Free Advice
Posted: November 27th, 2015 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 456 Comments »If Jeff Lurie were to ask my advice on what to do with the Eagles, here are a few things I would tell him.
Let the season play out. The goal is to get the team back on track. That might mean a coaching change. It might mean adding a GM. It might mean changes on the coaching staff. There will be roster turnover (fact of life in the NFL), but you need to know what changes need to be made.
It would be easy to say “Fire Bill Davis!”, but just 2 weeks ago you could argue his unit was carrying the team. Did he become an idiot in 2 weeks? I don’t think so. Still, the results are so incredibly bad that you can’t just brush them aside. That’s why it is critical to see how the defense plays the last 5 games. If they continue to struggle, Davis needs to go. If the defense rights the ship, then you have to really study the 2 blowouts to figure out why things went so horribly wrong.
You need that same mentality when judging the whole team, players and coaches. I am not a fan of firing a coach who is coming off a pair of 10-6 seasons, but if the Eagles finish 4-12 or 5-11, that is one epic collapse from a 4-4 start and Chip might need to go. If the team goes 6-10 or 7-9, style points will be key. You can play reasonably well and lose. You can play poorly and win.
What if Sam Bradford comes back and the Eagles then finish 8-8 or 9-7? That changes the discussion entirely. At this point I would be shocked for this team to get red hot. Then again, I’m shocked they are 4-7 so what the heck do I know? Every time I think I know what is going on with this team, things go in a very different direction.
Let the season play out. Figure out who needs to go and who is worth keeping. Making emotional decisions after a bad loss or during a losing streak doesn’t do anyone any good.
Do a lot of talking. At the end of the season, Lurie will meet with Chip to discuss the state of the team. Lurie isn’t a meddling owner. He lets his football people do their thing. He talks to them every year, but I get the feeling he does more listening than anything else.
This January Lurie needs to talk. A lot. He needs to press Chip for very specific answers about what went wrong and then ideas on how to fix those problems. Lurie needs to be one heck of a devil’s advocate to make sure Chip understands the gravity of his offseason decisions.
If Chip can’t explain his vision and his ideas well enough, that might be a clue that he needs help or shouldn’t be kept around.
Try to get the pulse of the players. Cary Williams didn’t like playing for Chip. Brandon Boykin wasn’t happy with how things went between the two of them. Evan Mathis had a strange end to his time as an Eagle. There are reports that some current players aren’t happy.
Lurie needs to try to find out if this is a legitimate issue or typical player-coach stuff. Jeremiah Trotter hated Andy Reid when he left the team in the 2002 offseason. Donovan McNabb left angry. John Welbourn forced Reid to trade him. Shawn Barber ripped on the Eagles when he played against them while he was a Chief.
There are player-coach issues on every team at every level of football in the world. That’s a fact of life. That said, Chip is an unusual coach and person. If there are problems that go beyond the normal griping about money, touches and/or snaps, then Lurie has to factor that into his thinking.
Check out the landscape. Look around the league. Who are the best teams and why? How close are the Eagles to being one of those teams?
Is the answer as simple as find a stud QB? Maybe. Maybe not. Green Bay is very up and down right now and they have Aaron Rodgers. But having the right QB makes a huge difference. Cam Newton is carrying the Panthers. Jay Cutler is playing well and the Bears are suddenly in the playoff mix.
As Lurie considers a coaching change, think about who is out there. Would you rather have Chip or Josh McDaniels? What about Adam Gase? And so on. If you do replace Chip, you need to have someone better to replace him with.
Is Denver better off since firing John Fox and going with Gary Kubiak? Figure out why the Panthers kept Ron Rivera around and see if any of that thinking applies to the Eagles situation.
Keep the goal in mind. You want to build a great team that can win a Super Bowl. Figure out which coaches and players you think can help you do that. Keep them. Move on from the others.
*****
Nolan Carroll is on IR.
Former fourth-round pick returns to #Eagles roster: https://t.co/9qkONhKCyB https://t.co/Ig1YTWUeS7
— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) November 27, 2015
Watkins knows the scheme so bringing him back makes sense. I’m curious to see how the coaches use Eric Rowe, E.J. Biggers and Watkins. I would love to see Rowe get playing time, but the coaches may prefer someone with more experience.
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I dunno. How much talking do you need to know you need an elite QB? A strong Oline?
I don’t get the point of replacing Chip, even if he doesn’t have all the answers he’s been building his team. A coach that comes in will have to either accommodate these specific players, or clean house. That’s going to be a drastic/significant problem. Let Chip have his run.
Let’s get rid of Mathis and Herremans. And not acquire anyone in free agency or the draft. The inabilities of Barbre, Gardner, and Tobin should be overshadowed by Chip Kelly’s system.
Line was getting better with Gardner but Tobin is bad and losing jp it just doesn’t work.
Gardener got hurt in the first half of week 3.
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Some variation of this answer.
Ideally a better QB, Connor Cook maybe
Maybe a better set of guards. I think Kelley’s failure stem from GM decisions:
Mathis issue
DeMarco Murray
Blindness with Miles Austin
Retaining Riley Coopers skills
That said, This was his first half of an offseason. He needs another full year to sink or swim.
Lurie should explore what players don’t like about playing here. This is most concerning to me
Overall, Let Chip have his run
Kiko Alonso is terrible. I thought he would be a Sean Lee/Kuechly type instinctive intelligent LB. Looks like he’s just an athletic dude that runs hard and was a bit overrated due to his interceptions back in 2013.
What’s the deal with Agholor? Sometimes I forget that he’s on this team.
Kiko’s clearly hurt. He’s not moving around well at all.
Yes i was always skeptical of the kiko bandwagon..he too skinny boy .. Hicks is the man .. but football has too many injuries. .btw injuries & concussions its luterally too dangerous fir anyone
Kiko isn’t heathy… You aren’t judging a guy at his true ability…. Now whether he will ever avoid the knee injuries long enough to see his true ability, that’s another question..
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So Chip traded a RB who had led the NFL in rushing for an injury prone LB who cannot perform?
He looked good in the preseason and opener, but then he got injured again. I don’t think he has fully recovered from that one, plus he’s rusty (hasn’t played much since 2013). There is a question if the injuries could be chronic, but when we traded for him, he had played a full season just fine (DROY and looked at least as good as Hicks did for us) then had an ACL tear before his second year, which you don’t assume is a chronic issue, though he partially tore it again this year. If that ends up robbing him of his athleticism, that would not be good. But we may not know until next year.
Sorry, but as Chip himself has said: the best ability is availability. The gamble has not worked out so far. I shudder to think about what kind of yards Shady will put up against us in two weeks.
So, “sources” have said that Lurie lost a bet with Jerruh and there will be a uniform change for next year.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/53/4c/e9/534ce9273b3537ae1f632f98aedb046f.jpg
meh.
I think you’re capable of more.
I think a coaching change on the defensive side of the ball could help because there is some talent there – if it stays healthy. However, the offense lacks talent in almost every phase of the game. Improving the offensive line should be the number one priority and would provide the biggest impact. That, however, will be a tall order because everyone other than Lane Johnson needs to be replaced (Peters is just too old and Kelce is too small).
Kelce isn’t “too small” Ryan Kalil is the same size and weight and is one the best blocking centers in the game…..Kelce’s struggles this year are mostly mental, his technique has been sloppy and snapping balls over the QB’s head doesn’t help
Or snapping them at his shins. Yeah, can’t figure out his issues this year. He’s like 4th in the league in penalties behind LJ and Maxwell. I think that’s a clear indication of how our season is going. Our top paid free agent, our 1st round pick 2 years ago, and Kelce all lead the league in turnovers.
on top of all that, our #3 overall pick Center for the Sixers leads a double life as a street fighter after last call it seems…..didn’t see this coming from Okafor at all
Glen Macnow (I think) tweeted that it was a result of being on a losing team. It may be, but that was such a hot headed thing to do.
i could see the other night in Boston having something to do with that….but have you heard what happened a month ago? He was in old city late at night and got into an argument with a couple guys then tried punching someone through a car window, then someone pulled a gun on him and had it pointed at his head
It doesn’t help that the guards on both sides are at best back ups. With better guards, Kelce will be close to Probowl form.
Eagles suck. Lets go Eagles.
Thats how i feel.
Not expecting much, just hoping.
I’m hoping I don’t feel even worse than I do now after the Pats game.
At least with a hot Tom Brady we expect them to bomb miserably so you should be ok.
Nailed it.
I raised this question before, but the chatter about DC needs context. What DC out there is going to want to come here when the unit is used, abused, hurting and resentful? The offense is inept and the defense is expected to spend 40-plus minutes on the field – for what? When I look back at how often the defense has been the fall-guy, and how it has regularly bounced back to make us believers, I cannot feign surprise now that they see no reason to give more. Call it exhaustion, call it anger, call it pathetic, but Kelly’s expectations from the get-go raised many eyebrows regarding the effects of uptempo on the defense. Tommy pointed out recently that he (and many others) expected Davis to deploy a 4-3 Under scheme because that was his experience. So if the 3-4 has been imposed by Kelly – and we will probably know if that is the case only when he leaves – then Davis is not an autonomous DC, but more a DC in name only. I’m only speculating here, but the guy needs some slack if he’s taking bullets for Kelly, and Kelly needs to get a 3-4 guru who answers to NOBODY!
Kelly controls scheme and Davis clears weekly scheme with Kelly .Kelly requires 34 .Part of me hopes it can change. But we’re 3 yrs into a 34. That said all of our key guys would fit into a 43.
Cox/Logan – DT
Thornton/Curry – DE
But how do you get Graham on the field?
Hicks – MLB? I think he’s good, but MLB is a lot different than ILB.
Where does Kendricks & Alonso go? Can Barwin play 3-4 OLB?
Secondary – I think it could be fine w/what we have with better game planning.
Just musing, but do you think it would set the defense back a year to switch back to 4-3? Or are you thinking we should play more 4-3 under to get our best players on the field? I think this would work great in passing situations, but what do they do in running situations?
Graham plays DE and DT in the 4-3 scheme. But I think Kelly is committed to playing 2 gap 3-4.
unclear. i think buffalo went from 34 to 43 when RR came. Bears went 34 to 43 i think also and they’re decent. Good coaching could make this defense good. Another problem is we’re so vanilla on D i don’t think it puts players in the best situations. In order to not get beat we barely play defense.
But i’m thinking tank-city so…
I completely agree with your flavor of the month, vanilla. One of the advantages of a 3-4 with athletic LBs is mixing up the coverages and blitzes, and we do so little that it feels like missed opportunities.
I think a good 3-4 front is more challenging for an OL than a 4-3 but what do I know?
It is definitely geared to stuffing the run game, and for the majority of games before Miami, our D was doing just that. I don’t know who is getting punked at LOS, but very abruptly, stopping the run has become a monumental challenge. Greg Cosell called out Malcolm Jenkins on a long gain stemming from his missed tackle recently, but I think it is more than just his play that is behind this disturbing trend. Most running backs when they speak on their preferences, like going against 4-3 more.
This missing link is Jordan Hicks.
Unless chip changes his style and stop putting so much extra pressure on the defense, you are right that no established Big name DC will take This Job, you would have to hire a young position coach who could be enticed by the DC promotion…
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I wouldn’t mind a young LB coach out of Houston who played with hall of fame playërs, and learned from great Coaches like Bellichick and Romeo Crennel who was a good DC at time…. The young Mike Vrabel..
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My main problem moving forward with chip is that he will continue to look for players and try to fit them in his system, when I want a guy who Like Carolina OC mIke Shula, looked at the talemt and skillset of his best players and tailored an offense that runs plays that are best for the skillset of his players… With Chips very specific system, not only does Chip have to get the player evaluation right, but he also has to correctly project how they will do in his very specific offense, and we are seeing that he is COMPLETELY MARRIED to his alternative Philosophies to the point where he has ZERO INTEREST in changing scheme to best fit the skillsets of his best players… Even when demarco looks great running in this offense, it’s still NOT the BEST POSITION to put Murray in..
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when you are winning, being a contrarian, and reinventing the wheel is something you can get away with… But when it blows up in your face, and you are so married to this alternative scheme that you aren’t willing to make drastic changes for the good of the team, then I have a Big Problem..
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for chip to make changes, I feel like he almost views it as admitting Failure. it’s almost like more Important than winning, is WINNING by using his alternative principles drastically different from the Norm, and Chip Needs to understand that WINS/Losses is all that MATTERS! No one will punish the guy, or look down on him if he wins 11 games,by Huddling, slowing down the tempo, Linning up under center… he will be applauded for adjusting and evolving, but it’s like in his mind, shelfing his unique views is like waiving the white flag…. No one gives a shit about your scheme.. When you win, you will be applauded, when you lose, you will be ripped… no one is going to punish you for winning using more traditional pro style principles..
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If slowing down the tempo, using the huddle, letting a QB audible into better plays if he sees something in the defense, Linning up in other ways besides shotgun, If this is what it takes to win games, Im concerned that chip will refuse… It’s one thing to be confident in your beliefs, but being realistic is most important..
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I think Chip is a great playccaller and bright offensive coach, but I want a Coach who just wants To do what it takes to win, Not a coach who is so married to winning a Specifc way….
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You took the good defense for granted all year and piled more and more on the defenses back, and now the defense has fallen apart. the Offense isn’t a high powered 40 points a game offense, it went 3 and out 5 times in a row for a combined 3 minutes total on the field yesterday… Now you play the Patriots, and our offense is sputtering and the defense is leaking and taking on water. no Coach in their Right mind who is struggling to score 17 points, will go into Foxborough and think that winning a shoutout is the best way to beat Tom Brady… And when you are so insistent on Constant Tempo. What you are doing is increasing the amount of possessions and illiciting a shootouts… Yet Chip ISNT even going to consider changing,.. His answer will be to go to foxborough, Rev up the tempo as fast as we can and focus on executing better, which is flat out Negligent… You are playing the Patriots, you should be concerned with slowing the game down, trying to keep the ball away from the Patriot offense, shortening the game to play less possessions….this won’t reguster in Chips brain… He is going to insist on continuos tempo which is flat out Negligent with this offense on the road against the Patriots…. And this is the underlying problem
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the Man Cares TOO MUCH about winning HIS WAY, than he cares about winning the damn game.. And to him going against his idol Bellichick for the first time. Not using his tempo and all his alternative methods in his mind would be like waiving the white flag and admitting his philosophies DONT work, and we don’t Need this extra distraction and obsticle… We want a Coach that will do whatever to win the damn game. We don’t care how he has to line up, or what play he has to call to achieve it, and im worried that his Ego, NEEDING to win HIS WAY, will always keep him from evolving and running a more traditional pro operation if that’s what’s best for the team..
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If Chip comes out and huddles, let’s sam audible into better plays, slow it down and try to keep it out of Brady’s hands, line up under center and in ways that the Pas haven’t prepared for, I would RESPECT the hell out of chip, and be more than happy t give him another year to evolve, learn that there is defeiniteky a time for the Tempo, but NOT ALWAYS, stop being Married to specific scheme and formation, and be more willing to run whatever it takes to give your players the very best chance to use their skills To make plays..
If Kelly is as dogmatic as you paint him, I think this would be news to Lurie, because I don’t think he’d have hired a guy who cannot roll with circumstances. Tommy’s right: Lurie needs to have a long sit-down with his HC and take hours with the press in January. Our insights are limited by tight-lipped PC’s and ineptitude before our eyes. It’s actually not difficult to look awful, but knowing why is another question. I’m not sure I want to see Brady carve us up like a butterball, but I am very curious to see who shows up.
True.. But right now, it’s so bad that it’s not complicated. Chip is failing to get these players to continue to play anywhere near their potential and his team is clearly losing faith in the coaching they are Recieving,.. When this happens, I don’t know how to come back from it…
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When the players belief in the coach is wavering, what you or I think no longer matters…
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can this be fixed with anither offseason worth of roster moves? Sure hope so because I believe Lurie will bring Chip back,.. But personally, my confidence is diminishing… Not in chip or his ability as a coach, Im just worried that proving his different way is the answer will keep us from making the changes that need to be made fto be successful
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We will find out in New England, if he is Batshit crazy enough to keep up the tempo all game against Tom Brady…. God help us..
We will see whether or not Chip is capable of making the necessary adjustments. His offensive scheme, as we all know, is predicated on à mobile QB and a strong running attack. If he has those and a decent Online then the offense can stay on the field and wear down opposing defenses. It also takes the pressure off our defense. But our offensive line has not been good enough to let the running backs get first downs, and that is on Chip. His system would work with a pocket passer with a quick release and mobility in the pocket. The up tempo will work if these things are in place. We need to fix the Online (obviously) and get a quality WR. Bradford, behind a better Online and with a good running attack, can make this offense work. Considering the time he has missed it is too early in his career to write him off. The Eagles should stick with him if the can sign him to a reasonably priced, relatively short term contract. Any QB they draft, since there aren’t any that can start immediately in this draft, will take a year or two to develop. This team has had so many injuries that they”ve never been able to see if the system works. They have also been hurt by drafting MS3 and no Olinemen, so Chip has to do a better job in that area. I don’ think we will see wholesale changes this year except in the Online and WR corps. Chip gets another year to make his system work.
I think any upcoming assistant would take the job.
Not with a coach who is has a rep now like Kelly and very well might be in a spot where he gets fired next year if things don’t go well.
Really tough to get an upcoming assistant where he can only be guaranteed 1-year as the DC.
Good points. I have often wondered over the last three weeks if the TOP has simply taken its toll on the D…I’d be willing to give Davis another year but only if he has a HC that can score and hold onto the rock for more than 18 minutes a game.
Davis should be fired for what he did to Rowe yesterday alone.
That honestly made me think they were tanking .You have to be trying to lose . Even if Sanchez is playing ok you can keep up with an offense that’s scoring tds every time down .
I mean they gave him help. He wasn’t always single. Being a predominately man team seems to be too easy to take advantage of just like being a fast tempo only offense.
Just like everything else they need to be willing to adapt.
Did it with Fletcher last year down the stretch. Just isn’t a good defensive coordinator.
Maybe Rowe should be fired for not being good also?
Rowe is a rookie. He gets some slack. Davis is in his 7th year doing this. He doesn’t.
I felt Rowe was there in coverage the whole time. Some were perfect throws, some he didn’t get his head around fast enough. I think he can be good for us moving forward tbh.
Yes, this is a fresh wound so we over react, but reality is Stafford made some perfect throws and there aren’t many Corners that can stop MEGATRON when Stafford is delivering perfect balls
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Thurmond was rolling towards Rowe’s side, but he failed to get there in time to help ROWE with those perfectly placed balls by Stafford… That’s what happens when a QB ISNT pressured
I honestly think it is as easy as a serviceable qb for the scheme. Without going into detail….that is the cure for the disease imho.
in 2013 ya but not anymore
The ONLY thing that can stop the bleeding, and put some pep back in the Eagles Step is if Bradford and Ryan Mathews come back, playing so well that it sparks the team and rallies the truth… Unfortunately we HAVENT seen much that would allow us to rationally expect that to actually happen,..
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But if Bradford and Ryan Mathews can’t galvanize the troops, it’s going to get even uglier and we will struggle to win another game.. Id be shocked if we win two more games..
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We are like in 2nd place, with almost a third of the season left, and we laid down and quit…. Never seen ANYTHNG so bad.. We literally quit in the middle of competing for the division crown..how pathetic
how pathetic i am, i found myself thinking last night, “well, if they beat the patriots, then all of the quitting will be forgiven and i will forget the previous three games…” by patriots game time i know this is what i will be thinking even if has very little chance of happening. Part of me just wants another big loss to finally knock sense into me.
Lol I hear you man… Desperate times..
Has anyone considered that this might all be Sanchez’s fault. The defense too…they didn’t start to play poorly until he got the field. It’s also likely that even just his presence was holding back the team earlier even before he got on the field. I mean look at him…doesn’t it just suck the confidence out of your body to see his stupid face and stupid hair?
I don’t know … I’m out of intelligent ideas of what’s going on with this team.
Most of the team: shit he makes more than me? wtf I quit
exactly. “shit, we have to play this week with Sanchez as starter? wtf I quit.” Sanchez seems like a dedicated, hard worker, good guy, but has the hot dog sideline eating, hair band wearing, butt fumble viral videoing, quality to him that might not get much respect from other players as a leader.
Well when Sam.comes back vs NE we’ll see..
Your making the argument that Sanchez and the Eagles defense in 2015 are as bad as Bobby Hoying (0 TDs, 9 INTs in 7 starts) and the Eagles defense were with BH at the helm in 1998.
Check the numbers . . .
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/phi/1998.htm
Yes….these GQ photos invalidate any logical argument based on stats or evidence. Sanchez is terrible in ways extending past football that Bobby Hoying could never dream of.
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/09/07/aaron-rodgers-call-mark-sanchezs-gq-photos-embarrassing/
LMAO
I doubt finding a coach to replace Chip Kelly would be much of an issue. I’d bet Howie Roseman has a list and he’s tracking them as diligently as he once tracked prospective draft picks and free agents.
Agree with Tommy’s general approach here as usual and I hope that Chip stays and gets a chance to right the ship next year. But if Lurie decides it’s time to part ways, he should be looking for the right person to GM/run Football Operations, not muck around hiring a coach first.
He’s already paying Howie Roseman to be his GM in waiting.
It’s time to hire Sam Hinke as a consultant.
At least Hinke loses on purpose.
Cory Undlin was DC at Cal Lutheran. Azzinaro DCed Duke, but Undlin has a whole heck of a lot more NFL experience and is less of a Chip lifer. Teams do sack their coordinators mid season, often to good effect though in Philly the Juan-to-Todd mess is a recent memory.
Tommy I thought you were mentioning that Belichick’s assistants don’t make good head coaches, or someone here was. If Josh McDaniels gets the job I may have to find another Sunday hobby for that year and a half of suffering. People can think less of me as an Eagles fan but this is merely a hypothetical. I am curious about how Matt Patricia would fare as a HC though, but I will grasp for Chip finding his stride in Philly until it ends or is no longer plausible by any stretch.
No Belichick assistant has had more than fleeting HC success.
Say what you want about Chip the GM, he didn’t draft Tebow in the 1st Round. That was Josh’s idea. Choosing the guy who drafted Tebow is like drafting Tebow in the..
Thus far, that is true. But I like Bill O’Brien a lot.
I’d take Josh McDaniels over that dopey twerp Sean McDermott, who Ruben Frank seems to want to promote as a HC candidate every other tweet.
But I don’t care for McDaniels either.
Rick Minter actually has the most college DC experience, with five years at Notre Dame in two stints among other stops like Kentucky; 16 years total of DC and HC. As HC won Humanitarian Bowl and Little Caesar’s Bowl. Pro experience is the three years of Chip.
Speaking of inside linebackers, the Eagles are 0-3 since cutting Brad Jones. The real story. 4-4 with Brad Jones is about right.
Re: Last 5 Games and a Better QB
T-Law made two points (among many good ones):
1. Let the Season Play Out.
2. . . . having the right QB makes a huge difference.
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Regarding the first . . .
In the Reid era, what made the Eagles so good, record wise at least, from 2000-2010 is that — with a couple of exceptions — the Birds’ record in the second half of the season was very, very good.
You expected, no matter how the Eagles started the season, that Andy Reid would get the team straightened out and they’d make a run in the second half.
So far, under Kelly, in Y-1 the Eagles went 7-1 in the last 8 games. They had a few cupcake games (Oakland, GB w/out Rodgers, imploding Lions under Swartz). And nearly perfect health across the offense and defense after training camp. Plus a tempo-driven scheme still new to the NFL.
In Y-2, the Eagles opened 6-2, despite injuries on the O-line, with special-teams TDs accounting for the margin of victory in two games.
Then 4-4 in the second half — but 1-3 in the last four — as the turnover/special teams TDs and mediocre opponents dried up.
Those 4 losses in the second half included 3 blow-out defeats to the NFC’s best playoff teams.
In Y-3, the Eagles scuffled to 4-4 in the first half. In the 2nd half, it’s 0-3 . . . with losses to teams *not* among the best in the NFL by a wide margin. And with the Patriots and Arizona on the horizon.
In the free-agency era, it seems that generally (NYG aside) good playoff teams put together big 2nd-half runs.
In the past two seasons — unlike the first 10 years of Reid — we’re not seeing the second half push.
Unlike Y-1, Kelly’s teams have been hit by injuries just like everyone else the last two years.
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Regarding the “right QB” point — which I take to mean a very good QB . . .
The NFL, for years, has been a QB league. PERIOD.
Although, without a pretty good defense, even very good QB play won’t be enough. (Miami with Marino; San Diego with Rivers.)
George Seifert was a 2x SB winning HC for the 49ers with Montana and Steve Young. But with the Carolina Panthers — which lacked a good QB — Seifert turned into a lousy HC.
Tom Landry. 18 times in the playoffs in 20 seasons. But only 5 SB appearances — 4 with Roger Staubach and 1 with Craig Morton (1970, when teams ran the ball more than passed) — and 2 wins, both with Staubach. But after Staubach, the Landry’s Cowboys couldn’t get back. Even with still potent offenses and defenses.
(Trent Dilfer in Baltimore . . . the exception that proves the point.)
The lone coach in the post-merger era to win big without a great QB?
Joe Gibbs. Won 3 SBs with 3 different QBs — all products of his offensive genius: Power Running, Downfield Passing, and Pass-Rushing Defenses (just like the Jimmy Johnson Cowboys with Norv Turner, a Gibbs acolyte, as OC).
I thought Kelly could be like Gibbs. Not scheme wise.
But that Kelly’s offensive philosophy and acumen could compensate for *NOT* having a very good QB.
After 2013, when Foles played better than the best John Unitas ever gave the Colts, Kelly looked like he could be the kind of coaching exception that Gibbs was.
The team’s offensive performance the past seasons against quality opponents, however, raises some hard questions about whether Kelly can make this offense work without the kind of franchise QB that can make *any* offense great.
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So if Lurie’s “yardstick” is waiting for Kelly to find “the right QB,” then maybe Lurie should give Kelly a life-time contract.
Most coaches, no matter how long they coach, never find that guy.
Maybe Kelly will build the kind of defense Jim Harbaugh had in SF — which included SEVEN 1st Rd picks on it (two via FA).
Or maybe Kelly will hit a low-round QB and some low round DBs like Pete Carroll did in Seattle . . . as long as Kelly can find a future HOF safety to cover sideline to sideline to back-stop the defense.
BOTTOM LINE . . .
If the Eagles’ success is all about finding a QB, then Lurie could keep Kelly. Or bring in someone new.
History seems to say it probably won’t matter.
Short of an historically good defense turning up here, that is . . . or Kelly morphing into vintage Joe Gibbs.
disinterested advice to Kelly, or any other big time college coach with nfl dreams, would be to go back to USC or some other like place, win a ton of games, and then turn down nfl coaching offers for years if have to until you get the team with the first pick in the draft knocking at your door the same year that there is a consensus number one overall QB like a Luck. Then you are guaranteed to start off with a young, potential franchise QB, and who cares about the talent of rest of the team, give yourself three or four years to grow the rest of the team.
Lots of things about Kelly’s coaching has been off putting, and about the team’s playing, but without an elite QB it is hard to figure out anything much about a team, an elite QB/leader affects all aspects of the game.
Outstanding post. So much to discuss, but I’ll just pick at one item you mentioned – Joe Gibbs in D.C. Do you think Gibbs would have let Gary Clark (DJax) and Art Monk (J-Mac) walk?
Gibbs was able to have success with a variety of starters at critical positions (Theisman, D. WIlliams, M. Rypien at QB; Riggins, Riggs,Rogers, Byner, at RB). However, it seemed to me (I can only remember his last SB run in ’91) that there was a lot of continuity in other areas of critical importance. He built and maintained a dominant line that allowed his RBs and QB to experience success. He drafted and nurtured the talented trio of WRs in Monk, Clark, and Ricky Sanders. His defense seemed to remain stable throughout his tenure as well. Guys like Darrell Green, Monte Coleman, Dexter Manley, Charles Mann, etc.
If you think about it, those 80s Washington teams are really intriguing.
But anyway, back to the main point. Joe Gibbs clearly had the formula for winning. DC football fell off the map when he departed despite some decent (albeit it aging) talent and his old coaching regime intact. I think Chip has some truly innovative ideas, but I don’t think he has the formula for winning.
Those 80s Skins’ teams also had an owner, Cooke, who had no problem with spending & spending big if necessary to ensure his team was well-stocked including their backups.
If we can go backwards once again, what about Reid? Andy did have the chance to pick a QB high, and he got a good one, best one in the draft. Unfortunately, he did not get a great one. Donnie’s QB rating is 10-20 points lower than the top QBs, his accuracy was poor, he was inconsistent. 5 was good enough to win a Superbowl, but the planets did quite align for him. But if Reid had gotten an A-level QB, how many championships would he have won?
Curse this QB-centric league! I was hoping Chip could save us from this nonsense, hopefully with a squad of 6’1″ burner/point guards with questionable arms and lots of heart.
Coax Jimmie Johnson out of retirement
McNabb was just unintelligent and it always annoyed the crap outta me.
Chip is toast. Instead of fine-tuning a 10-6 team by filling a few key spots with key additions, he got rid of key players and now is stuck with a team that is mostly in need of an overhaul, perhaps even starting from scratch in total rebuild mode. Don’t be fooled. The team has been getting worse and that trend is likely to continue. One can always hope for this team and coach to turn this season around. Good luck with that. Just like with the Phils, the sooner the owner accepts reality and deals with it, the better for everyone.
“The lone coach in the post-merger era to win big without a great QB?”
Not to nit pick your argument, but did you miss the 2007 and 2011 NFL seasons when a certain lucky football team ended up with the Lombardi Trophy due to two New England chokes and/or lucky chuck and duck passes? You know, the guy with the sub 60% career completion %, pedestrian 280:191 TD:INT ratio, and career QB rating of 83 in an era where 90+ is the expectation for good QBs?
But I like your general discussion points….I just felt the need to point out the Eli sucks.
Thank you for this well written and informed piece, sir.
Miss seeing you not post as much. Often great historical tidbits and other useful facts which teach me something.
http://i.imgur.com/upgPsTZ.png
Joe went as bonkers over Chip’s offseason moves as anyone
super bowl right?
he had us and the Ravens. Also said the Chicago Bears would be historically bad….i agreed with him on that one, but John Fox is a magic man during the regular season
adam gase is clearly a good OC, though bears have tons of weapons just needed OL. Geting fangio also great pickup
yea Fangio was huge….how many guys could you actually name on that defense off the top of your head before the season?
defense is nobodies which is more of an indictment of chip/davis, but they got a pass rusher
sad but true
Christian Jones was a love child of ours a couple drafts ago. I see him making plays often in that D.
Frigging LOL…should be a picture of Roseman though….
No.
No, I don’t miss you Joe. And you should have your Philadelphia privileges revoked for not keeping Dawkins here.
Re: Time of Possession – Extra Games Played
In 2013, the Birds’ TOP v. Median TOP: 26.19 – 30:12.
In 2014, the Birds’ TOP v. Median TOP: 26:40 – 30:07.
In 2015, the Birds’ TOP v. Median TOP: 26:02 – 30:27
So, in 2013, it seems that — and I welcome corrections — that over the course of their 16-game schedule, the Eagles defense played what amounts to an extra 2 games.
In 2014, the defense played an extra 1.75 games.
And, so far, in 2015 — through just 11 games — the Eagles defense has already been on the field the equivalent of an extra 1.65 games.
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I’m not arguing that TOP determines anything. Except that, over the course of a couple seasons, being 4 minutes below the median suggests a lot of extra wear and tear on the players.
Comments and corrections invited.
Dang, worse than i thought and it sure seems to explain their drop off. One thing that has bothered me is Fletcher Cox, playing fine, but not the all world level as he did the first few games. I dont think Cox has quit, but I do think he might be getting tired, not as explosive as when he was fresher in the season. Part of Kelly’s attention to sports science and keeping players sleeping well etc.. should also mean that he is super attentive to how much the defense is playing. I could imagine Kelly wanting his defense to play less than other teams by the end of the season, and doing whatever magic he would need to tweek his overall schemes to make that happen.
But it is the other way around, he makes sure they sleep well, but then creates a scheme that makes them already play 1.65 more games.
it explains why they should be feeling tired, and explains why apart from being tired, some of the problem really could be the defense quitting, quitting because they are tired of being forced to play so much more than defensive players on other teams.
But this also would mean it is not Davis’ fault, but part of it is, by keeping Rowe on Megatron, — that had nothing to do with playing time.
What? Playing an extra 1.65 games so far this year explains their drop off?
It’s a 16-game season. The only way the time of possession would explain anything is if they were playing the equivalent of game 17 or 18 at this point. According to those numbers, they’re only at the equivalent of game 13.
If anything, I’d blame the more intense practice schedule for any drop-off more than the time of possession during games.
I think plays versus TOP might be a more accurate measuring stick for offense and defense. The reason Chip ignores TOP is because if you’re not running a play, you’re not exerting much energy, which I think works for both sides of the ball.
Getting off the field on 3rd down might help.
The offense has no problem doing this lol
Snaps is a better way to calculate it. As Kelly has mentioned if the other team is gonna use the full 40 seconds the defense doesn’t get tired standing around waiting for a play.
In other words if the other team has the ball for 35 minutes but only runs 60 plays it’s not that taxing.
You want to try and reinvent the wheel and make so many unorthodox changes. And you better be right,,, because when you start to set Record for being so Bad, you go from being a great creative coach to a contrarian who is face planting, and when your team lays down and quits on you, when your fingerprints and reputation are on EVERYTHING! Logically fans and players will start to question EVERYTHING:
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1) Is constant tempo WHATS best for us?
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2) is Linning up in Shotgun every play of every game The best way to attack EVERY defense in the NFL?
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3) Is the Unique practice schedule helping us or hurting us?
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4) Is your Practice style helping us or hurting us? Is running as many plays as possible every day in practice so we can later correct them in the class room really WHATS best for us? Or should we be more concerned with Quality instead of Quantity and spend time at practice to stop a guy and make the correction right there on the field when you see a mistake?
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5) is Running the most offensive plays as possible each game really more important than time of possession? Is it really possible that there are Never occasions where trying to hold the ball as long as possible minimizing the chances the opponents get on offense is More,important than trying to run 90 plays?
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6) “I don’t believe grown men need to be yelled at”??? Are you friggin kidding me? You are meaning to tell me that there is NEVER an Occassion where yelling at a player helps? Go tell that to bill Parcels.. Instead of these Absolutes like TEMPO ALL THE TIME, or NEVER yelling at a player, are you ever going to learn that there is a a time and place for everything. Parcells knew when the guy he was dealing with needed to be yelled at and cursed out, and he knew which players didn’t respond well to… Shotgun all game, EVERY Game? There is a place for Shotgun, and there are times where Linning up under center is a better option…
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I’m worried that chip views changing and evolving As Defeat. I’m tired of CARING so MUCH about winning a SPECIFIC way, instead of caring about making whatever changes best give us a chance to be successful each week
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This will NEVER happen, but I’d LOVE to have a Head coach, who designs our pro style offense and as ultimate control. But have Chip kelly as the Offensive coordinator and Play caller… I would LOVE to see Chip without the restrictions of ABSOLUTE TEMPO all the Time, and ONLY Linning up in shotgun… Thinj Chip could be fantastic as an Offensive coordinator with power to call plays.. But that will NEVER happen
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And as a coach, needing to be successful with his alternative methods are too important to chips ego, thus I have NO FAITH that he is willing to adjust, evolve and make the Neccessary changes to sustain success…
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We will find out for sure next week… With a sputtering offense, and a defense in shambles, if Chip has the nerve to go to New England and use tempo all game, with NO Regards or Concern with trying to limit the opportunities Tom Brady gets, then This coach is either a moron, or two much of an egomaniac to be trusted to shelf his philosophies when doing so gives us a best chance to win, and if he can’t do that, he can’t coach in this league.
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For the Record I don’t believe chip should completely abandon the tempo. And I don’t believe he should trash his entire offense, but he NEEDS to Learn that there is a times and a place for everything, there will be time to rev up his tempo, but there will be times when slowing down the tempo is in our best interest.. there is a lot to like with his offense, I don’t want to trash, I want to ADD a bunch of new, different Volumes to it, need to add Pacakages for like 10 new formations that chip ignores,.
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You can’t tell me that Linning up in shotgun exclusively, every single play, of every single game, no matter who the opponent is, is ALWAYS WHATS best for this team.you can’t tell me that constant tempo every game no matter who we play is always WHATS best for this team….. and if after 3 years and this Embarressing Faceplant, he still hasn’t learned this lesson, than he is Hopeless and it would be negligent to keep him in charge for another year..
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Chip kelly Lacks way too much variety in too many areas, and I don’t believe his ego will allow him to do what’s best for this team…. We will Find out for sure when we see how he decides to coach against the Patriots..
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If he hasn’t noticed, his offense quit, they don’t even believe the shit he is asking them to run, and unless you make some changes that they feel will give them a chance to not be embarressed in New England, they won’t give you the effort, and until the offense shows up, and stops putting so much on the defense, these defenders won’t play for him either.
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All the proof you need is that this current group of defenders have led the league in forced turnovers, obviously they had enough and no longer believe in chip and his offense, stopped giving the effort and focus, which is why playërs who forced more turnovers than everyone have stopped playing for you and HAVENT bailed you out with any turnovefs the last few weeks, which coincides with this implosion… These players all of the sudden don’t suck, chip and his Offense managed to demoralize them and wear them down physically and mentally… They must have gotten tired having to not only overcome the opposing offense each week, but also having to overcome the Ridiculuos extra pressure chip and the offense put on them…
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Show the Defense that you are willing to check your ego, make Neccessary changes and slow it down for the game plan against the Patriots, and if you show that you are willing to change, maybe they think you will give them enough of a chance to make it worth showing up and playing for you… Took advantage of the good defense all year, when it was our strength, he never respected and did what was best for the defense which meant PLAYING To our strength… And now the defense is laying down
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We don’t Need to ask Chip or these players any more questions. Talk is cheap, there is nothing to say right now that ISNT hallow.. Fortunately we play Patriots, and if chip EVER respected an opponent enough to make changes to try and avoid being embarressed it would be THIS GAME… If he doesn’t change and compromise on the tempo, line up and run plays we know the Pats haven’t prepared for, HE NEVER WILL..
The short week is Over, Chip Know has 10 days, to get his guys rested, and you have 10 days to come up with a good gameplan, and if that means making drastic changes in your offensive philosophy, you have the extra time to make the changes and get your players ready to execute those changes…better see some Significant changes in Foxborougg, and after setting a record for giving up so many points and yards two games in a row so bad that it hasn’t been done since the 60’s getting completely embarressed, if the fear of getting supremely embarressed in the house of the defending champs ISNT enough to get these players up to Play for you, that TELLS US all we need to know about how much our players believe in their coach.
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These players know it has gotten stale, and the college crap ain’t working, if Chip doesn’t show them that he is willing to make changes, shake things up, try and put the players in a better position, make these players feel like you are making changes that will Give them a chance to do better and not get embarressed against the Patriots, they won’t play for him. We will find out all we Need to know about whether or not chip has the respect and belief of his little culture club by how much fight this team shows in New England, and what personal philosophy chip is willing to compromise to give his team a chance.
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I understand Lurie will give him another year, but if Chip doesn’t compromise on his constant pressure and line up in other ways than shotgun against the geat Patriots, I LOSE ALL FAITH in Chip, and believe that his ego, his system will always limit him and keep Him from doing whatever it takes to give us a chance to be successful..
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Jeffrey Lurie is going to be in the Foxborough stadium with Bob Kraft and all those New England friends he respects and looks up to. Chip better make whatever change he needs to make to give his players the confidemce to play for him, or this has a chance to be even uglier than the last two games which were literally HISTORICALLY BAD..
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Evolve, Change, Compromise, add about 10 new formations to the playbook, learn that there is a time for tempo and a time to slow it down, get on your players ass Whem it’s required, grow a pair and hold guys accountable, bench who deserves, make innactive whoever deserves it, Cut and Fire guys like Miles Austin who deserve it…. If you are too stubborn, dumb, or egotistical to make these changes, you aren’t going to be successful in the NFL. if he isn’t willing to make changes against the Patriots and thinks the same stale tactics are WHATS best to not get embarressed in New England, then he needs to be fired.
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If he is willing to evolve, and make neccessary changes and additions, Id be very happy to give chip another year since He A!WAYS HAD to GROW into the NFL coach we needed him to be.. but if these harsh lessons haven’t taugh you that shotgun all game, and fast Tempo all game, EVERYGAME no matter who the opponent is, is NOT what’s best for your Pro Team, then there is no point wasting anymore time with you and we are better Off cutting our losses now, before he cuts Fletcher Cox and Trades Jordan Hicks…
Dude I know the Eagles are not good at all right now but are you taking the team being bad this bad?.You have gone from a Chip, his system, the additions, and the defenses homer to now you hate them all with a passion. Look I’m not happy with how the year is going but you used to constantly preach about giving this team time and how Nolan Carroll is a great corner to how everyone sucks and the coaching sucks and ect. Look this team isn’t doing anything this year and I think Chip deserves a 2nd year for his system but man hand you gone full bi-polar on every aspect of this team. There are more to this team’s shortcomings then just Chip and Davis. Cox is a great player but too inconsistent to be on elite level, Jason Peters is done physically, Sam isn’t the answer. They’re are many things wrong with this team but on no way should you pull a full 360 on how you felt just 3 weeks ago. I’m not advocating for everyone to be fired nor am I saying keep everyone but cmon man have some sort of consistent opinion.
Exhausted…
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I always thought Chip was hired because of the pro coach he could become, NOT because of the coach he was,, I always thought he had some growing and evolving, tweaking his philosphy to sustain success at this level…. Starting to worry that it will NEVER happen, because he cares to much about showing he can win a CERTAIN way, instead of caring about doing whatever it takes to give us the best chance to win,,,. I hope this face plant of a season is enough to get him to evolve,,,
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But WHEN your TEAM COMPLETLY quits on you, THATS DAMNING, and none of the other talk matters. Who gives a shit if I believe in chip or. If you believe in chip? If the PLAYERS don’t BELIEVE in him we are FUCKED… And that sure is what it looks like to me
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If this level of nose dive happens after we are mathematically eliminated that’s one thing.. But to be in 2nd place of your division with 1/3 of the season left and have this type of a drastic nose dive is about as DAMNING as it gets.
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Get these player to play to their potential, and I’ll live with the results,, Sixers can’t win a game, brett Brown gets those kids to fight and play hard no matter what, and I love and respects the fuck out of him for it… We aren’t talking about 1 or two players being in a slump, we are talking about guys nose diving across the board… How much more alarming does it get?
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And for the Record, I don’t care if we win 12 games and make the Confrence championship, you will NEVER convince me that Constant tempo and Only Linning up in Shotgun every game no matter who the opponent is, is the best way to play pro football… I really like the use of tempo, the shotgun playbook, but it can’t be ALL THERE IS TO THIS OFFENSE… No matter how many games he wins, I can’t see how this is what’s best to win games with..
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Again, need to care more ABOUT WINNING, than caring about winning with your alternative methods…
Most importantly, I never thought chip would be such a pussy that he holds No one accountable. There is nothing a players an do to get benched, made innactive, or cut/Fired under chip, and for me, that’s probably my biggest problem with what we are finding out..
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How Miles Austin hasn’t been cut I have no idea, but when he is on the field on 3rd down still yesterday after the last two weeks, it doesn’t get any worse than that
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I thought we would learn and evolve from never benching Bradley Fletcher no matter how bad he played,,. But chip doesmt believe in yelling at players, and he doesn’t hold them accountable,and that’s a very scary sigń for me
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lack of accountability, and im not talking about failure to say my bad at a silly press Confrence, Im talkimg about holding playërs accountable in games, as in, Fail to do your job, and you will be on the bench while someone else gets a chance to do your job..
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How Murray Wasnt punished and made innactive for a game after sliding to avoid a cornerback?
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How is Miles Austin still getting 3rd down targets in a close game?
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WTF does a player have to do to get benched around here? No one is worried about losing their job, basically he has bred a culture that has accepted all these mistakes with zero repercussions,,
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For me, this is the scariest thing
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FYI who gives a shit what we thought? Never be afraid to change an opinion when presented with New Info, failure to do so, and stick to your guns just to stick to your guns, is blowhard behavior….we are constantly learning about chip the coach, so I would hope you would continue to adjust your opinion and factor in new information…
This lack of accountability just might be scariest thing. And it matches with his not yelling at them rule. Seems to me that he knows he is not a players coach, he does not bother to say hi to them in the hallway, as i think Boykin said. They are grown men, but they still need their head coach to be their head coach, still want him to acknowledge them and say “hi” to them, and will likewise still respond to him if he shows some emotion.
But Kelly, since he does not do the little things, like say hi to Boykin in the hallway, knows he cant get away with yelling at them, or is afraid to yell at them, cus afraid to lose them. He might understand he needs to have a relationship with them and some respect from them first, before yelling can be effective.
And it does not have to be berating his players, it could be just passion, like high school harry might do to rile up the players, and yelling at one as they come off the field, just a strong, “you can do better” or “get your head out of your ass” is just one more tool a head coach has in their toolbox, so at least try it to see if works with your players before being an absolutist and reject ever raising your voice.
It’s funny that Bill Parcells was one of the best coaches of all time and he laid in to his players asses all the time. Chip can’t even hold Parcells jock.
Chip is poison. Being unable to deal with the press and fans is one thing — certainly not his top priority. But when you lose badly playing at less than full effort, then it all becomes magnified and a big deal. A personality transplant is not in Chip’s cards.
Scary INDEED!!!!
You and me both. I have to see if he’s got the chops to make the adjustments. I’m willing to give him another year, but after that he’s gotta go if he doesn’t improve.
He’s had plenty of time to adjust and hasn’t. Another year is a year too long to give him.
We really have no choice, he is going to be here next year…. Dude just bought a house, he won’t quit with his reputation disgraced right now… And doubt he leaves 12mil on the table that we owe him
Good reply, TD. Just one minor thing: it’s a 180. 360 brings you back to where you started and that’s not good in our darkest hour.
searching for answers to where did it all go wrong:
perhaps it was the Murray signing. Kelly has treated Murray as a franchise back, as the focus of the offense, as someone who would get the bulk of the touches at running back not from his play, but because of his contract and because of his pedigree from a year ago. By signing Murray, Kelly got a player that he would end up treating more important than the team. Kelly likely promised Kelly before the signing that he would be the number 1 back, focus of offense etc.. Murray also is a bit intimidating, in lockeroom and sideline, and even though he says the right things, he was pretty unhappy the first few games when not getting his yards.
If Kelly is to return, I would like some big changes elsewhere at least, and even with the lost money, one change would be to cut Murray for the benefit of the culture of the team, so players can start to believe that their level of play, not their contract, will earn them playing time.
I would say the week of dysfunction after the season, Howie, “of course I’m the GM”,to Tom Gamble being escorted out of the building, to the announcement that Kelly was the GM, and no there were no ultimatums said Lurie (yeah right). Just too much bad vibes when the whole thing started. That was where it all went wrong.
As to Murray, one could also make the case that Kelce, Kelly’s culture #1 fanboy, and the product he has displayed on the field did as much damage to the “culture” as any specific player not fitting in.
Id love to have Demarco Murray next year if we have a coach that’s willing to actually put him in the best position to be successful… And No Matter how well Demarco Murray does right now, No one would EVER say that Linning up in Shotgun every single play is WHATS best for Demarcos skillset..
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So it’s up to chip. What’s more important? Winning the game, and running whatever it takes to put Murray in the best position to lead us to success? Or is it more important that he shows he can win with HIS offense? If it’s the latter, this will continue to go south… If he puts his ego on hold, and designs an offense that best takes advantage of Murrays Talent, Id be happy to have Murray Next year.
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Id Rather have Demarco Murray and a coach who only cares about running whatver is best for Demarco, than to have Chip Kellys offense and get rid of Murray… for Example, Id LOVE to see us use Murray in a similar offense to how the Panthers use Jonathon Stewart and Mike Tolbert minus the rushiñg QB element of their offense of course.. Even out of shotgun, I see that murray still has plenty of ability, hurdling defenders, running angry and physical when he wants to and trusts the postion his coach puts him in… He is one of our best weapons, and his contract is such that we can’t get out of it after this season if we even wanted to.. So whoever coaches the fucking Eagles better start caring about running an offense that best suits Demarco, instead of a coach who is so married to a specific offense that he continues to run it even tho there are better ways to use Murrays talent
“No one would EVER say that Linning up in Shotgun every single play is WHATS best for Demarcos skillset.”
Why is this so apparent to everyone in the world except the head coach?
Good point. No use keeping Murray, a north-south runner who is being used east-west. And Sproles not being used enough.
If Chip HASNT learned anything, and doesn’t feel like he needs to change anything… He will get to the Offseason, Realize we need to get better at WR, so how will chip go about improving the WRs? I can already see it coming…. “Take advantage of an Injury making a great player like Victor Cruz available” of course,…Chip bids against himself and gives Victor Cruz a ridiculuos amount of money
It’s a sad day in Eagles Land when you’ve gone pessimist. Shit just got real!
Sad day when I wake up with you only nuts, but swing away…
I have no real advice for Lurie, but I do have advice for Eagles fans, start drinking well in advance of the game next week.
We actually need to play balophi bingo. Your sadness then makes you happy!
Lurie could try to trade Chip for a second rounder — if another team would bite.
I can’t drink during games; Hulk smash.
Oh, I have some free advice…
If you’re interested in being a great rushing team, the gotdam QB has to carry part of the load. Either he has plenty of carries himself, or he bombs the sidelines on the regular.
example given, just check out how the Jets and the Slurs have had dying running games as the season wore on. And both QBs run more than WE DO! Of course, neither can throw a decent deep ball or drive the ball to the sidelines.
Good point. The QB has to be a running threat for this offense to throw off the other team.
I chose option two; bomb the sidelines.
Umm, I’m not sure if this is who they are looking at or if Mosher is pushing a narrative. But it’s out there and I’m sharing.
https://twitter.com/GeoffMosherNFL/status/670454239991357440
We might be in position to actually get him.
I’m sure many people have their eyes on Stanley. He’s a good prospect, no?
Generally, though I dislike Notre Dame – they do have some talent on that team. They could be looking at other guys on that team too. Plus, ND is playing Stanford and Kelly loves him some PAC-10 folks (outside of DJax of course).
http://www.nfl.com/draft/history/fulldraft?abbr=S&collegeName=Stanford&abbrFlag=0&type=school
Stanford is pretty notorious for churning out not very successful players though.
Unlike Oregon, eh.
Yea Stanford OL scare the hell out of me. Decastro has pretty much been the only successful one. People complain about spread OL but Stanford is almost the opposite. They use such tight splits and either downblock with favorable angles or double team everything.
He’s the second best OL in the class behind Tunsil.
He would be a fantastic get, Maybe a better replacement at LT than Lane
Very early to see who might be there when they pick; and that’s coming from a draft stalker.
Thinking about GB. Look at the difference a guy like Nelson is making for Rodgers. Not every wideout is meant to be a go-to, having a go to guy takes the pressure off the reset of the offense.
I don’t think Chip believes in having a go to guy. He keeps rotating the 2 young guys with Miles Cooper, which is stunting their growth. He throws to Huff once a game. Ags gets maybe a target. Ertz maybe 3.
I think Chip is bottlenecking the passing game
Is it Nelson or is it sub-par pass blocking from that line coupled with the loss of McCarthy as the play caller?
This break down the whole team and start fresh narrative is a bit ridiculous. Don’t you think? The D-line still has phenomenal players in Cox and Logan. The LB’s will have Hicks back next year and while Kendricks is still Kendricks aka Loose Cannon and Alonso is clearly injured, its an above average unit. The OLB’s? Meh Barwin and Graham are decent but I think Graham is more suited to a back up role and Barwin is headed there as well. It is a real shame Smith hasn’t panned out so far, he could have been huge. While the secondary isn’t the LOB it still has some good pieces in Jenkins, Thurmond and yes, even Maxwell. Before the last 3 games where they looked like garbage, can you name me a better pair of safeties? What really needs to happen is a change in scheme/coaching. The 3-4 with Davis is pretty “meh.” Too many 3rd and longs and while the takeaways have been awesome, it isn’t enough. I think the under is still the way to go honestly. The O is a different story. The OL has Lane Johnson and………. well Lane Johnson. Peters isn’t so much a bad player all of a sudden. He is a good player who is hurt and trying to come back too soon. Kelce? I have no idea what’s going on with that melon head. WR really is an ok group as far as the young guys go. Matthews had some dropsies, we know, but he has looked better recently. Huff has really come on IMO and looks more than just a “gimmick” guy. Agholor stats are misleading. There is so much potential there. It think a new WR coach is needed. Austin and Cooper are trash plain and simple. Can’t wait for them to get the hell of the Eagles. Ryan Mathews is good/great but can’t be counted on for a full game. Demarco is good too but this sweep bullshit every other play is garbage. It make literally no sense to take a N-S guy and run him E-W over and over. Chip should have just kept Shady honestly. Finally the qb spot is what really is killing this O. I think the Eagles need to get a top 5-10 pick and Chip should have his pick and get his guy. This losing streak is putrid and I can’t remember the last time the Eagles beat a decent team. I thought the Jets were pretty good but look at them now. Nothing ground breaking. Depressing days in Eagleland.
I think there is talent on this this team. Its just been horribly mismanaged.
I think we need to draft one of the top QBs. Rebuild the OL. We have Lane and that’s it. I’m not even sure Kelce is salvageable.
The 3 WRs have talent but we could use help there. Huff is progressing when he gets a chance. Agholor hardly gets any chances. I think we need to find out of Jmatt can play outside.
I still think Ertz has real talent. I’m not saying he’s All Pro but I don’t think we feed him enough.
Going to need a young RB. Mathews cant stay healthy(only thing stopping him from being elite)
I think we can build around the DL. Hard to say with the front 7. We don’t know if we are going to stay in the 34 or not.
Thurmond and Carroll are both FAs. Jenkins’ deal is finishing up. But he should be extended. We need draft some CB and Safeties.
Might be time to stop filling out the bottom of the roster with pure ST players
Kelce sure seems like a broken man. Is center like kicker? Do you just lose it mentally and boom you suck?
The talent on O-line and the scheme on D are what I consider the two biggest problems.
QB?
But is Chip the one to rebuild the OL at this point whether he is coach or coach and GM? Is it realistic to find at least 3 and probably 4 new starters in one offseason, what with Chips measurables and culture, and the sudden toxic environment that has cropped up which will make it harder to attract free agents?
Lane is pretty good.. that is the only one he drafted…ever…so he is 1 for 1
The notion of fire sale is pretty silly. The team is pretty stacked everywhere but QB and O-line. I am more than satisfied with where the corners are even though people want to cry relentlessly. What they have done the last two weeks is not a reflection of their capability.
ILBs have been one of the Major issues with these two horrendous defensive performance, we lost hicks and its like our other ILbs forgot how to play
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But yeah, we wont be seeing wholesale changes
Yeah Hicks was like Obi Wan… alas he went down fighting the Empire.
I pray the Terrible ILB play is a case of GUys rushiñg back too soon because we lost Hicks..
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KEndricks was Terrible the first few games back from the Hamstring, then he knocked the rust off after we lost Hicks, and started flying around, looking good, had a sack in 3 consecutive games… Everything was looking great with KEndricks, and then came the Lions game and Mychal as TERRIBLE!
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I was in AWE of how Good Demeco Ryan looked early this year and how quickily he came back from the ACL injury. He looked amazing against the run.. Since the Panthers game, I thought losing Demeco was a main reason our run defense imploded.. Demeco Ryan rushes back, and he looks like a shell of himself. He hasn’t gottenoff a block in like 3 weeks…he either woke up much older the he was the night before, or hopefully he rushed back from the injury because we lost Hicks and we are seeing the effects of a banged up Meco, instead of a washed up MEco
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Can’t even judge KIko yet. We haven’t seen Real KIko yet., ,. Kid keeps fighting to come back from Knee injuries and we are still waiting for him to get healthy long enough to really show how great he can be.. Hopefully he is done with injury setbacks, plays these next 5 games, goes into the offseason Heathy, and get thru the summer and two the regular season heakthy with no setbacks with his knee… If that can happen, we should see the KIko we were so excited to get
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I NEVER imagined I would miss a 3rd round rookie no one even wanted in
Philly, so damn much…. I miss Simba,,fortunately he is wuth the Lbs 24/7, travels with the team, is in all the LB meetings,,. He can’t play, but Hicks is a cerebral Cat so these mental reps can only be good for him..
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These last two games, our ILBs are as much to blame as anyone. Kiko/MEco hAvent gotten off blocks at all, kEndricks getting torched in coverage and his blitz timing was off in Detroit..
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,Hopefully Demeco gets healthy, and starts cracking opponents with his physical run defense like early in the year
Hard to say a rookie would make such a difference, but when look back and compare the last three games with earlier in the season when Hicks was playing and the biggest difference in the defense is the middle linebacker play. Went from certainly above average middle linebacker play, to awful play in the middle. But Davis and the other players get no breaks because a third round rookie got hurt, that is not an excuse for his coaching or their play, or the GMs offseason.
As someone who has a side business restoring mid-80s through mid-90s Land Rovers to spec custom order, saying that you don’t have a QB and OL in this scheme is like saying all I need is a new engine and electrical system to make the car run well.
Well that analogy implies that there is only one car in your fleet. This fleet has 3. The ST and D are in decent condition with the D only needing a new gear ratio. The offense is a bit banged up but at least you have a frame?
Nah more the cost and difficulty in overhauling or replacing those particular components and we’ll see how the ST/D end up.
Finding an upgrade at QB is absolutely essential this offseason since Bradford/Sanchez aren’t the answers. A lot of other talent question marks too including on defense including who they extend.
Could i see Kelly getting this team back to 9-7/10-6 next year? Yeah I could but it would require him hitting on almost all his offseason moves including in the draft.
I think this puts us in Browns territory.
https://twitter.com/OrdioMongo/status/669963803791114240
Damn, the Hindi media is harsh.
That’s some funny shit
Free advice:
Your Picks:
Round 1 Pick 17 (K.C.): DeForest Buckner, DE/DT, Oregon (A-)
Round 2 Pick 17 (K.C.): Nick Martin, C, Notre Dame (A-)
Round 3 Pick 5: Max Tuerk, C/OG, Southern California (A)
Round 3 Pick 14: Jerald Hawkins, OT, LSU (A)
Round 4 Pick 14: Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech (A-)
Round 5 Pick 13: Travis Feeney, OLB, Washington (B+)
Round 5 Pick 23: Nate Sudfeld, QB, Indiana (B+)
Round 6 Pick 14: Taveze Calhoun, CB, Mississippi State (B+)
Round 7 Pick 14: Blake Frohnapfel, QB, Massachusetts (C+)
Round 7 Pick 29: Victor Ochi, OLB, Stony Brook (A)
this draft would be a dream come true
Ugggh, I don’t know if we’ll see signs of life in this team for the rest of the year. This isn’t good. This reminds me of what Seattle said last year that McCoy was scared to get hit.
https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/status/670002972739436544
I saw that as well, but haven’t really heard it echoed by anybody else. Possibly just the winning team enjoying whipping the losing team?
Yeah, I see it the same way. What’s worse is that Chip looks defeated in his press conferences.
I actually like to see Chip defeated and humbled in the press conference. Hopefully his world got rocked badly enough to look at making some changes. I’m optimistic that Chip fixes some stuff going into next season.
I think of it this way. He’s a professional and has done this a long time. In any field, if you are struggling you find ways to get it right and get better – or you get fired. He has the football knowledge, how he applies it is a different story.
I hear you, but there is nothing fun about the coach of the Eagles looking completely lost and not have any answers to explain what the hell happened to his culture club and how he managed to have a team quit on him while they are in 2nd place of a very winnable playoff hunt,,, if that’s not damning, I dont know what is
Chip is in his 50s and he’s now presented with the opportunity to examine his beliefs and his convictions… Some men would see this as a problem or a crisis of faith or maybe even as a mental breakdown… cue the Rockie soundtrack… This shit could get very ugly or very epic…
If anyone would know what giving up looks like it would be a lions player, and if anyone would enjoy winning it would be a lions player.
They have so much experience in one and so little in the other.
You know this is EXACTLY what more than 1 team said about Detroit early this season. Difference was the games their opponents said they quit in were much closer. Must feel good for them to say it about someone else now.
Last time I heard that about an Eagles team was against SF, several years back. Vick was the QB and we had a nice lead that we managed to lose. Frank Gore said “They didn’t want to play no more.”
i don’t think the Lions made them do anything, Eagles were tapped out before the coin flip
That last question is concerning. There’s only one answer – yes. I am the problem and I have to fix it.
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/669990228099276800
Even though I work in the media I really hate reporters sometimes. I wish he would of ripped that question. He just as to take it and accept his fate at this point though.
Lost his fight.
Even as a journalism major who kind of understands the need to ask difficult questions, I have to admit that the Philly sports press is particularly… ravenous, maybe is the word.
[…] Free Advice – Iggles BlitzIf Jeff Lurie were to ask my advice on what to do with the Eagles, here are a few things I would tell him. Let the season play out. The goal is to get the team back on track. That might mean a coaching change. It might mean adding a GM. It might mean changes on the coaching staff. There will be roster turnover (fact of life in the NFL), but you need to know what changes need to be made. It would be easy to say “Fire Bill Davis!”, but just 2 weeks ago you could argue his unit was carrying the team. Did he become an idiot in 2 weeks? I don’t think so. Still, the results are so incredibly bad that you can’t just brush them aside. That’s why it is critical to see how the defense plays the last 5 games. If they continue to struggle, Davis needs to go. If the defense rights the ship, then you have to really study the 2 blowouts to figure out why things went so horribly wrong. […]
Kelly says Davis is safe, unspoken caveat “for now”.
What highly touted position coach is going to run the defense? The best assistants were previously college assistants.
Seeing Kelly like this is honestly good. In the movie about his road to the Super Bowl this is when the montage starts.
For those wasting their time discussing if Chip is leaving after this year… Dude just bought a house, where the hell is he going? Our owner will NEVER fire a coach after their first down year….. This isn’t Neccessarily a good thing as far as I’m concerned, but to me it seems like the reality of the situation is that chip is going to get another chance, whether we like it or hate it….. Nothing to do but hope he learned something from this mess that will help him do better in the future..
probably the best thing, chip was getting cocky as hell, hopefully he’ll change his approach.
I Probabky prefer cocky press Confrence chip,,. The chip we saw at the Lions press Confrence was a scary site… No fun seeing a team implode and chip looking like a broken man who was about to cry at the press Confrence who seemed completely lost,and had no answers for this mess and how we can go about fixing this….
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People care so much about chips press Confrence behVior, I couldn’t give two shits what our coach does or doesn’t do at a press Confrence. talk is cheap. And no football coach will ever reveal ENOUGH to the media, so I really don’t care if he is joking around with the media, or if he is being a dick to the media… That has NO effect on what I look from in a coach of the Eagles..
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Press Confrence behavior should never even be factored into our evaluations of coaches…
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But if we are going to go there, at least Cocky Chip sounds and looks like he still has a clue what he is doing…. Broken chip who has No answers for what went wrong or any idea how to fix it, scares the hell out of me, especially with a 5 game stretch against some pretty tough teams
The ONLY time this franchise sustained any success was when we had a franchise QB, Donovan…
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This franchise needs to go in Cleveland Browns mode where we draft a QB every year until we stumble onto a special cat we can build atound for the next decade… Trying To catch lightning in a bottle like Saimts signing drew Brees is proving to be a fools errand,
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Gotta start drafting QBs and hope we strike gold with one
You could probably replace coop and austin with a tackling dummy. You’ll get the same effect.
Is this an existential crisis for Chip?? Chip is in his 50s and he’s now presented with the opportunity to examine his convictions… He’s been working in football his entire life. He’s single, he’s very intelligent, he’s motivated…cue the Rockie soundtrack… This shit’s about to get epic!
http://youtu.be/Hj0jzepk0WA
This could be the time in every mainstream movie where things are darkest for the hero. His hubris and faults have led him to this point, of course, and he now has to go away and have an epiphany. He’ll realize how stubborn and mean he’s been, and that the world doesn’t work quite like he thought it did. Something will click in his mind; the solution will present itself. He’ll come back, put flowers on his secretary’s desk, give the guys Tuesday off (he’ll give the announcement via megaphone right when everyone is resigned to yet another two-a-day; the players will be amazed), and send a turkey to Reno Mahe’s house. The next game, the players will have a spring in their step, Bradford will throw checkdowns–BUT it will work now, the wide receivers will catch, because now their hands aren’t too tired now. ETC. It will be glorious, and Joe Buck, who started off the day ridiculing the Eagles, will be forced to eat his words as the plucky Birds hang with the big bad Patriots. At first, it will seem that Chip actually hasn’t learned anything, and the Eagles will get down big. But it was actually a fake-out! He confuses the NE D by not calling screens and actually picking up some 1st downs. He pretends to call a WR screen, but it’s a fake! Huff appears to drop the WR screen, but then picks it up and tosses it for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, fourth down, behind by 6 points, 5 seconds to go, they are on the 5 yard line. Chip can’t help himself and lines up Murray in the shotgun. But at the last minute, it’s a fake and they audible out of it. Zone read and Sam takes it in for the win!
Lol I like it but that’s not what I imagined… It’s gonna be a long road. Lots of pain… there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth… sweat, blood, tears… the city lives vicariously through its sports teams… it’s gonna be epic!
If only it was closer to Christmas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak1dPU8uXiE
I was thinking more Mr Magoo in the role of Chip Kelly.
BTW, what the heck is “Prism TV”? Every time I heard that on the radio, I thought they said “Prison TV”.
https://youtu.be/MOJmPyheYvE?t=54s
Heard an interesting Topic on the Radio.. Basically assuming we are a mess that will struggle to win another game, what are some changes we can make immediately To help “Stop the Bleeding”.. Basically we are too screwed up to win,but we can’t keep losing 47-13 either…. What changes can we make to start losing 28-23 instead of 5 more games of Embarressing 30 point losses? Basically how can we tweek things to suck a little less and maintain some dignity the next 5 games? This question was asked by silly Sal Pal, and he was asking to to analyst and employees ariund the league… Any suggestions?
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The answers Sal got were:
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1) Jaws: drop the man coverage we suck at playing and move to a cover/2 more prevent style where we keep opponents in front of us..
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2) Merrill Hodges: WR suck, so start controlling the line of scrimmage Linning up with ONLY 1 WR, 2 TE and 2 RBs…. I have been suggesting this since September…. The analysts Said the problem with this is that we have no blocking Backs…. But both Murray and Ryan Mathews are big and physical enough to block, but the analysist didn’t realize we have Trey Burton has has linned up in the backfield before, he can easily be used as a lead blocker to catch defenses off Guard since in 3 years, chip HASNT put a singke play on field that used a lead blocker…. You can’t tell me that running with a lead blocker is so worthless that you should NEVER use it a single time, im not suggesting to go sigń a Fullbak, but it’s not hard to ask Burton or Mathews to lead block for Murray or SPROLES…when you get to goal line, you see teams put a Defensive Tackle in at Fullback to lead block, if a defensive tackle can do it, no reason we can’t ask Trey Burton to do it.. Lol use Bennie Logan as a Fullbak LOl…..you can’t tell me that there will NEVER be an Occassion where running behind a lead blocker can help us. Just like you can’t convince me exclusively running murray out of a shotgun, avoiding so many ways to run the ball can ever be a good thing…
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3) and this was specifically for the Patriots, SLOW DOWN and Huddle up, stop worrying about quantity of players and focus on QUALITY of plays…speeding the tempo up all game like against the Patriots is the equivalent of Mal Practice. Why the fuck would anyone want to give Tom Brady more possessions by speeding up the game.. Why would anyone use tempo when their defense is imploding and the Offene goes on stretches where you see 3 and outs for five drives in a row….if come out and Hundle, run the first 6 plays slow, pick up two first downs, if THEN, you want to rev up the tempo, play fast To confuse and wear down the defense for the second half of the drive, be my guest… but you can’t Use tempo all game long when your offense is struggling and your defense is imploding….If This Coach doesn’t slow it down at times against the Patriots, I would find that extremely alarming, bordering on criminally negligent lol
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4) in addition to slowing it down, when you slow it down and try to control the clock, at the line of scrimmage, allow Bradford to start using Cadence to get the defense to tip their hand, and when Bradford knows what the defense is doing, install a friggin audible package and allow SAM the freedom to check into a better play that better takes advantage of what he sees the defense is about to throw at him… Again, QUALITY of Snaps instead of Quantity of snaps… I get so tired of losing games, and at the post game press Confrence chip gloating that we ran 90 plays.. As if running more plays, instead of scoring more points is how you win football games.. Bradford is a smart veteran QB, why would you Nueter him at the line of scrimmage and not allow him to audible when he sees something we can exploit in the defense?
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Any suggestions for things we can do to “Stop the bleeding” and make these losses start to look more respectable, instead of continuing on this pace the set historic records for being so Incompetant.
I don’t believe the premise, but if we were that hopeless, why try to lose closer games? For me the questions would be who do we need to evaluate? Who can we get off the books for next year? Who can we develop and get them a head start on improving?
Why try to lose closer games? You are trying to win, but if you are that bad losing by 40 points, WOULDNT the first step of improving to play better so you can actually start competing? why lose closer games? Because that’s growt from losing Blowouts… I don’t know about You, but I don’t expect to go from giving up 10 passing TDs, 300 plus rushiñg yards and giving up about 1000 yards in two games (stretch of 5 days) to all of the sudden beating good teams like the Patriots, so the first step of improving is playing well enough to at least make the losses competitibe so our guys can actually play 60 minutes and grow from it, instead of quoting by the 3rd quarter because the game is out of reach…. Think I would be kidding myself to try and win the 3 of 5 down the stretch… Let’s actually make these games competitive first, and then we can try to win…
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And who knows improvements like these can possibly lead to wins instead of more competitive games… Don’t get fixated on the projected outcome, look at the question as what can we do to Improve NOw… Defining the improvement is not the point..
seems the first to ideas are as good as any for this season: take the wide receivers out of the game – hopefully just too young right now, and vets are worse. And drop the man coverage. They are pros, they have all played zone before, and man is not working. Sounds doable.
But now you are changing the premise. You said the goal was just to make the last 5 games respectable, not be competitive and maybe you win.
Still, if it takes two or three games to move to competitive, it is too late.
Nope, I am trying to win this week. If we lose, I am cutting some vets, bringing up some youngins, giving guys a chance to learn.
I think the argument about slowing down and the right play calling might be the only way to troubleshoot short term.
Slowing down the offense, even if not doing it completely, could help us on the offensive line. It would also allow us to keep our best players on the field. I’m at the point where I really cannot be bothered with seeing anyone but Ertz, Celek, Matthews and our trio of RBs in there. If Burton can block, fine, but start using your best players pretty much exclusively and put them into succesfull situations, then you can utilize Huff and Agholor in obvious situations.
And Stop running fucking sweeps with Murray or throwing it to him when he is covered on a swing pass. Let Murray and Mathews pound the ball up the middle and stop using this gimmicky shit when you do not have anything to base it on. I’d even like to start seeing some snaps to the QB who is under center. I understand that our OL have not been able to get very much push on running plays, but we have exactly 0 QBs who can win you a game without a run game.
Then when or if you gather some momentum, you can slowly start speeding up, but as soon as drives start stalling, you need to slow down again. Momentum has been huge for this offense, we have missed it this year, we mostly had it the past 2.
The offense have to be fixed long term. I see why Chip is struggling to call a game and gets flag for his playacting, but he put himself into the situation.
Bradford is a huge bust, he was so bad people started calling for Sanchez even though we all knew what the Sanchize would bring. We need to get this QB situation sorted out. Bradford can be a placeholder if he does not go crazy and demand a big contract, but we need to look for a franchise QB. Bradford i no different from Brian Hoyer or Ryan Fitzpatrick.
The OL is shit. I keep hearing our OGs arent that big of a downgrade and its bullshit. Maybe they haven’t been horrendous, but we get exactly zero push on running plays and someone keeps fucking up in pass pro. Obviously Kelce somehow turned into shit too, Peters looks old and Lane has shown he is NOT ready to be our LT on the same level as we have been used to with JP. It doesn’t change the fact that our glaring weakness is at OG, when we to begin with had a smaller offensive line. I’m guessing Chip will not make the mistake of cheaping out on OL again, because his scheme sure as shit could not make up for it.
Same could be said for our WR, but we spent plenty of resources there, just not on quality. Painfully obvious that we need to support Matthews with a true number 1 WR, if we’re lucky Matthews gets the development we hoped, we suddenly look really good with a WR like Maclin, and then Matthews, Huff and Agholor, to go with Celek and Ertz. But again, no offense is better than its QB.
When it comes to the defense, it is becoming incredible obvious to me that we need to invest into a SS type player. With our smaller ILBs, its painful to watch us stuff the run, especially without Meco who isn’t getting younger. We need to look at Thurmond as a Slot CB/S hybrid to is our go to guy in nickel situations and other passing downs, but we need a SS to play the Kam Chancellor role. Not saying to copy the Seahawks, but use Maxwell as the Cover 3 corner he is used to, play to the strengths of Jenkins and or Thurmond and use them with 1 deep and the other im the slot, also I think Rowe would benefit from being a Cover 3 corner just like Maxwell with his safety background. Maybe that’ll also mean we can let Barwin and Graham loose to hunt the QB more often, alongside Cox and Curry if we can keep him.
wonderful ideas YOU FIRED!!
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3 RB sets is fantastic .. FIRE ME CHIP FIRE ME YOU F in DICKHEAD!!!
10-6 and missing the playoffs once doesn’t count as 2 good seasons .. it counts as 1 lucky season at best
hopefully we can turn the negative effect of losing Nolan to a broken ankle into a positive. last year we were frustrated that Chip WOULDNT play his backups once we were eliminated from playoff contention..
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Since we aren’t good enough to challenge Giants for the division, hopefully chip lost so much of his team that he is willing to see what the young players can do the last 4 games after Patriots of course lol.
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With Nolan Gone, Rowe will get much needed game experience, we will find out if he has heart and can come back from the MEGATRON ass kicking.
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Id like to see Bradford, and maybe even some THAD Lewis at the end..
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Would love to bench a Guard or KElce when Bradford ISNT in the game, and see what Josh Andrews cam do
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Will this friggin Coach ever bench Coop and Austin and see what the young WRs can do in featured roles?
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MS2 was as bad as ROWE against Detroit, but it’s time you let the kid play, give him a chance to play thru mistakes and figure it out
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Don’t want to get to the next offseason and have no idea what the yse young players can do
You think Rowe was bad against Detroit?
Rowe really wasn’t that bad. He had good coverage on Megatron a few times. The best CBs in the league get more help then he did while facing a WR such as Johnson. MS2 is really bad and this is coming from.someone that was supporting him this off season.
My free advice to Lurie is to fire Kelly once the season’s over, then, before you think about hiring a coach, hire a general manager and give him control of the team’s football operations. Since the beginning of the Andy Reid era, the Eagles’ front office has been a hotbed of political intrigue with people coming, going, ascending and being deposed. That hasn’t worked, so find a general manager and give him the power to do what he wants, including firing Howie Roseman. I don’t know why Lurie likes dysfunctional organizations, but they don’t tend to produce winners. With few exceptions, the model in which the general manager runs the football operations is the one that wins championships.
I was a big Chip supporter.
WAS.
After watching his teams, I don’t think he can win the big game in the NFL (just like he didn’t win the big game in college before).
Reasons:
1. Tempo — it killed his D late in the season last year and appears to be doing it again.
2. 3-4 2-gap. Whatever his 2 gap concepts, they don’t seem to work in Philly. Go back to a 4-3 and address the pass first in a pass-first league. Our personnel still fits a 4-3 better than a 3-4. And change your coverage concepts on 3rd and long.
3. No audibles.
4. Limited play options.
5. Stubbornness–sometimes you have to admit you’re wrong and change.
At this point everything seems like deck chairs on the Titanic.
should have read this first before posting above. It is strange that after three years of trying to create a 3-4 team, the players when look at it seem to fit a 4-3 better. And changing coverage concepts means changing Davis, that one is on him during the game changes.
audibles take too long .. HA CHip sure can piss a fan off !!!
Chip is 5-10 over his last 15 games here….that is unacceptable and the problems clearly did NOT just start 2 games ago. Chip needs to adapt in all three phases of the game – his schemes are NOT working.
I’ll be happy if Matt Tobin, Alan Barbre, Josh Huff, Riley Cooper, and Miles Austin aren’t on this team next year.
Barbre and Tobin are backups and nothing more, they shouldn’t be starting for long, in my opinion. Huff has some skill but needs to be more consistent – the fact we’re mostly ignoring him is not going to help him develop.
Cooper and Austin can sod right off.
Why the hell wouldnt you want Huff? Its not his fault every time he makes a catch and gets some YAC, he gets taken off the field. Lol
There must be some law in the universe for Huff. Every good play he makes, another bad one follows it for some reason (karma?).
He’s not quick or strong enough to get separation. He’s short and can’t catch.
O boy. He is definatley strong enough and ive seen him get separation. His only catch and td last week are perfect counterpoints to your last statement.
You are out of your mind if you don’t thnk Huff can turn into a legit weapon with increased playing time. What else does he have to do?
He is 6 foot, actually very physical and strong for a WR, and yes he does get separation. He does need to work on his hands though because he is not a natural hands catcher.
He stays on this team and deservedly so.
I also diisaggree.. Huff is frustrating because he has drops and makes mistakes but he is strong aggressive and versdatile.. Belichek would LOVE to have him.
and I think how Andy used to keep around so mnay playes with far less upside.
I think he continues to grow..and he cant cost very much just to field punts alone or take the top off the defense at strategic times ..or right across the middle (albeit 1 yard short of first down marker)
Agree in that he is a player I think BB would like as long as he improved on the mental mistakes and hands.
Tobin and mIles Austin got to go…. I wouldn’t care if Coop was a #5 WR playing for the veteran minimum, but his contract is an atrocity, he gots to go!
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Josh huff drives me crazy, but we would be fools to get rid of him
Barbre I would keep as Andrew Gardners backüp
I would be more comfortable with Chip if he could beat playoff teams but he kind of can’t. Now he’s losing to mediocre teams with what seems to be a below average team that he forced himself into. It’s not going to take just one year to get back on track since there’s more issues than just the roster.
I agree with this approach.
I think Chip has demonstrated that he’s a good coach who can get production out of mediocre players when things go well. He shouldn’t be fired based on one bad season.
However, his assumption of unchecked personnel power and subsequent radical roster overhaul has been a complete disaster, and his decisions to release productive players because of personality conflicts without viable replacements on the roster have been equally catastrophic. When he’s in the room with Lurie at the end of this season, he needs to demonstrate self-reflection and willingness to change on these points. He obviously didn’t get along well with Howie Roseman. However it’s clear that the skills Roseman brought to the table (negotiation, information gathering, valuation, resource allocation) are critical to being an effective GM, and they are skills which Chip lacks. He needs somebody in the room who can provide them. Doesn’t have to be Howie himself. Does need to be somebody with a background as an NFL personnel guy, who has experience assembling NFL rosters and managing an NFL cap. If I were Lurie Chip’s willingness to acknowledge his own weaknesses at the conclusion of this season would be critical. If he recognizes where he screwed up and is willing to share decision-making to compensate for his shortcomings, he absolutely should get another chance. If he insists that he’s done everything right and it’s the players or his subordinates on the coaching staff who messed up this year, he should be fired.
But didn’t he bring in Tom Gamble and throw him out as well? The guy is too much of an egomaniac and I doubt he’ll change at this point of his life/career.
The reason i want him fired is his stubborness. Things are not going to get better until that happens
seriously upchecked your first 4 lines!!!! double bullseye.
“his assumption of unchecked personnel power and subsequent radical roster overhaul has been a complete disaster, and his decisions to release productive players because of personality conflicts without viable replacements on the roster have been equally catastrophic”
word to chip’s mother.
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very disturbing how difficult it is for chip to get along with people .. he doesn’t like confident players, other management, doesn’t like boosters or the press .. doesnnt like anyone who has different ideas .
two things i think i know:
1. cutting Tebow had nothing to do with the Eagles’ failure this year
2. Chip is as likely to make his offensive line coach his defensive coordinator as he is to fire Davis and put in a 4-3.
Chip hired Davis because Davis would implement whatever defense Chip wanted, and Davis was able to impress him with his knowledge to know he could take orders from Chip and follow through, although maybe not be a good game manager or defensive innovator. Other coach candidates likely did not want to be told exactly what type of defense to run by an offensive head coach, and Chip’s system as we know in total is a fit between the defense and the offense (and special teams).
But, I am thinking i would like to see Chip fire Davis, and hire a 4-3 coach and let him do as he pleases with the rest of the scheming.
Can the current players on their 3-4 scheme, fit at all a quick change to a 4-3? front four, yes, with curry and graham as ends, cox and logan as tackles. linebackers with Hicks, Kendrick and Alonzo, might need instead Hicks, (Alonzo/Kendricks) and Barwin, and that combo might work real well in a 4-3.
This is incredible unlikely, beyond unlikely, but talking of dreams, and talking about the big changes I would like to see if Kelly is going to stay (so there is no repeat of the pain for fans of this season), a change to a 4-3, which would work with the current players, is high on my list if Lurie tries to sell to us how Kelly staying wont be a repeat of this season.
So it’s just starting to sink in how depressing this is. If this is truly the beginning of the end for Chip, it might be a long time until the Eagles are a relevant team again. Completely depends on who we can get at QB and who we can hire as a coach.
What a disappointment.
Yeah. sometimes you swing and miss. Its not over yet, though.
I would never have thought a month ago these two statements would not be complete hyperbole:
1. Chip and his team is spiraling out of control after 11 games and even Chip boosters, like myself, want him fired if he will not change.
2. Okafor is spiraling out of control after 17 games, with multiple night club incidents, one involving a gun to the head, one a fight and him being investigated by police.
Yeah, I right there with you.
1. I hope he can change. This is important for how he’ll be perceived if this opportunity fails. NFL teams that may have wanted him before would back off because he wasn’t able to adapt.
2. I’m hoping either Wroten or Marshall can be the difference for them when they get back. a) they can create their own shot & b) guard is the spot they are struggling. They are losing games by 5 or less points and giving away too much in the 4th quarter.
what good local color is this: Okafor is a top shotta ?
Revisionist drafts where I took players we passed on.
2013
Lane Johnson
Larry Warford
Bennie Logan
Devin Taylor
Kenny Stills
Charles Johnson
Marcus Cooper
2014
Derek Carr
Allen Robinson
John Brown
Devonta Freeman
Aaron Lynch
Ed Reynolds
Beau Allen
The drafts have been part of the issues too…Smith & Agholor have had minimal impact, teams really need 1st rd guys to come in and produce. Lane Johnson did, but he was also a consensus top 5 pick.
I will remain a staunch defender of Agholor. Its not like hes the only one with limited production. He was hurt for several games snd has been extremely limited by qb play. Hes been open down the field with no one to get it to him. Smith on the other hand……. Yikes.
I still think Agholor and Rowe are going to be good players. Chip Kelly’s only sucky draft picks have been Marcus Smith and Josh Huff
marcus smith will be a mystery that we post about for years .. I bet Huff will play .. and even get a ring w Belichek..
Still think there’s hope for Huff.
How about a little research to find out how many 1st round picks have contributed signifcantly to their teams compared to, say, 2nd or 3 or 4th rounders.
Here are the first draft picks since 1999.
1999 Tim Couch
2000 Courtney Brown
2001 Michael Vick* QB
2002 David Carr QB
2003 Carson Palmer*
2004 Eli Manning – San Diego, remember?
2005 Alex Smith* QB
2006 Mario Williams*
2007 JaMarcus Russell
2013 Eric Fisher
2014 Jadeveon Clowney
2015 Jameis Winston – too early.
How many are still with the team that drafted them?
How many have won the Big One?
How many have disappeared into history?
I can’t complain too much about the 2013 draft. The top 3 picks were money.
Nick Foles really fucked us on the 2014 draft. If it weren’t for his great season we probably take Carr.
Not really… Obviously Chip didn’t LOVE Nick as much as I did, or he wouldn’t have trade him a year later.. If he was willing to trade Nick after a few bad games he played banged up, I would assume he would also be willing to draft a QB that he liked if FOles was still here.. Must have not properly evaluated Carr…
The only player I care that we passed on was letting Josh Norman fall to the Panthers in round 5… I love that kid and how much swag he plays the corner position with…
Norman was before Chip got here though. Same thing could be said for Sherman but those late round pick surprises come out of nowhere.
Damn, ohio state’s beatin Michigan like a rented eagle.
Too soon?
love this quote:
“There are $10.5M reasons why CB Byron Maxwell should have immediately been made to shadow Megatron EVERY play after [Nolan] Carroll was injured.”
I can’t be too mad about the Rowe thing. He’s a second round pick. Why they couldn’t dedicate a player and try to get pressure and cover the spread that Detroit was using.
The scheme sucks. I’m sure Davis can explain the shut out of it but in practice it’s not executable and the players we have are pretty freaking good.
The misuse of DB’s has been a running theme during Chip/Billy D’s tenure here. They’re so goddamn stubborn about how they do things.
agree that I am also OK and hopeful of Rowe..he was ontop of MEgatron on every pass and they finally got that perfect pass to the corner to the tallest most athletic reciver .. Davis should have had Maxwell just planted in the far corner
I don’t agree… Actually I think it’s kind of stupid…. if you move Maxwell around to shadow a WR, guess what else has to happen? You have to move around Eric ROWE as well… You can’t ask a rookie corner with no NFL experience to move around, which is what would have to happen when MEGATRON lined up in front of him, if we wanted Maxwell to follow Calvin to the left side Where ROWE was Linning up
..
I like having a corner that can move around and shadow the best, but not if the other corners aren’t ready to move around to react to Maxwells movement
I would have preffered moving ROWE to Safety, and stick Walter Thurmond at corner in front of Maxwell… Rowe has more safety experience than Corner, and Thurmond has more corner experience than he has at Safety
Pat Shumur son Kyle is Quarterbacking for Vanderbilt right now…looks pretty good, just threw a nice back shoulder touchdown throw
Press Taylor, i admired your work as graduate assistant at University of Tulsa, but obviously you are not hacking it as Offensive Quality Control coach. The offense has been anything but quality, step it up!
Understand the frustration but I don’t get how anyone can take such rapid action on Chip the GM. They don’t have a great QB and you can’t win in the NFL without a franchise QB. If I were Lurie, I would force Kelly to hire a top notch D Coordinator and give them full control; similar to how Reid did with Johnson. And I would switch to a 4-3. Cox, Curry and Graham would all be more productive in a 4-3 scheme. Eagles don’t have stud LBs to win in a 3-4. But they do have the players to have a great 4-3 defense. Barwin could be a solid SAM, Hicks can be a good MLB and Hendricks and Alonso can play better as WILL LBs. Defense talent being wasted in the 3-4. Draft a new QB and O-Line and the team could be much better next year.
And Benny Logan with Cox , Curry and Graham as the front four; that would be a group that could get after the QB
The man does love him some football, might not be working right now but I still love watching this. Turn it around CHIP, do it for MARCUS!
*Note not speaking about Mariota
Why did I get goosebumps?
GOOD JOB HUFF!!!! NOW GET ON THE BENCH!!!!!!!
Basically what happened
So does he only do this for Oregon Ducks?
Feb 2015 – Vancouver, BC – Former*** Penn State quarterback Michael O’Connor*** will transfer to UBC and has committed to play for the Thunderbirds beginning in the fall of 2015.
In just over a month on the job, new UBC head football coach Blake Nill is wasting little time putting together his team for the 2015 season. His biggest coup no doubt is the commitment of O’Connor who was ranked the ***No. 6 quarterback by ESPN in the entire 2014 recruiting class.***
November 2015 – Quebec– It was Vanier Cup euphoria for first year quarterback Michael O’Connor, kicking ace Quinn van Gylswyk and the rest of the underdog University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.
The 19-year-old O’Connor passed for 389 yards and van Gylswyk’s fourth field goal with no time left was the game-winner as UBC edged the defending champion University of Montreal Carabins 26-23 in a thrilling Vanier Cup final on Saturday afternoon.
“I knew they weren’t going to let us run the ball so I had to play well for my teammates if we were going to win this game,” said O’Connor.
P.S. Look everywhere. Most NFL scouts do.
P.P.S. Taking what the defense will give you.
who gives a rats butt
I thought Connor Cook looked the part of a solid NFL QB today. Unfortunately, it came in the form of a humiliating defeat of my Lions. But, I saw some crisp throws. Good accuracy. Good footwork. Carried out fakes beautifully. I thought he was solid all-around.
Jared Goff looking mighty impressive right now, good pocket presence, dropping dimes, nice arm…..i wouldn’t say there is another QB in college that is better than him
I think there are more good qbs in this years draft than people think.
I’m not a Cook guy. I think Hack needs a year of getting his head out of his rear end so he doesn’t turn into Gabbert Jr. Lynch isn’t impressing me. Wentz in interesting.
Not sure who I like other that that group, but I really like Goff.
We’ll need to outmaneuver San Fran, and maybe one or two other teams, to get at Goff.
Here is some free advice to Fox and CBS:
WE’RE NOT IN NEW YORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! F NEW YORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! STOP RUNNING NEW YORK MARKET GAMES IN PHILLY!
The fact that we’re stuck watching Giants / Washington on Fox at 1 today with a combined record of 9-11 when we could be much more entertained by seeing Vikings / Atlanta with a combined record of 13-7 is a joke.
CBS showing Jets / Dolphins isn’t the worst, but I’d much rather watch two teams trending in a more positive direction in terms of KC / Buffalo.
Whoever programmed those games at both of those networks for our market should be fired prior to the assassination of Rasputin treatment. F them both.
New Yorkers tend to believe the world centers on their city.
I talk to Giants fans who argue that their team has a legit Super Bowl shot
Considering their past two wins, sadly, it’s not out the realm of possibility.
Deluded self important fools who earn every bit of nonsense hubris brings them.
All games are scheduled with priority to division.
Turns out most fans prefer to watch division games regardless of your inferiority complex.
I almost never do this to another poster on here, but fuck you. New York is hot pile of BS and the best games need to be on.
Haha! Inferiority complex much?
Again, fuck you. If you’d like to launch into personal attacks over a discussion over what games should be aired; fuck you.
Yes, calling entire regions of the world “scum” and other things like that is acceptable, though. Maybe it’s not an inferiority complex but you may consider getting diagnosed.
I’m up for a diagnosis.
And referring to another fan base by just about any other term a fan from a different fan base wishes to is completely fair game.
Free advice, yo.
That’s why I’m watching the Duke basketball game at 12:30
..
Did you see Klitschko just give away his heavyweight title to that goofball Tyson fury? It was a clear reminder of how the heavyweight division turned into such a joke… Hurry up and book Canelo vs GGG Ganady Golovkin!!!
Amen on Klitschko just giving up that title like some school yard wimp handing over his lunch money.
that was probably the worst fight i have ever seen in my life
Two big pussies… Pretty pathetic… And when that Goofeballs Fury started singing Aeorsmith on the mic after the fight, how awkward… Just a mess
..
After a,decade of Boring Klitschko, Goofeballs Tyson Fury is only person who could have been a bigger joke as HW champ than Klitchscko, and it has become reality.. THEY SHOULD just eliminate the heavyweight division, it’s a disgrace
yea i remember a few years ago he beat Steve Cunningham who is from philly and afterwards he sang some old country music song, he looked like such a jackass
apparently the rematch talks are already underway, lol
For who, for what?
For college football purposes:
Oklahoma – in.
Winner of Iowa / Michigan State – in.
But if Clemson loses; should they get jumped by Ohio State or Stanford?
If Alabama loses; should they get jumped by Ohio State or Stanford?
If both Clemson and Alabama lose, do they both get jumped by Ohio State and Stanford?
This also assumes a Stanford win over USC.
I woke up today in a bit of a shoddy mood, but soon I realised that on this Sunday I don’t have to watch the Eagles play football, and suddenly everything seemed much better
Since Chip will be next year, what do we hope that he leans from this humbling experience?
..
LEARN to deal with players with Ego.. You can look at how different two college coaches went about a similar situation..
Chip had no Patiemce for Mathis hold out, cut him the day before Mathis was flying to Philly..
.
2) Pete Carroll allowed Kam Chancellor to throw his temper tantrums weathered the storm, and waited for Kam to come back
..
Now that his culture club turned into a Culture of soft losers, hopefully chip realizes that talent is so important in this league, that there will be times he has to be more tolerant of a star player with swag/ego. And learn to coexist.. Solution can’t be to get rid of every player that doesn’t fit his cookie cutter mold.
..
EVOLVE, start adding VARIATY to your offense:
1) , chip may be able to act like time of possession is meaningkess in college games where he wins 45-10 every week, but CHIP lost the RIGHT IMO as a novice pro coach to continue scoff at the importance of time of posession at the PRO LEVEL… There is so much I love about our Tempo. I don’t want to eliminate it, but it can’t be so extreme, need a VARIATY. There is a time to Rev it up, and a time to protect your defense and slow it down…
.
2) keep your shotgun offense, but add a bunch of pro style packages to it, some that differ from your college philosophy… We don’t need to go get a fullback, but gotta have some lead blocker wrinkles in your offense.. No reason you can’t line up Burton in the backfield and use him as a lead blocker on short yardage.. need to add like 7 new formation packages to his playbook, can’t be ALL SHOTGUN, it cant be ALL ANYTHING, need VARIATY!!
.
3) DONT be in such a rush to play fast that you DONT allow your QB to audible. If a QB sees what the defense is about to throw at him, you have to allow the QB to audible into a play better suited to take advantage of what the defense is about to throw to him.. Gotta put to rest this egomaniac bullshit where you think that every package play you run has the perfect answer for NYTHING a defense throws at you… If we have better plays suited to take advantage of what the defense is going to throw at us, allow the QB to Audible, especially when you keep using veteran QB’s instead of Patiemtly developing a rookie
..
So, is anyone cheering for the Washington Snyders today? Puts us only 1 game back of 1st place if they win.
There is no cheer left in my body for the division race… Just going to hope the Panthers can stop the Giants, Packers, Seahawks, and Cardinals from getting to the Super Bowl
.
I would also like to see Bradford start looking amazing in hopes chip was actually right about him and can turn into a QB solution for us instead of sending us back to the drawing board in QB desperation
I’m all-in on Washington winning the division. Bleep New York.
I can’t get myself super worked up about the division race at this point. None of the teams are good, and I’m not really concerned anyone is going to go on a playoff run. I’d almost rather just have the Giants win so we are not continuing to be strung along. Winning this awful division after the awful season we have had would do nothing but hurt our draft position IMHO.
I hear you, but I don’t think I’d ever prefer a Giants win.
Depressing to wake up Sunday morning still in November and the Eagles are irrelevant. next game being IN Brady’s House makes it extra hopeless
…
How Great would it be if Bradford returns, Rally’s the troops and plays our way back into relevancy? I was actually very excited about the progress Bradford was showing in the last 3 games, unfortunately he did t get a chance to show he could build on it, getting Hurt,missing a few weeks when you just were starting to improve is a kick in the Nuts.. Who knows how Bradford would look right now if he got to build on the momentum he was gaining and was able to play against lions and tampa secondaries…playing Brady is bad enough, playing Brady with a QB who hasn’t played in a few weeks and a team that’s in shambles is a scary thought
…
Bradford and Ryan Mathews are our only chance to pump some life and fight back into this team… Lol
.
Stick a fork in us….
yeah bradford doesn’t bring much in terms of intangibles. He throws a nice ball but for me is too conservative. still, i’d sign him next year if i can get him for under $10m. He’d have to run the option. Sadly i’d then take goff first, and then hit the OL. I’d resign everyone on the defense to the extent possible, but i’d consider moving to a 43 depending on the DCs available.
Any chance chip can get a team to take Demarco Murrays contract off our hands? We were able to trade Shadys big contract to a team that signed him to an even bigger contract… Any chance we can get a team like the Colts or Raiders to take Murray off our handa for like a 6th round pick or a young player?
.
Get Rid of Murray, move SPROLES to WR/PR perminantly
..
And go with Ryan Mathews, Kenjon Barwin and a rookie RB… Easier to bench Barner and a rookie than to ask pro bowl veterans Mathews and Murray to sit on the sideline and give their carries to someone else..
..
draft RT ???, Gardner at RG, KElLCE center, Jason Peters at LG, Lane at RT
..
WR… Really sucks to need to dump more assets into this position
1) AGHOLAR
2) Huff
3) Jordan
4) ???
5) ???
6) TuTu for Special Teams
…
What I do Know is that we need to leave Free agency alone and build thru the draft. identify 1 can’t miss free agent that fills a need like Macolm Jenkins.. Maybe you can also sigń some backups for camp, in hopes that anothet teams cheap backüp can flourish into a starter for you
The only team who would trade for DeMarco would be Dallas if both the Eagles and Dallas mutually decide on some terms that work.
It will be very interesting to watch Dallas in the offseason. Do they go for a 1st round QB finally? Does Romo retire? They can be good again quickly, with that OL, if they can find a new young QB upgrade on defense.
Oh, and F**K Dallas.
If Romo retires; they’re in bad shape.
http://overthecap.com/player/tony-romo/145
$31 million + in dead money.
Oh right. I keep forgetting about Jerry’s golden touch. May he live forever.
31 mil in dead money? Holy crap LOL LOL LOL
dallas’ season is done they’ll be getting zeke or fournette
Considering Fournette is a true sophomore and not eligible for the draft I’m going to have to say they aren’t getting him.
Sproles does have WR hands.
Eagles WR hands.
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I wonder if he dropped as many as a Saint and/or Charger.
think that’s why sproles and mathews don’t get more playing time, we throw it as much as we run it gotta be able to catch those balls.
i don’t think they bring Sproles back next year
Probably not…. But if he were to be willing to go into next year accepting a much smaller role maybe there is a chance. After all his culture club imploded and he may value SPROLES setting an example being the super hardworking practice player for the young players assuming chip realizes he has to build thru draft..
Problem is that Mathews can’t stay healthy. They’d have to get a back in the draft.
Today’s preferred result list:
Oakland over Titans; maybe if the Titans do poorly enough they’ll give us the Gruden deal (two 1s, two 2s) for Chip.
KC over Buffalo; Chiefs keep winning = Steelers might miss the playoffs
Indy over Tampa; bleep Winston
Washington over NYG; bleep New York
Texans over Saints; like to see the Texans also help push the Steelers out of the playoff picture.
Vikings over Falcons; I’m enjoying seeing Teddy win games, hope it continues.
Bengals over Rams; maybe somebody on Cincy will concuss Fisher to see if he likes it as much as his QB did last week
Jags over Chargers; If San Diego keeps losing and wants to keep Rivers, that is one less team to take Goff
Jets over Dolphins; I like Bowles a lot and would love to see the Jets help keep the Steelers out of the playoffs.
Cards over Niners; A strong Arizona team helps keep Carolina out of the Superbowl
Seattle over Pittsburgh; Bleep Pittsburgh
Denver over New England; a tightened up AFC playoff race is ideal
Baltimore over Cleveland; more enjoyable to watch the Browns lose.
Rams not penalized for not taking CK out of the game last week, because when would a team have to admit it messed up
The NFL is a joke.
Not funny.
I agree. Fisher needs to be suspended.
I like how people laud him for being a good coach but how many times has he gone to the playoffs?
I thought the Rams goal was to tank making the move to LA easier.
Fischer seems to coach to an even .500 regardless of talent. Give him a shit team, he’ll get it to .500. Give him a nice roster, he’ll get it to .500.
Like Duce Staley or Jerome Bettis running the ball. If you need one, they’ll get you three. If you need five, they’ll get you three.
Jeff Fisher is the head of the NFL competiton committee… Nuff said
UGA just fired Mark Richt.
Add another program to the Kelly / College rumors.
And I guess UGA got tired of choking big games and going 9-3 with 11-1 or 12-0 talent.
DRC missed a pick 6 covering Desean
DRC is such a complete piece of garbage.
and yet he has more interceptions than anyone on our team this year.
He didn’t play hard when he was here, that really should end in seppuku.
“it was all good just a month ago”
I think he might have just tore his ACL. Non contact injury, couldn’t put weight on it.
Maybe karma grabbed his knee?
Nah..ankle injury
eli with 2 picks, skins can’t score.
Give the NFC East to the Falcons.
I can’t believe we’re probably going to finish behind both of these teams.
tevin coleman will be available. anthony barr has brains.
given that we’re doing so many outside runs, why not have Bryce Brown back?
Could be his chance to finally flourish lol.
Im actually really enjoying watching the Titans/Raiders game. Watching the 2 young qbs is great. They both look good. Its sad that I honestly cant remember the last time I actually enjoyed watching an Eagles game. * tear rolls down face
dallas, giants, saints?
Nope not even then. Saints was riddled with rz turnovers and I was nervous. Dallas was a good game. I dont remember the Giants game.
I wish I could watch that game, but I’m stuck with dreck.
Cmon preseason wasn’t that long ago!
I guess we didn’t need DeSean Jackson
Nope. That kind of speed is useless if you’re a WR.
apparently Washington won’t want him either after the season…
If he’s on the street as a free agent and cheaper than what we were paying him; let’s get him back!
i mean….. stranger things have happened
Part of the reason why some people endorsed the cut was his salary; so if that is out of the equation…………..
If chip kelly quit, I could even see the next coach and Lurie bring him back as a publicity stunt to get the fans excited about the new era after chip…. But since Chip will be back next year. NO CHANCE! Chip won’t admit that time of possession matters, he damn sure won’t admit he misses DEsean talent… I bet you can’t even get chip to admit that there is a difference between college ball and pro football lol
looks so easy
https://twitter.com/ZacBoyer/status/671041905162063872
Four 60 yard catches short of Jerry Rice record of 23 (60 yard reception)… Desean has 19
and he’s in his prime. Could get that by the end of the year.
Does he have any games vs. Nate Allen left? I know the game vs. us should be good for at least one long D Jax TD.
so you saying jackson is a limited player, all he does is score touchdowns, long touchdowns?
rams running wildcat with a guy that went 27/2, how depressing for nicky stixx
Eifert is a TD machine
So… After the Giants lose today, we’re going to be STILL 1 game out of first place.
CUE THAT ROCKY MUSIC.
I think a Keystone Cops/Bloopers theme medley would better capture the emotional landscape.
Incredible…Immagine if Bradford surprises, plays the best game of his life and we beat the Patriots LOL… This,city would erupt again. Only to łet Shady rip our hearts back out a week later
problem is you really have to play a complete game to even compete. PATs are a nonstarter b/c of our defense as much as our offense.
i almost expect exactly this…..we somehow ruin the Pats perfect season and get the city a little hope only to have Shady return and run for 150 and 2 TD, would be so fitting for this season to have to listen to the “should have kept shady” crowd
It would be sooooooo philadelphia.
watkins beating the cheifs by himslf. 158 receiving and 2 tds in the first half.
I wonder what “plan” Billy Davis will have for Watkins in a few weeks?
i have him on fantasy so i’m excited to see what horrible scheme billy d will use.
So is now a bad time to talk about having Stafford and Megatron going for me this week?
hopefully you were doing it in daily fantasy, maybe make some $$
Negative. I’m afraid if I played that and went up a lot of money that the gov would seize it.
it will start with a 8 yard cushion
can’t believe giants are going to blow this game.
Believe it! They suck.
But the league office is cheating for the Giants again. That should have been a TD.
It’s odd that the only philly team i look forward to watching is the Sixers, and they haven’t won a game in 8 months….i don’t even think they won a summer league game
Flyers had a good week. And as Hexy finally does his job and moves more vets off of this roster, they’ll be more fun to watch if more of the kids come up to play.
yes they have, i went to the game a week ago when they beat Carolina, but i just don’t have much of an interest in Hockey anymore. 20 years ago i was glued to the tv for a regular season game, now i just don’t feel the game is the same anymore
obj being stopped by an udfa.
I’m having difficulty getting used to the idea of rooting for the Cowboys as spoilers in Landover next week.
I can’t join you. I need to see the Giants lose the division.
roll the ‘Dan Snyder’s celebrations over the years’ montage and see how you feel. Gruden really deserves credit for his part, including being assertive on RG3
thy have SEA’s old gym, he really improved that line quickly
He will do well until the next hyped up excuse to blow all the draft picks comes along..
There is literally nothing Washington or Dallas could do to make me hate them more than the Giants.
plus there’s the matter of the Eagles’ post-season destiny. What do you think we’re saving Murray, Sproles, and Curry for? The Thad Lewis miracle
Ha ha ha ha.
Time for chip to pull out some tendency busters and get a win against the pats.
I live about 10 min from Landover (and it’s the next metro stop to mine) and trust me, I wouldn’t be able to deal with the fans down here if they make the playoffs.
ATL’s oline looks amazing
However matt ryan looks terrible this year.
matty ice has melted
When was he good? I’ve always kinda thought he was a middle of the road QB.
Career rating of 91; he’s kind of “eh” I guess. And he’s the 19th rated passer in the league this year. That isn’t good either.
Shame people are busy trying to hand the MVP award to a guy with an 86 career rating and who is the 20th rated passer in the league this year.
is that Cam your speaking of?
You know it! Just a funny compare / contrast when you look at the numbers with the hype stripped off of both guys.
yea i’m not a fan…..he’s made some big throws and runs the read option well, but this reminds me of last year when people were saying Russel Wilson was the MVP….tom me both are middle of the road QB’s that play on teams who are just playing great in all three phases…they get the MVP label because of the position they play
I guess I like Wilson more than you do because he’s very efficient, but the generally pumping up of QBs beyond what their stats say is comical.
i like Wilson more too, but the past two seasons their offense relies on pounding it with Lynch, and their Defense was historically good in my eyes
Should have traded for Andy Levitre… I guess that worked out for Atlanta. He is better than any Guard we have
Holy shit, What was Foles thinking on that pass????
Nick Foles being Nick Foles
he just threw another one
foles sucks. i dont even mean that maliciously he’s just literally terrible. would prefer a $2nd rd pick or $7m in guaranteed $$?
The Rams were so happy to get him too…
I’ve got the Bengals defense in Fantasy 🙂 17 points so far.
J.J. Watt continues to quietly be absurd. 2 more sacks so far today, up to 13.5 on the season.
Sammy Watkins and Maclin are going off… I wish chip would throw deep to our WRs
With Sanchize and Badford throwing to our drop corps? I can understand why Chip wouldnt want to throw it at all.
Chip should just run the Wing-T the rest o the year.
Couldn’t be worse than his current playcalling in his current scheme.
Ever since the bye the only guy dropping passes really is Austin… Id rather throw deep 3 times in a row then watch us go three and out on the 2 and 4 yard passes.
Fair point.
They can’t get open & even if they could no one is capable of getting them the ball.
I’m not buying the notion that are WRs are never open.
Will this be the off-season where we can get a good OLB to add to the roster?
I don’t foresee anybody of impact entering the free agent pool.
Kinda seems that way, which is a huge bummer for me.
The bigger bummer is Graham didn’t take the next step to a 12+ sack guy and Smith is heading towards bustville.
At least he can do more than just Bull Rush, but yeah… I was hoping for someone to add to the mix in the FA pool.
Headed there? He’s been living there since the day his name was called.
could’ve been derek carr. wonder how different the state of the eagles would be it howie/chip had made that pick
Chip
It was a “collaborative effort”
I’m going to have to say “no” on that. Howie’s eval was a part of the situation, but every name called in all 3 Chip’s drafts was selected by Chip.
I know, i’m just remembering that collaborative garbage all the front office people said when howie was “in charge” Honestly, I would just like a GM who handles the personel, and a coach who coaches. No overlap, no collaboration. It is the GM’s job to get the coach players who fit the system and who can be successful, and it is the coaches job to use the pieces the GM gets to form the best possible team. Why is that so goddamn hard for chip to understand?
I agree! But here we sit with GM Chip, so this should be a fun off-season.
do you think there is a possibility (however remote) that chip realizes he’s bitten off more than he can chew and steps down as GM and hires a #footballguy to be the GM
None really. He might bring in more help, but that help will all answer to him.
Hard to blame them for not drafting a QB that draft. Everybody in the world thought Nick Foles was a franchise QB
hindsight is 20/20
He’s contributed nothing thus far.
star wars comes out in less than a month
What is even more depressing is that I started the eagles defense in fantasy this week…
After the Tampa game… why?
I honestly couldn’t tell you, I guess it was the optimist in me, thinking that they would rebound. Obviously that didn’t happen
ive been optimistic since the louie giamonna years
I did it because we were so close to a 3-5 turnover game in Tampa.
Jameis for you
idk about you, but earlier in the season they won me a few matchups so i felt maybe they would show up against a mediocre Lions offense….so much for that
yeah, there was a bit of that as well. they were one of the best d/st units in the league until the bye, but they’ve fallen off a cliff. luckily phillip rivers is saving my ass this week with 4 tds
i’m about to set a league record for least scoring output for the second week in a row lol!!! And im in first place!!!!
haha thanks billy
Please explain your avatar.
were you drunk or something
i’ve had them the last two weeks
Beckham unbelievable
can we have odell for christmass?
You get Austin and all Austin….
can I just have some coal instead?
Washington trying to make this more interesting than it needs to be
They have to be successful at something.
And we are 1 game back of 1st place with 5 games to go. All hail the NFC East.
Wait. Do we still control our fate?
We are the masters of our own domains!
As far as having a top 5 pick or top 15?
But for real. The Eagles sre 1 game behind and still play the Skins and Giants right? I mean its not gonna happen but it shows you how bad the division is.
Id rather not think about it
Nope, these women do.
Yes, if you include premeditated kidnapping of Brady and Belichek
I’m not sure that would be enough for us to beat the Pats. Can we get a 30 point lead to start the game? Oh wait, better make it 40.
i thought i was over this season, just a lost season, back to the drawing board. but to hear, “Redskins now in first place” hurts, they sucked this year, had injury issues with QB, had a sucky backup, got passed that and backup started playing better, and now they jump up and down celebrating being in first.
Something serious wrong within Eagles for them to give up (and yes, they have given up and quit), heard a few pundits and reporters say they havent given up, just not talented enough.
Then you realize eagles only one game out and gotta admit just looking at the math they are in the middle of it still (guess i like disappointment).
on the bright side, now the deadskins will be fooled into thinking Kirk Cousins is their QB of the future
I would rather have cousins than any qb on the eagles roster
while this is true, Cousins can’t take the team to the Super Bowl [or probably the playoffs in a normal year]
I agree, but thats my point, heck I wouldnt be mad if Kinne came back and played at this point, man the eagles are a bad bad team, probably the most disappointed Ive been in them, ever, and Ive liked the eagles since the late 70s
theyve got the talent, maybe they have given up, i think so, I understand the total suckage of the offense, due to not replacing lost talent, (chip Kelly you idiot), what I dont understand now is the suckage of the defense
This may sound dumb but as angry as I am I see this as year one of a rebuild. It’s an ugly word but that’s what it is. New QB new RB young receivers NewGM responsibilities. Everyone involved should have known that this was a possibility. Unless Chip doesn’t see a way to fix this I say take it for what it is and start looking at how to build a winner, not re-blow it up after totally changing the team from a year ago.