Chip Kelly is ready to look ahead to the Giants game.
I don't blame him a bit.
The problem is that his team played most of the second of Sunday's debacle against the Broncos as if they were feeling the exact same way.
I didn't expect the Eagles to beat the Broncos, especially not in the rarefied Mile High air. I figured they would be sucking air, instead they opted for that other 's' word.
What was fairly stunning was how meekly the Birds reacted to being embarrassed on national TV.
The Eagles' acceptance of an old-fashioned butt-whipping as the nation watched was not lost on Troy Aikman. While the Broncos were waltzing calmly down the field for another score in the third quarter, Fox's lead analyst said, "I don't see a lot of guys who look like they want to be out there," referring to the Eagles.
The Eagles clearly were outmanned - or is that out-Manning-ed - by a superior Broncos squad.
But if there's one thing Philly fans won't accept is not trying. And for too much of the second half, it really didn't look like the Eagles cared about much of anything other than making their flight back home.
Kelly has not helped things that much.
After a dazzling opening night performance in Washington, in which he set the NFL on notice that his warp speed offense has arrived to revolutionize the league, Kelly has been throttling down ever since.
Where is the brash, go-for-it gambler we were promised? Kelly had a chance to go for two after scoring early in the game that would have drawn the Eagles even, but instead opted to kick the perfunctory extra point. Toward the end of the half, with the ball on the Broncos' 37, he had a chance to go for it on 4th down. Stunningly, he not only did not, he didn't kick the field goal either. He punted.
So did his team.
The strategy actually worked. The Broncos did not score again in the half, but the message was already sent. We're not here to win, we're just trying to keep this one close.
The Broncos came out for the second half on fire; the Eagles were warming up the bus for the getaway to the airport.
That theme was sounded by Kelly again yesterday. He didn't want to dwell on the Mile High Massacre. Instead he was ready to move on to Sunday's tilt against the winless Giants in North Jersey.
So bet it.
But be warned, Coach.
It's early in your career, but you're already looking at a must win. A loss to the winless Giants and there will be even more questions about where this franchise is headed.
To paraphrase an old friend, Time's yours, Chip.
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