Chip Kelly has a problem.
Actually a big problem.
His team can't run, and now they can no long hide from the problem.
For all its high-tech, up-tempo wizardry, Kelly's offense is based on a fairly old-school premise: He wants to run the ball.
Hence Kelly's dilemma.
The Birds' boss pretty much admitted it in his post-game comments after the Eagles lost a game they could have stolen in San Francisco. With the ball at the Niners' 1-yard line with just under 2 minutes left in the game, the Eagles had two opportunities to punch the ball in and seize the lead.
But Kelly threw the ball on both third and fourth down, trying to get the immobile Nick Foles on the move. First the harried QB missed an open Brent Celek. On fourth down, he fired too high for Jeremy Maclin in the back of the end zone. The NFL's best back, LeSean McCoy did not get an opportunity to get the ball in the end zone. He did, however, miss a key block that forced Foles to rush a throw.
After the game, and again in his post-day presser on Monday, Kelly pretty much admitted he was loathe to try to run the ball behind the patchwork offensive line he fielded after losing three starters, two to injuries and Lane Johnson serving the last of his four-game suspension.
Asked to sum up the problems on the O-line, Kelly refreshingly did not mince words.
"We got whupped," the coach said matter of factly.
The Eagles likely will have Johnson back in the lineup on Sunday when they host the St. Louis Rams at the Linc. That will allow Todd Herremans to slide back inside to right guard and at least solidify one side of the Birds O-line. Jason Peters will anchor the other. but the center of the line and left guard will remain question marks.
The Eagles' inability to run does not bode well for them against the Rams. They will need production on the ground. The Rams are near the top of the league rankings in defending the pass, but trail badly against the run.
If the Eagles want to jolt McCoy out of his funk, this might be the week to do it. But if they struggle to move the ball on the ground, none of Kelly's high-tech wizardry is likely to matter much.
If the Birds aren't able to run, they won't be able to hide this offense's other limitations as well.
It puts too much pressure on Foles, who increasingly looks like a guy who is running for his life behind this patchwork line.
The Eagles need to run the ball and they need a big game from LeSean McCoy. So far the Eagles have managed to post a 3-1 record, despite consistently falling behind, and an offense that seems to take at least a half to get on track.
Take away their special teams play, plus a Pick-6 from safety Malcolm Jenkins, and what you have left from Sunday's game is a zero for the Eagles' offense. That's how many points they produced.
And that includes two crucial plays late in the game from the Niners' 1-yard line.
That can't happen again.
Here's beat writer Bob Grotz's take on Kelly's day-after press conference.
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