second touchdown run in the second quarter. Several players missed tackles, and safety Ed Reynolds looked particularly feeble as the team’s last line of defense before Johnson broke off a run to the endzone.
- The Eagles allowed Johnson to run for over 100 yards and two touchdowns in just the first half alone.
- Starting corners Eric Rowe and Byron Maxwell were both injured in the first half and did not return, meaning the Eagles had to play a lot more of E.J. Biggers and Jaylen Watkins.
- On Johnson’s THIRD touchdown run of the night, both Kiko Alonso and E.J. Biggers had an opportunity to stop him at the goalline, but allowed him to plow right through the two of the team.
- The Eagles defense allowed 298 yards by halftime.
- Why is Taylor Hart playing significant snaps on the defensive line?
- Hart is taking away looks from a much more productive player in Vinny Curry.
- Connor Barwin registered a sack in the fourth quarter.
- Kiko Alonso remains MIA.
Special Teams
- The Eagles missed an opportunity for a turnover in the first half when Patrick Peterson fumbled the ball after running into his own man.
- Josh Huff had a 39-yard kick return in the first half.
Final Thoughts
Bruce Arians and the Cardinals successfully humiliated Chip Kelly and the Eagles.
Arians and Kelly were both hired in 2013, but these are two franchises trending in very different directions.
The Arizona Cardinals have become a 12-win team, and are well on their way to securing a first-round bye in the playoffs. The program is ascending, and Bruce Arians is proving more and more to be one of the top coaches in the league.
Meanwhile, Chip Kelly and the Eagles are now 6-8. They’re still alive in the powderpuff division that is the NFC East, but they aren’t even remotely close to being any kind of significant contender in the NFC. The Eagles’ future is murky, filled with question marks from top to bottom, while the Arizona Cardinals are very much on the rise.
And Jeffrey Lurie wouldn’t even give Arians an interview back in 2013.
Moving forward, the Eagles now face a do-or-die situation in Week 16 against the Washington Redskins.
The Redskins won their game against Buffalo earlier today, putting themselves in sole possession of first place. If they come to Philadelphia and beat the Eagles next week, it will eliminate the Eagles from playoff contention.
Follow Denny Basens on Twitter, @DennyBasens
Can’t tackle and play off 9 yards every snap. The DC must go.
Let me start by saying tn no means is this team talented enough to win the superbowl this year but they aren’t nearly this bad personnel wise. The problem is the Eagles scheme on offense and defense. I could personally remove 7-14 points a game the defense is giving up on defense by simply huddling up and scrapping the “tempo” offense right off the bat. Its very simple you slow the game down and your offense is on the field more by default. I then get rid of the dumb ass stretch run plays, play more under center and run a traditional offense. On defense I get out of that 3-4 defense and run a defense more suited to my personnel, I then get out of the ridiculous technique I have Maxwell playing where I allow every receiver inside leverage. I take Kikos pathetic ass off the field and play Najee Good and I take Maxwells non-effort ass off the field and go with the feisty Biggers.
Dude Davis needs to go. MLBs can’t make any plays at all. Ryans was a great players but he is damaged goods. They traded the McCoy for Stewart Bradley 2.0 and Kendricks is really better suited to play on the outside IMO.
Horrible.
And why the eff was Mathews celebrating when they were down by 20 points? Dbag.
Kiko couldnt hold Stew Bradleys jock lmfao
Maybe Casey Mathews 2.0 then?
Sag I agree with a lot of what you said. That’s why I never wanted Kelly- he is so married to his gimmicky nonsense that just doesn’t want to seem to change. This team should be a 4-3 defense with curry playing regular snaps at DE and imagine the domination of Cox if he was playing his natural position- but here we are, 6-8 and won’t change. Same on offense- a Bradford like qb could work, but not in this offense with the tempo and zone reads etc. get a fullback and some actually skilled o-line and recievers and play nfl football. But I just don’t see Kelly making he neasessry changes on either side of the ball,because that not what he is.
like i said at the time that pats win was a killer for us. b/c it likely means chip stays as coach and worse gm, it likely means sam stays and it likely means davis stays and it gets chip a worse draft pick for him to fuck up
chip has killed himself with djax, mccoy trade, giving up the 2nd rounder for sam, signing maxwell and murray and passing on signing maclin.
he has to be demoted from gm – he has proved himself to be totally incompetent as a gm and jeffrey needs to stop his self sabotaging ways
If Lurie is going to Demote Kelly from GM, then he may as well just fire him and his Complete Staff for everyone knows that Chip Kelly is not going to go for a demotion of losing his GM/Roster Management Duties which is the one of the big reasons he took the Eagles Job to begin with…
Us Fans are stuck with this Clown (Kelly) at least thru next Season (2016) and then Lurie will clean house …
I hope what you say here is true because if it is its perfect
“If Lurie is going to Demote Kelly from GM, then he may as well just fire him and his Complete Staff for everyone knows that Chip Kelly is not going to go for a demotion of losing his GM/Roster Management Duties”
perfect jeffrey can demote him from GM then hopefully chip walks (which is craziness because he wont walk from that money). that would be a great play rather than fire him and have to pay him still
” which is the one of the big reasons he took the Eagles Job to begin with…”
this quote is just wrong. he was hired to be coach and not gm. and when he was hired he said he didnt wanna be gm at all
I disagree with then Henski,
I believe Chip Kelly was looking for a NFL Job where he could also act as GM within a short period of time.. Knowing the Eagles Front Office Musical Chairs from Banner, Howie to Gamble, etc,etc that Kelly could maneuver into a GM/Player Personnel a lot easier in Philly than he would in a more traditional Organization that already had a stable GM in Place…
Knowing what you know about Chip Kelly, Mhenski
Do you truly believe that he didn’t want any more authority, outside of being strictly a Head Coach in the NFL ?
Lurie & Roseman had Bruce Arians scheduled for an Interview after Chip Kelly initially turned down the Eagles Offer.. Remember a Week went by when Kelly first turned down the Eagles only to accept it after learning the U Of Oregon Program was going to face 2 Year Sanctions for Recruiting Violations..
Then Kelly made a Deal with the NCAA to leave the College Sport for 2 Years in lieu of the Oregon Program facing any Sanctions of Missed Bowl Games, etc…
Then Kelly calls back the Eagles to take the Job, then the Eagles Call Arians to Cancel his Interview, meanwhile, Arians had other Interviews that he put on hold for he really was set on the Eagles and missed out on the Bears Job which was his 2nd Choice…
Arians will look to kick Chip Kelly’s and the Eagles Ass every chance he gets.. This is what Vinnie the Victor doesn’t Understand.. With Bruce Arians this Game was not just a Game, it was Personal and his Players knew that coming in and wanted to kick the Eagles Ass too in support of their Coach…
That was a collective ass whoopin. The offense turned the ball over repeatedly. We all know the defense is not good when they can’t generate a pass rush, which didn’t happen in the 2nd half. And we know the defense is not good against the run. When you can’t stop the run and generate a pass rush, its going to be a long day. The soft coverage by the DB’s has been something we see from Davis a lot…too much! His use of the LB’s has always been suspect…in pass coverage and with the blitz. But at the end of the day, I didn’t expect much from this defense because of all of that stated above. But has the been the weak link this season? absolutely not!
This team has won more games this season due to defense and special teams play, not offensive play.
Chip Kelly’s offense generated 10 first half points. The offense had the ball for about 10 minutes total in that first half. Terrible! The defense has played more than this offense all season long! 2nd half, turnover after turnover.
Paulman’s Eagles Mock 2016 Draft
1st Round – DT A’Shawn Robinson – Alabama (6-3 312lbs)
3rd Round (from Detroit) – OT Kyle Murphy – Stanford (6-6 305lbs)
3rd Round – ILB Jared Norris – Utah (6-1 240lbs)
On 1st Round Pick,
If DT A’Shawn Robinson is gone off the Board, Watch the Eagles Select ILB Reggie Ragland of Alabama as their Top pick — At 6-2 252lbs, He’s the Best ILB in this Draft
Ragland is a beast a sideline to sideline freak show, but does he fit the dreaded measurables? You know the same height weight crap that has us with the softest non tackling safeties in the history of the NFL.
Denny ,in other words its going to be a very, very, long and painful 1/2 a decade for the faithful Eagle rooters, Also looks like Kelly’s pro football creds have and going to take some major hits among his fans and his peers, and any future solid free agents.Even the hard core faithful ,sight and mentally- impaired fans are having trouble believing what they are seeing.Its going to be a long, long, rise,back to even mediocrity.With a long list of semi- enemies holding their sides in laughter,