How can Chip Kelly fix the Philadelphia Eagles?

The Philadelphia Eagles look like a broken team at 0-2. Chip Kelly and his coaching staff have a huge job on their hands to turn this season around. There’s no doubt that the team has a talented roster. Good players don’t become bad overnight, but form and confidence can take a hit.

This Philadelphia Eagles team is in appalling form and their confidence will certainly be starting to wilt. However, the Philadelphia Eagles head into a softer part of their schedule. Road trips to the New York Jets and the Washington Redskins should give the Philadelphia Eagles an opportunity to claw back to 2-2, if the Eagles can perform anywhere near as well as people thought they would this season.

Bizarrely, the Philadelphia Eagles are in surprising company at 0-2. Hands up if you had the Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks sitting at 0-2? This is one of the strangest starts to an NFL season in a long time, summed up by the St. Louis Rams who managed to beat the Seattle Seahawks, before losing to the Washington Redskins.

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The fact that a lot of the powerhouse teams have started slowly leaves an opportunity for the Philadelphia Eagles to still reach the playoffs. The defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, sat at 2-2 following their first four games last year and still won it all. There is no doubt that the Philadelphia Eagles can succeed this season, however you would have to be extremely ignorant to not concede that there are many, many worrying traits being displayed by this team.

Head Coach Chip Kelly has been outcoached by the two coaches he has faced so far. Atlanta Falcons’ rookie Head Coach Dan Quinn produced a great defensive scheme to limit the Eagles’ offense. Dallas Cowboys’ Jason Garrett seemed to know everything that was coming his way. Frustration has been evident everywhere you look, with the Philadelphia Eagles players seeming angry at the way that the season has started and the fans displaying their anger by booing during the 20-10 home opener defeat against Dallas.

So, if the Philadelphia Eagles are to turn a corner and succeed, what do they need to do differently?

1. Mix up the options at running back

DeMarco Murray has been the go to option at the running back position and has had no success. Murray has had 21 carries for 11 yards. Meanwhile, the other options at running back have barely seen the ball. Ryan Mathews has 4 carries for 4 yards, whilst Darren Sproles has been the most productive, picking up 46 yards from his 6 touches. Chip Kelly needs to be much more creative in how he uses these three options at the running back position. All three have experience as starters in this league. There’s little risk in letting Ryan Mathews take the lead back position for a series or two, trying to see if he can get a rhythm, before swapping Murray back in.

Equally, adapt how the running backs are used. The weakness has been at the guard position, with the offensive line being swamped and penetrated too easily. Combat this by moving the players around. Murray was a little more productive receiving some swing passes against the Cowboys and having an option to run outside the lines. Move Murray out of the shotgun and into his more familiar position as an I-formation back. It’s time to mix things up and find a formula that works, as the current reliance on inside zone runs is not working.

2. Get the tight ends into the game

Tight end Zach Ertz is primed for a breakout season. He has good hands, is powerful and is a match up nightmare for opposing teams. He has to see more of the ball as he recovers from an injury that curtailed his preseason. 63 yards from 6 receptions is a promising return and in this Philadelphia Eagles’ offense, Zach Ertz can win you games. Veteran tight end Brent Celek is also a great option as a receiver. He has 1 catch for 6 yards so far, but could easily become a solid option for quarterback Sam Bradford as he looks to move the ball quickly.

3. Take some shots down the field

The Philadelphia Eagles are missing the big plays on offense this season. There have been virtually no attempts to throw the ball long downfield and this is something that the Eagles must change. The Eagles have five passes over 20 yards so far, whilst the Buffalo Bills have 9 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have 7. The Eagles need to place a bit more faith in rookie first round pick wide receiver Nelson Agholor and use his speed to stretch defenses. Having the threat of going long downfield will force defenses to keep safeties back, opening up more room in the box for running backs or tight ends to exploit for short to medium gains. Without any semblance of a deep threat, the Philadelphia Eagles have become too easy to read and have allowed opponents to bottle up the run and the short passes.

4. Cut down on the penalties

Indiscipline is killing the Philadelphia Eagles at times. Needless penalties have ended drives and only serve to fuel the frustration among the players and the fans. The Philadelphia Eagles players must learn to play by the rules and stop giving up penalties at key points in games and during drives.

The slow start to the Philadelphia Eagles is not insurmountable. The road to the playoffs is made easier by the fact that many of the Philadelphia Eagles’ rivals have also faltered. For the two losses so far, the Philadelphia Eagles have only themselves to blame. Providing they can answer some stern questions, the season can still be a story of success. Keep the faith!

Next: Eagles' offensive line suffering from lack of draft picks

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