The Bye Week: Former Philadelphia Eagles

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As for the Eagles, however, things have been frustrating. Chip Kelly’s high-flying offense has been plagued by dropped passes, miscommunication and overall sloppy play. For the most part, it has been absolutely disgusting to watch. The win over the New York Giants was a beautiful display of defensive football, but it was followed by a pathetic offensive effort against the Carolina Panthers. It is safe to say that this team has a lot to figure out before claiming “elite” status.

So, why are the Eagles this bad on offense? In the offseason, many criticized Kelly for dumping offensive talent that seemed to be productive and taking risks on misfit players from other teams. Well, to prove that Kelly’s moves were unwarranted you’d have to take a look at how these former Eagles are doing on their new teams. Since this is the bye week, it is the perfect time to check in on players such as LeSean McCoy, Jeremy Maclin and Nick Foles.

1) Running Back LeSean McCoy

Shady? Not exactly. McCoy has been more like “shaky”, and that is not in reference to his ankle-breaking juke moves that he has grown famous for. McCoy started the season dealing with injuries, and since getting healthy he has been less than impressive. His 3.8 average per carry on the ground isn’t terrible, but it isn’t anything to write home about. He’s delivered a total of two touchdowns and hasn’t hit the 100-yard rushing mark in a single game yet this year. The Eagles opted to sign DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews to take McCoy’s place for the same price, and it seems as if that move has paid off. The duo has combined for 8 total touchdowns so far this year, and each back has eclipsed 100 yards rushing in a single game.

Conclusion: Smart Move

2) Wide Receiver Jeremy Maclin

It was going to be very difficult to bring Maclin back at his preferred price tag, but this move is clearly hurting the Eagles right now. The Eagles wide receivers just aren’t threatening anybody, and a veteran pass-catcher would really help. If Kelly decides to throw a huge contract at Alshon Jeffery in the offseason, this move will be warranted. Right now, however, this has set the offense back to the stone age in the passing game. Maclin has racked up 39 receptions for 531 yards, but only has one touchdown. His replacements, Jordan Matthews and Nelson Agholor, have been below average all season. Matthews’ 39 receptions have been overshadowed by the overwhelming amount of dropped passes that have become near routine for the 2nd-year wideout. Agholor, the Eagles’ top pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, is currently injured. He wasn’t really turning heads when he was healthy, either. It is safe to say that the lack of a true threat in the passing game is one of the weaknesses of this team.

Conclusion: Bad Move

3) Quarterback Nick Foles

This was the move that had the entire city buzzing since March. Foles may not have been the answer, but many would have rather kept him in town than taking a risk on the oft-injured Sam Bradford. Ultimately, their stats are nearly identical. The St. Louis Rams have also been plagued by dropped passes, as usual, and Foles only has one more touchdown pass than interception this season. Both players are making around the same amount of money, so that is not the issue whatsoever. The issue is that both quarterbacks are turning the ball over and getting very little help from their surrounding teammates. It is hard to get a fair evaluation of a quarterback when the two position groups that directly affect the quarterback’s production are the weakest on the entire team (offensive line and wide receiver).

Conclusion: Push

There is no looking back now, and it certainly won’t help the Eagles to start to feel regret. The good news is that the defense is one of the league’s best, something that we haven’t had in Philadelphia since early in the Andy Reid Era. The goal this offseason will be to improve the offensive line and the skill position players. It hasn’t only been the new players making mistakes, either. Uncharacteristic drops by players like Darren Sproles and Zach Ertz have hurt the team, as well as poor offensive line play as a whole. The Eagles have their work cut out for them moving forward, and the division is still up for grabs. The NFC East will be conquered in the last few weeks of the season as it always is, and the Eagles are just as alive as the other three teams. It will be a very interesting finish, but the most consistent team will come out on top.

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