{"id":77177,"date":"2015-08-03T17:44:10","date_gmt":"2015-08-03T17:44:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sandbox.web.rcn.net\/rcntv\/?p=77177"},"modified":"2023-04-14T19:34:19","modified_gmt":"2023-04-14T19:34:19","slug":"behind-mic-chip-kelly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/behind-mic-chip-kelly\/","title":{"rendered":"Behind the Mic: Chip Kelly"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chip Kelly<\/a> became the Eagles<\/a>\u2019 head football coach in January of 2013.\u00a0 And, boy, has he shaken things up.<\/p>\n

DeSean Jackson<\/a> is gone; LeSean McCoy<\/a> is gone; Nick Foles<\/a> is gone; Michael Vick<\/a> is gone; and most of the secondary is gone.\u00a0 Add Trent Cole<\/a>, Jeremy Maclin<\/a>, Todd Herremans<\/a>, Evan Mathis<\/a> to the \u201cgone\u201d list, and, just this past weekend, Brandon Boykin was let go<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Eagles were 10-6 in Kelly\u2019s first two years.\u00a0 They made the playoffs in year one; just missed them in year two.\u00a0 Not bad, right?\u00a0 Obviously, it was not good enough for Chip Kelly.\u00a0 Eleven of last year\u2019s twenty-two starters are gone!\u00a0 Nine of the eleven were part of the 2013 playoff team.<\/p>\n

So, will they be better?<\/p>\n

OFFENSE<\/strong>
\nThey will be better at quarterback if Sam Bradford<\/a>\u2019s knee holds up.\u00a0 They should be better with both DeMarco Murray<\/a> and Ryan Matthews<\/a> sharing running back duties with a sprinkling of Sproles.\u00a0 They may be equal to last season with this receiving corps and just as good at tight end. The offensive line cannot possibly be better.<\/p>\n

DEFENSE<\/strong>
\nThe defensive line is solid.\u00a0 The exits of Trent Cole and Casey Matthews seem to make the Eagles weaker at linebacker and that is never a good thing.\u00a0 The Eagles really needed help at cornerback and appear to have acquired that help when they got Byron Maxwell<\/a> from the Seahawks.\u00a0 They retained Nolan Carroll<\/a> and signed four rookies.\u00a0 Success rests on the improvement of this area over last year.\u00a0 Malcolm Jenkins returns at free safety, but the strong safety spot does not look particularly strong.<\/p>\n

Will they make the NFL playoffs?<\/p>\n

For some reason, I have faith in Chip Kelly.\u00a0 I certainly enjoy his style of football; I respect his confidence in the changes he has made; I like his philosophy of keeping players who love to play football as part of a team.<\/p>\n

Eagles\u2019 fans, as we all know, are an impatient bunch (perhaps, much like Kelly himself).\u00a0 All of Philadelphia is ready for a winning season from at least one of its major pro teams and the city painfully waits for the next championship team.\u00a0 It will be awhile (make that a LONG while) for the Sixers, Flyers, and the Phillies.\u00a0 And certainly the expectations rest more heavily upon the Eagles and Chip Kelly to get it done much sooner.\u00a0 Make no mistake, Kelly knows that and I, for one, think he will excite the Philadelphia masses this year.\u00a0 I don\u2019t envision a Super Bowl quite yet, but, if at all possible, try to be PATIENT!<\/p>\n

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME NO-HIT MUSINGS)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Remember this past Wednesday when Twitter put it out there that the Mets\u2019 Wilmer Flores was traded to the Brewers. Flores got word while he was playing for the Mets and cried in the infield.\u00a0 He had been in the Mets\u2019 organization since he was 16-years old.\u00a0 It turns out the internet was wrong.\u00a0 He remained a Met. Flores capped off the week with a walk-off home run against the Nationals on Friday night.\u00a0 Watch:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n