Chip Kelly has a problem.
He's learning something it took Andy Reid almost a decade to understand.
That pompous, arrogant, 'smarter than everyone else in the room' act flies when you're 10-06 and making the playoffs.
When you 1-3 and struggling, it's a lot tougher sell.
Kelly won the offseason war for total control of the Eagles' roster and personnel. After watching his team hack up a lead and blow the NFC East title and a trip to the playoffs by losing three straight at the end of last year, Kelly clearly decided his team was not good enough.
He was offered one caveat as he started shedding players that took the Eagles to the playoffs: You'd better be right.
So far, Kelly the coach has been betrayed by Kelly the general manager.
This team, which ofered a bogus vision of Super Bowl off their preseason play, just isn't that good.
They have two fatal flaws.
Their porous offensive line can't protect new QB Sam Bradford, and on the other side of the ball, they get absolutely no pressure on the opposing quarterback. That's why Kirk Cousins was able to sit back in the pocket and pick the Eagles apart on an agonizing, 90-yard drive to stick a dagger in the Eagles' hearts after the Birds had recovered from still another miserable first-half showing to take a lead over the 'Skins.
Add in a kicker who can't kick and you have the recipe for a disastrous 1-3 start for Kelly's team.
After Cody Parkey blew up what was left of his groin and was lost for the season, Kelly held tryouts and signed Caleb Sturgis, who last kicked - and not all that well - for the Dolphins.
Yesterday Sturgis missed identical 33-yard kicks, one field goal and one point-after attempt.
The Eagles lost by three. You do the math.
Don't let Sturgis fool you, however.
This team's troubles lie on their lines, an offensive line that was lessened by the offseason departure of Todd Herremans and Evan Mathis, and now rocked by injuries, including All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters.
Their defensive line, stout against the run, is a non-factor vs. the pass. If the Eagles don't blitz, they don't get pressure on opposing QBs.
Chip Kelly does not need any pithy replies about his rosters moves. He needs answers. Right now he does not appear to have any. And he doesn't have much time to find them.
Interested in other views: Here's columnist Jack McCaffery's take on Kelly's 1-3 team.
Bob Grotz reviews the game here.
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