Is Kelly Putting The Fight Back Into Philly?

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Jul 26, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running backs coach

Duce Staley

runs running back LeSean McCoy (25) through drills during training camp at the Novacare Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Ground and Pound: The NFL We Know And Love

Let’s face it. The aerial fireworks of the NFL is a recent phenomenon. The old school NFL fan (I am one) believes in the beauty of the defense that stops them, and the run game that keeps gaining yardage, literally putting a stake in the heart of the opposition’s hope for victory.

That is the ground and pound. That is the helmet to helmet smash mouth football that is at the heart of the NFL. That is the game we know and love. Infantry. Trench warfare.

Yes, there is joy in victory. And the rules of the NFL favor the offense in the passing game now. But for the sheer joy, the animalistic feral sensation of euphoria, nothing beats the knowledge of a running game that grinds out the clock in a “you know what we’re going to do but you can’t stop us” sort of way.

When you look at the way the Philadelphia Eagles roster, it’s infantry right now. The offensive line is solid. The tight ends and current receivers are some of the best blockers in the NFL. And the running backs on the team look like a who’s who of rushers who have single-handedly carried their former respective teams. So what’s not to like?

The Eagles had been under the auspices of west coast guru Andy Reid for a very long time, a time of success and domination of the NFC East. During that time, rushing was an afterthought. The offense was the passing game. It won and lost via the pass. In that time, we had a superbowl appearance. So that is what the modern Eagles fan has come to love and expect from this team.

But in terms of sheer toughness, nothing beats the running attack. Nothing. While defenses go smaller and faster, an offense that grinds its gears and moves the chains is a joy to watch. There is no other sensation quite like it. It’s everything you dream about to see in a good NFL game. We’re from Philly and We Fight! Something about a ground game that says that with each play. Something about pinning our ears back and just rocking the house with a ground game. It’s special.

Perhaps that’s the measuring stick of the 2015 Eagles? We are going to run, can anybody stop us?

Next: Philadelphia Eagles Chip Kelly Tao It Like It is

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