One and a half yards. That’s what separated the Eagles from a perfect 4-0 start.
But Chip Kelly decided he could not trust his battered offensive line, which he admitted after the game ‘got whupped’ most of the day. In so doing he took the ball out of the hands of the self-proclaimed ‘best back in the NFL’ and put it instead in the hands of Nick Foles.
Two incompletions later (the third down play not exactly helped by a missed block from McCoy), and the Eagles - and their fans - got their first bitter taste of defeat in this young NFL season.
Shady McCoy is not a happy camper. Without the deep threat of DeSean Jackson loosening up the defense, and behind a makeshift offensive line missing three of five starters, he’s spent the first month of the season spinning his wheels. That could be bad news for the Rams, or, if he and the Birds should struggle again Sunday, it could become a monumental headache for Chip Kelly. This week McCoy sounded like a guy building up toward an explosion - at least off the field if not on.
I hated Kelly’s play calls on that crucial third and fourth downs vs. the Niners. The Eagles had an opportunity to steal a game they had no business winning against a good team. They got zero from their offense all day, instead banking on sterling special teams play - with two TDs - and a Pick-6 interception return from Malcolm Jenkins.
At a minimum Kelly needs to run the ball on third down, if only to run the clock down. There was still 1:50 left in the game. Kelly did this last year, leaving a team way too much time to come back and score after taking the lead near the end of a game.
But the big question Sunday will be if the Eagles can get McCoy back on track. Look for him to get the ball early and often. The line will be fortified by the return of second-year right tackle Lane Johnson after his four-game suspension for using a banned substance. That allows Todd Herremans to slide back into right guard. Let McCoy run behind them all day.
Maybe it’s just me, but there is something else that just doesn’t look right about Shady this year.
I say he finishes under 100 yards, and is none to happy about it. That means Nick Foles and the rest of the offense will have to be up to the task against a defense that is tough against the pass. The Birds had been strong offensively the first three weeks of the season, putting up at least 30 points, before coming up empty against the 49ers. A repeat performance in front of the home fans will not play well.
The Pick: Make it Eagles 35, Rams 19. Nick Foles will be tested by a Rams secondary that is fairly stingy against the pass, but is susceptible to the run. That’s why Shady should be set up to get untracked. If he doesn’t expect fireworks after the game.
Season Record: The Eagles first loss means we are all knotted up on the year. They couldn’t quite pull off another comeback and now stand at 3-1. I went with the Niners and pulled even with them. I say we both move to 4-1 on Sunday.
Game by Game: 49ers 26, Eagles 21 (My Pick: 49ers 33, Eagles 29)
Eagles 34, Jaguars 17 (My Pick: Eagles 31, Jags 16)
Eagles 30, Colts 27 (My Pick: Colts 29, Eagles 23)
Eagles 37, Redskins 34 (My Pick: Eagles 24, Redskins 23)
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