Sports and Rants with Brett and Pants : season over

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Chip Kelly Eulogy

Chip Kelly is gone and the Eagles 2015 season is over. The Eagles owner seemed to have never trusted the three-year Philadelphia coach. Kelly is being held completely accountable for the terrible season. The maddening and frustrating season is finally over. It is finally time to move-on.

No matter what your thoughts are of Chip Kelly, do not just talk trash on him because he is gone. I enjoyed his time with the Eagles, but he is dead to me. People forget that Kelly’s ideas are simple, and think he is smarter than he actually is. His whole coaching philosophy is built around maximizing the number of plays. I enjoyed the Eagles being the fastest operating team in the NFL, but there comes a time when the brakes need to be pushed.

Kelly’s criteria for players were too strict. He did not appreciate NFL talent. I am all for having bigger players that beat-up on smaller players, but I would prefer having the smaller player if he is more talented. Hiring personnel with character and teaching skills only works in corporate, not in the NFL. It was great having a larger player like Jordan Matthews as a slot receiver, but I think I prefer Riley Cooper’s personality.

The main reason why the team suffered this past season was because of Chip Kelly. The team that he created did not have the right personnel, and did not play together. The team was talented, but they did not play like a team. There were wide-open receivers being overthrown and great throws being dropped. Chip fostered a poorly coached team that impaled themselves with penalties.

But, when it is all said and done Chip Kelly is no longer the coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles were not the team every thought they were, and once again the experts were wrong. Chip Kelly will get another coaching job in the NFL, and the Eagles will be successful in the future. However, right now I think it is time to take a step back, and really look at what is going on in the Eagles locker room. It is time for new personnel and players, it is time for a change!

-Pants (Glen)

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Sunday, December 20, 2015

Wake Me Up When the Season is Over

Celebrity Death Match --- Murray vs Chip

Chip Kelly must feel silly. I have no clue what DeMarco Murray did. Murray may not be worth the 40 million for 5 years that the Eagles are paying him, but he is good for something. And that is converting on third down. He is successful on all 12 of his 3rd down conversion attempts. Someone who is getting paid the big money that he is should touch the ball consistently no matter how bad he is. The past three games he is averaging a minuscule 7 rushing attempts. It seems like Kelly is trying to prove something by not playing Murray. Both Murray and the Eagles are terrible, so what is the loss in letting him play? If the Eagles cut him at the end of the season, it would be a gigantic 13 million dollar hit on their salary cap.

Defense is Struggling Mightily Again

Eagles need to improve in the red zone. If the opposing team gets within 20 yards of the Eagle’s end zone, they are almost guaranteed to score a touchdown. There is absolutely no depth in the secondary. Yeah they are not healthy, but who cares.

Not only does Philadelphia have a terrible red zone defense, but they also cannot defend against the run. They are ranked 5th worst in the league in stopping the run. Mychal Kendricks cannot make a tackle and Kiko Alonso is a bust. The Eagles are trying tackle high and are getting embarrassed. Almost every tackle they look like they are trying to strip the ball; when all they need to do is make the tackle. Bottom line is if the Eagles cannot stop the run, they will never be a good team.

Sit-Down Jordan Matthews

When Jordan Matthews was drafted he seemed like a timid and shy receiver. Now, for some reason that he is almost done with his second season, he is acting as if he is God’s gift to the world. Number 81 did not do anything worthwhile to warrant his cockiness. I hope the Linc breaks out in a, “Dude you’re not that good” chant. Every Eagles fan can only hope for Matthews to be as good as he thinks is. I get that his job is run down a field and catch a ball made out of pigskin; but how can anyone be celebrating like he is when the team is as terrible as they are.

Do you hear the fat lady?

Most Philadelphia fans wish that their beloved Eagles can be finally eliminated from the playoffs like most teams that have a record of 6 – 8. No matter how many times they lose, Eagles fans cannot be put out of their misery because they still have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs. If the Eagles win their next two games against Washington and the Giants, then they would be in the playoffs. So hooray for the division being terrible?

- Pants

Somebody Caption this with a speech bubble. Eagles are a walking zombie!