Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly speaks during a news conference at practice at the NFL football team’s training facility, Monday, Sept. 16, 2013, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Chip Kelly Looks Pretty Foolish Right Now
“He better be right.”
Those were the words of many Eagles’ fans over an off-season that saw Chip Kelly become drunk with power and make all kinds of unprecedented changes to the Eagles’ roster. And so far, everything that His Majesty has done to this team has been a complete disaster.
It starts upfront with the offensive line.
Kelly dumped a good chunk of his team’s salary cap room into the running back position, signing DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews, but chose to completely ignore the offensive line. He arrogantly released Todd Herremans and Evan Mathis without bringing in any significant talent to replace them. And sure enough, Kelly is left with an offensive line that can’t generate any kind of push up the middle, and one that can’t hold up in pass protection.
It was completely baffling to me during the off-season that Kelly wouldn’t do anything to upgrade his line. With all of those millions invested in the running back position, why wouldn’t he protect that investment by making sure he has enough talent on the line to make use of his runners?
Speaking of those running backs, how about DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews?
Murray ran 13 times for two rotten yards, and Mathews had just one touch for no gain. But thank goodness Chip got rid of LeSean McCoy and all of those negative plays. Now that he’s got his north/south runners, he can really unleash the running game he’s dreamed of…right? Murray at one point had -15 yards, and only gained a lot of that back when the game was already out of reach.
Kelly’s passing game doesn’t look much better.
Sam Bradford turned in a miserable effort, going 23/37 for just 224 yards with a touchdown, two interceptions, and one lost fumble. Bradford’s touchdown also didn’t come until garbage time, and for the second straight game, the former Ram couldn’t get anything going downfield, sticking primarily to short and intermediate passes.
The wide receivers, which no longer feature Jeremy Maclin, were also uninspiring. Jordan Matthews led the team with six catches for 80 yards and a touchdown, but didn’t register a catch until the fourth quarter and had several big drops early in the game. The rest of the receivers, including first-round pick Nelson Agholor, failed to get themselves open.
And then we have the disasters on the defensive side of the ball.
Kiko Alonso, acquired in the LeSean McCoy trade, left the game early with a knee injury and could possibly be done for the season. Mychal Kendricks also left the game with a hamstring injury. And once again, Byron Maxwell was beat up in the passing game, this time by mediocre receivers trying to fill in for Dez Bryant.
This is the team that Chip wanted and assembled himself, and right now it looks like a complete disaster.
Chip Channels His Inner Andy Reid
The Eagles looked so poorly prepared today, filled with mental mistakes and execution errors that it was painfully reminiscent of the end of the Andy Reid era.
But never more so than the offensive series in the third quarter where the Eagles made it to the goalline, and did not attempt a single running play.
That’s right, with all of the millions of dollars invested in the running back position, Chip Kelly couldn’t call a single run. He had Sam Bradford throw the ball on every play, and sure enough, Bradford ended up throwing a back-breaking interception.
Quick Thoughts
Offense
- One of the worst moments in this came during garbage time, when the Eagles were on a drive in the redzone. DeMarco Murray had been stuffed on several plays, and then the offensive line was flagged for a holding penalty. On the very next play, the Eagles were slow to get to the line, and took a delay of game penalty. The team looked completely disinterested at that point.
- Jason Peters looks old. He turned in another subpar effort, and struggled once again.
- The interior of this offensive line is terrible. The Eagles attempted very few runs up the middle, with most of the team’s runs coming on long developing plays to the outside that were easily blown up.
- Sam Bradford’s demeanor is not inspiring in the least.
- Great to see Ryan Mathews play such a big role in this offense, with one rotten touch for no yards.
Defense
- Kiko Alonso and Mychal Kendricks left the game early with injuries. Strange, because I thought sports science was supposedly responsible for making the Eagles the healthiest team in the league.
- Jordan Hicks was a bright spot, playing extended snaps after the injuries and picking up seven tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble.
- Connor Barwin and Cedric Thornton picked up their first sacks of the season.
- Byron Maxwell did have a better game than he did against the Falcons, and knocked out a fumble early in the game.
Special Teams
- The lone bit of positive news may have been that Cody Parkey made his only field goal attempt.
Final Thoughts
Throughout the process that went on this off-season, I was one of the only people that wasn’t buying in to the Chip Kelly hype and believed that there could still be some serious issues with this team.
A lot of Kelly’s moves didn’t pass the smell test to me, and now we’re seeing that this is a club with some serious issues.
Failing to address an offensive line that had problems a year ago in short yardage situations and also had an aging Jason Peters made no sense to me. Especially with the amount of money that was being committed to the running backs.
The Bradford trade was baffling the minute they made it, and he’s done nothing to show me he has worth losing Nick Foles and a second-round pick.
And now Kelly’s fast-paced offense looks more gimmicky than ever.
Maybe now we can finally stop with the InChipWeTrust nonsense. This head coach has been completely uninspiring through the team’s first two games, and to have this come out so flat and unprepared for a second straight week is completely unacceptable.
The Dallas Cowboys came into this game without Dez Bryant, they finished without Tony Romo, and played a mediocre game in between. And Chip Kelly couldn’t find a way to generate any points when it mattered most.
Follow Denny Basens on Twitter, @DennyBasens
Chip Kelly & Eagles have lost 5 of their last 6 Games and mostly in poor fashion with a lack of Energy and justnot being prepared or well-Coached..
It’s like Kelly & Staff believe that it’s Reps,Reps,Reps make for a better result when it may be his “Horizontal Schemes” that simply don’t work in the NFL as they do in College Ball.. NFL Defenses have Coaches and Professional Athletes who get paid too.. Kelly is not facing College Defenses anymore that may have 2 or 3 NFL Quality Players on it and unsophisticated game plans..
The Leauge has caught up to Chip Kelly and his Up-Tempo Schemes and “Horizontal Attack”
Go back and read my comment before the season started”most over rated coach in the history of pro sports” he is a college coach who will never win it in the pros
here is the Panic Button,
please press
Chip kelly chose to replace good players with players he felt would fit his scheme, culture and idea of what the Eagles should look like. Unfortunately when you make drastic changes and replace talent with lesser talent then what you get is a poorer team. This is not just about coaching, some of these guys just can’t play..period. It’s good to have good character guys, but if they do not have that killer instinct than you get what we saw yesterday, a squad that allows themselves to be bullied, and that is what happened to the Eagles last week and yesterday, they were bullied. Shady stated last year it looked like teams figured out the eagles running game, and it appears he was right. Chip only has 4 running plays in which he can call different formations out of, NFL defensive coordinators have figured it out to a woeful and putrid – yardage running attack. The defense was on the field 36 minutes last week, and 40 minutes yesterday…Byron Maxwell said he was tired at the end of the game, but to Chip time of possession does not matter, again, a philosophy that works in college with younger players and a larger team, but this does not work in the pros, and the genius can’t figure that out? Chip..I must say I am underwhelmed and that is putting it mildly…actually I am fucking pissed off. I do not want to hear about culture anymore, get some damn talent in here..this team needs some nuts and if kelly isn’t man enough or equipped enough to handle them, then he needs to go.
Byron Maxwell publicly moaning about being “on the field all day”
Murray charging up and down the sideline yelling obscenities.
Crown raining boos down in the 2nd quarter (as I predicted – counterproductive as it is)
Bradford sulking around on the bench hiding under his never to be taken off helmet wanting nothing to do with what is going on around him. Rally the troops???? This guy needs a sports psychologist to get out of bed in the morning.
And the dinkiest of dink and dunk offences every put on the field. One that D-cords have absolutely no fear of and send 10 guys charging into the breach on every play. I don’t care who is playing oline…noone can hold off 10 defensive players who move forward on every play, run or pass, because they have no fear.
This could fall apart really quickly.
One good thing from this game jordan hicks looks like a pretty good player
Yes he does Z…Davis needs to try to keep him off of RB’s though…Felt the Eagles should of been in dime a look on that long pass play he gave up. That’s the issue I have with Davis, being in wrong coverage, wrong formations and not disguising the coverage or what’s to come.
**Eagle Rumors*****
Tim Tebow just reportedly seen at the Philly Airport…
Chip is going all in now…
Reports are the Eagles are Trading Sam Bradford to the Cowboys for 2016 4th Round Pick to play in place of the injured Tony Romo… Stay Tuned…
It’s nothing hard to figure out at all…this team is built on running the football…being second and six or second and five not second and 12…we kept Riley Cooper and got rid of Djax and Maclin…No deep threats, no running game=no offense
Eagles QB Sam Bradford has the 2nd Highest Passing Attempts in the NFL after 2 Weeks — 89 Pass Attempts which only Trails Tom Brady by 2
Other Sam Bradford Rankings & Stats after 2 Games
Bradford has Passed for 560 Total Yards which is 280 Yards Average
Bradford has 2 TD Passes – 4 Int’s – 1 Fumble and 1 Sack
Bradford is 59 out of 89 which is 66% Completion Rate which ties him for 14th Place
Bradford QBR Rating is 72.3% which is Ranked 31st in the NFL
Bradford Leads the NFL with 4 Int’s so far
Bradford Average Yards per Pass Attempt in 6.29 Yards Ranking him 28th in the NFL …
Bradford has Zero Wins in 2015 Season …
And Chip was in a rush to sign this man to a contract extension, like he signed Andrew gardner and Allen Barbre…Chip’s decision making skills in terms of talent evaluation leaves a lot to be desired. Perhaps he does not know how to evaluate NFL talent that fits his scheme, or perhaps his scheme is not good enough. As far as the scheme based on running and not going down field, well Chip that is failing…compact offense…no offense!
its quite obvious that what we see in two games is not an aberration,but a destruction and mishandling of a sports franchise.Ive read all the posts , I’m just as pissed off as anyone,yet nowhere is there mention of Jeffrey Lurie and his state of the Eagles (just 14 days or so ago,comments).His stewardship of this franchise is in serious jeopardy ,if he doesn’t get out in front of this 3 car pile up on the Schuykill .The pope can’t save those that ,can’t help themselves.Fancy catchwords are now dead bugs on the windshield..(sports science,culture ,genius,mad scientist) The emperor wears no chlotyes ,he’s been totally emasculated .The locker room is the next shoe to drop.Who on this team has any cred ? To step up and take control of this seepage? Who if anyone is the vocal leader.Didnt DJAX get criticized for his sideline antics? At least unlike Murray he produced.Nick to a snot beating ,but at least he kept balling.Mathis would have never been shown the door ,under a different GM .The GM of this team. Has to GO.The coach is now one of the same ..now what ? Thanks Jeffrey …for nothing
I heard that Jeff Lurie is secretly going about Selling the Eagles
The leading 3 Prospects so far…
1) The Chinese – Connections thru his New Wife, but China has their own Financial Issues right now with a slowing Economy
2) Donald Trump – As his Campaign begins to go South..His Reps say that he is interested for he will have nothing else to do…
3) The Pope — Yes, Pope Francis knows nothing about American Football but thinks it would be neat for the Vatican to Purchase the Eagles once they get their Financial House in Order and these Pedofile Lawsuits all Settled
Kool if that is true ,that we are built on running the football,how do we become a team built on something other? Because we are not adequately constructed to do ,just that
Desert, it looks like Chip messed up on the talent evaluation of the oline…especially at the guard spot! We are stuck because we don’t have a single receiver that commands a double team. Everyone is calling for deep passes but you need speed for that…no Djax and no Maclin. Last year Maclin had a little success getting deep. If we can’t get 3 or 4 yards on first down we are finished
So to review your pathetic position:
Kelly messed up on the evaluation of the WRs
Kelly messed up on the evaluation of the RBs
Kelly messed up on the evaluation of the Oline.
Kelly messed up on the evaluation of the defensive co-ordinator.
Kelly messed up on the evaluation of the Cbs
But…..
Kelly was absolutely spot on the money with the evaluation of the quarterbacks! Trading away Foles AND a second round pick was the absolute right thing to do.
He was wrong at everything else….except this!
Bradford is NOT the problem….he’s just been a superstar in waiting for 5 years….just wait…just wait!!
Putz.
Kelly now 0 for 5 on QB decisions
Start Vick – wrong
Sign Sanchez – wrong
Re-sign Sanchez – very wrong
Bring in Tebow – wrong
Trade Foles for Bradford – ridiculously wrong
We can now all see why Stl was about to release Bradford before they somehow found a sucker in the Eagles upon which to dump this guy.
Chip bought the groceries and like mother Hubbard that cubbard is bare
The silver-lining in all of this is that we were unable to sign Bradford to a contract in the offseason.
So are we already moving on to “who will be the Eagles’ QB next year?” questions?
Week 2. Good times.
FOR ALL THE PEOPLE BLAMING THE OLINE FOR BRADFORDS SHIT PLAY AND CHECKDOWN THROWS
Eagles offensive line has allowed 18 total QB pressures this season (sacks/hit/hurries) in 91 passing plays. That’s 15th in NFL.
Eliot Shorr-Parks @EliotShorrParks 2h2 hours ago
Of Bradford’s 37 attempts, 23 were within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. 4 were over 20 yards. None of those 4 were completed. #Eagles
.
BRADFORD IS FUCKIN TRASH
Thoughts – that game was terrible to watch. I was very embarrassed as fan.
The offensive across the board was horrid, every single position – including the QB. The type of offensive performance we saw yesterday, starts with the coach. Sorry, there is no way your offense is that inept and the coach has nothing to do with it. His game plan was terrible and looked like Billy Davis on offense calling the plays. Didn’t adjust well to what the Dallas D was doing, its as if the Dallas D helped him create the game plan.
Eagles signed a power runner (Murray) to go along with this finesse O Line, where he likes to get the guards on the move pulling. No one on this team has stepped up to be a play maker on the offensive side of the ball.
Bradford is tentative, he looked ok in preseason…regular season live action, is a big difference from preseason. But Chip should know that he has a QB returning from an ACL injury. Should know that he was going to have to design some scheme to protect him make him comfortable. Injury to your ACL 2 years in a row….there’s no way that Bradford doesn’t have that in the back of his mind.
I like how Jenkins is playing…he was every where yesterday. Losing both Alonso and Kendricks was big blows for the defense. Defense gave up 13 points yesterday…the defense played well! I would of liked Davis to make different calls on occasion, he could of been exposed if Dallas executed…but they didn’t so I’ll give him a break this week…the defense did it’s job…created turnovers and kept the score within reach…good game from the defense.
Many of you were singing the praises of Chip Kelly two weeks ago.. about his offense and his GM skills…Now many of you are flip flopping. Its just 2 weeks, even as down as I am on Chip right now, the Eagles can turn it around…But it starts with this coaching staff. Know your personnel and game plan accordingly!
more shorr park
Bradford simply hasn’t been nearly good enough. He has been slow to release the ball, and far too often has checked the ball down instead of taking chances down the field. Bradford’s argument has been that he doesn’t want to force the ball into coverage, but with a league-leading four interceptions, it’s hard to see the turnover problem getting much worse.
The Eagles have problems all over the field, but if Bradford doesn’t play better, those problems won’t matter. It’s a quarterback’s league, and right now, the Eagles don’t have a quarterback.
In other words…..he’s exactly the same as he has been the past 5 years.
As I said (to ridicule) last week….you know who Sam Bradford reminds me of?
Sam Bradford.
he reminds me of alex smiths retarded twin brother
This team was 2-3 players away from being really good. NEVER needed to be completely blown up… Anyone see the graphic Fox put up very early in the 1st quarter? It was Bradford’s W-L record over his career. He’s a loser and looks like one when playing now. You dumped Foles for this? McCoy for this? No O line signings? A crappy O and D coordinator? Complete injury risk signings? It’s Kelly… Always has been, always will be…
I like to consider myself an optimistic eagles fan, probably one of the most on this board, but even I am starting to see some really troubling trends.
One thing that blows my mind is Kelly’s play calling. We are getting run blitz’ed to death and he has some really nice plays to beat that he is just not dialing them up.
Where is the zone read with the TE pop pass up the seam. Where is the package plays with the WR screen built in. Where is the Play action with the TE coming across to pick up the edge defender and throwing the post. Where is the trips to both sides with a zone read in the middle. Where is the overstacked line when he brings lane Johnson over next to Peters.
These were plays that were Kelly’s bread and butter the past two years and he is just not calling them.
Or how about the four verticals and throwing deep along the sidelines. Or what about the fake RB screen left and come back with the TE screen right.
I don’t think I have seen any of these plays yet.
Chip says he”s “saving those Plays for when they really need them”..
He’s got everyone where he wants them, he was overheard saying ..
Signs of Steve Spurrier becoming more evident each day.
Yeah the Eagles will not beat the Jets. We looking at 0-3
Yeah Diddy we staring straight down the barrel of 0-3, they better get to Fitzpatrick early and often and score on special teams and that still might not be enough.
Jesus.
The Eagles are gonna get Molly-Whooped on Sunday.
Man. it’s gonna be BRUTAL.
Please Dear Football God let me be wrong.
:-/
I hope you are wrong Ts. Im seeing that David Amerson was cut by redskins…I would kick some dirt tires on him. Has size, speed , and some skills. I mean he did have 13 picks one year in college. Holla at him Chip!!!! See what he can do.
He’s better then Biggers.
I agree BigL
And when i say kick tires.. i mean on our practice squad..I think he is still PS eligible.