Philadelphia Eagles: What Do We Really Know?
Nov 2, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Sunday’s 24-14 loss at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks hopefully served as a wake-up call for head coach Chip Kelly and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Seattle won a Super Bowl last year and on Sunday they demonstrated how they did it. A tough, intimidating, disruptive defense. An offense that doesn’t put its defense in bad situations. Solid, smart football, particularly on third down on both sides of the ball.
All of it leaves the Eagles at 9-4, tied for first place in the NFC East with the Dallas Cowboys, who just happen to be coming to Lincoln Financial Field next week. This will be the ultimate test of this team’s ability to bounce back.
All of it also leaves fans doing a lot of pondering. Really, what do we really know about this team?
After Sunday, here are a few things I feel safe in saying:
Mark Sanchez isn’t the guy
That isn’t to say Mark Sanchez isn’t a good quarterback. He is. It’s also not saying the Eagles can’t win with Sanchez. They can. But with the way this particular team is set up at this particular time, Sanchez isn’t going to take them to a championship.
I don’t know that any quarterback really could guide this team to a Super Bowl this season, but it’s become clear Mark Sanchez is a very good backup quarterback, not an every-week starter. And that’s OK. The league needs guys like Sanchez, guys who can come into a bad situation (injury) and help a team win the games it is supposed to win.
Just don’t ask him to win a game for you, or beat a team you’re not supposed to beat. Sanchez was miserable at Green Bay and ineffective on Sunday against Seattle. Chip Kelly knew it, too. His game plan seemed to be simple: “Don’t let Sanchez beat us.” It was a very, very conservative plan that appeared to hinge on the Eagles getting a game-changing play from its defense or special teams. And that almost happened, with Malcolm Jenkins nearly coming up with a “pick six” in the fourth quarter.
But it didn’t happen. The Eagles’ passing attack wasn’t threatening and Seattle was able to key in on the run.
Nick Foles might be healthy and able to come back in two weeks when the Birds play at Washington. Should he? That’s another debate for another time, and largely depends upon what happens this Sunday night. It sounds strange, but I say if Sanchez beats Dallas and Foles is ready, then Foles gets the start at Washington. The Eagles will have the upperhand in the division and little to lose. It would be worth seeing if Foles could be your playoff quarterback.
It’s also necessary to get another look at Foles before the season is through, not just for the Eagles, but for the rest of the NFL. It seems increasingly likely that the Eagles will target another quarterback, either through the draft or trade, in the offseason. That might mean moving Foles, and teams are going to want a fresh look before giving up a draft pick for the guy.
The secondary needs help
I believe the Eagles’ front seven is one of the best in the NFL. They can shut down the run and get after a quarterback with the best of them. I love watching the front half of this defense play.
The back half, well, that’s another matter entirely.
Heck, even Malcolm Jenkins looked bad on Sunday. I know he’s had a good season and really is the rock back there, but wow, he helped make Doug Baldwin look really, really good.
As for the rest of those guys, sad to say, but they’re pitiful.
At least Nate Allen hustles. I’ll give him that. But his heart doesn’t make up for the talent gap. I feel like Bradley Fletcher is out there trying, too, but he’s in the same boat.
And Cary Williams, well, go back and look at that Russell Wilson touchdown again. As Wilson takes off running 26 yards for a touchdown, you can see Williams on that same side of the field, face-guarding his man. The guy he was covering had stopped running and was standing in the end zone, watching Wilson, and still, Williams wouldn’t budge. He was the one guy who could have possible made a play there, and he seemed more interested in counting freckles.
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Here’s the other thing: When you watch Seattle play, you see a team that plays complete, total defense. Is there a guy on that unit who fears contact? Heck no. It’s an 11-man race to the ball every time, and corners and safeties are looking to make a hit.
When was the last time you saw Williams or Fletcher do anything like that? They fall into the Asante Samuel-style of player, guys who have become experts at “almost tackles.” They’re decent actors, but somehow they always manage to get cut off, or arrive at the pile just after a stop. Funny how that keeps happening.
I think the Eagles have a great foundation and I trust the coaching staff has a long-term plan. I’m just ready for them to get on with it. If you give this team a secondary that can keep up with the front seven, you have a unit that somebody like Mark Sanchez can win with.
Bye bye to the bye, and that’s not a bad thing
The Eagles aren’t getting a bye this season, and I think that’s just fine.
Here’s a look at how Chip Kelly’s teams have functioned when they had extra time (bye week or after at Thursday night game) to prepare:
– Sept. 29, 2013, @ Denver (following a Thursday night game), lost 52-20
– Dec. 1, 2013, v. Arizona (after bye week), won 24-21
– Oct. 26, 2014, @ Arizona (after bye week), lost 24-20
– Dec. 7, 2014, v. Seattle (after Thursday game), lost 24-14
That’s a 1-3 record, and that “1” wasn’t exactly a masterpiece. For whatever reason, this team seems to operate best on a regular schedule. Those extra days to prepare that you would think help, they do the exact opposite. Maybe it has something to do with the sports science stuff, who knows, but after seeing how they’ve responded in these situations, I think keeping the team on a regular schedule for the (hopefully) playoffs might be their best bet to win a game (or two).
This team can still win a Super Bowl
People want to write them off, and that’s fine, but I’m not jumping ship just yet. The Eagles are not currently one of the NFL’s elite. And that’s OK. Teams that are elite in December aren’t winning anything people remember.
The question is whether this team can become elite when January rolls around. I think it can. Kelly is a smart guy and he’ll use this experience against Seattle to become better. This kind of game could help the Eagles down the road.
This team has plenty of talent, but it’s still incomplete. With three games to go, maybe Foles comes back. Maybe Sanchez rediscovers something. Maybe Casey Matthews really emerges.
The pessimist will say that’s a lot of maybes, but it’s the NFL. Everyone has them. Even the last team standing on Super Bowl Sunday.