Welcome to the Pat Shurmur era.
Raise your hand if you saw that one coming.
Jeff Lurie stunned the Philly sports nation by announcing Tuesday night that he had released head coach Chip Kelly, with one game left in this most disappointing season.
The Birds were embarrassed on their home turf and in front of a national TV audience - again - as they got waxed by the Redskins, who took the NFC Least crown with the win. The Eagles made a habit of not just losing, but losing big time to what were really less than great NFL teams. The Bucs, Lions and Redskins are not exactly powerhouses, although Washington is going to the playoffs courtesy of the horrific NFC East.
You have to wonder if Chip Kelly had won that game if he’d still be coach. My own belief, in true Eagles fashion, is that they would beat the Redskins, only to stab us in the heart again by falling to the Giants.
Now neither one of these teams has much to play for in a matchup of two really bad defenses. I think the Giants have more weapons, and should outscore the Eagles at home.
The game will be interesting if only to see how the players react now that Kelly is out of the picture. It’s pretty clear that he had more than his share of detractors in that locker room.
Kelly did not help his cause any with his snarky, borderline arrogant attitude.
I still think the final straw for Lurie was hearing the guy who forced his hand - and made him publicly embarrass his friend Howie Roseman - then go in front of the media and insist he was not the team’s general manager.
Now Lurie, for the second time in four years, is interviewing head coach candidates.
I think we can safely assume Pat Shurmur is not going to get that job.
I would love to see Shurmur line up DeMarco Murray in I-formation behind Sam Bradford and pound him at the Giants 25 times today. I don’t think that’s going to happen.
I don’t think he’s getting a win today either.
Bring on Jon Gruden.
The Pick: Make it Giants 31, Eagles 23. Break out the shovels. Let the rebuilding begin.
Last Week: The Eagles watched as for the second consecutive week, a visiting opponent celebrated a division title on the Lincoln Financial Field turf. The Birds came out on fire with a great opening drive, then did next to nothing the rest of the way. Getting blown out started to become way too routine for this team.
Season Record: My season record again matches the Eagles. We’re both 6-9, looking up at just about everyone. I’m still astounded at how this whole thing played out. Any remember how we all felt after that preseason game against Green Bay. Someone please remind me next August not to believe anything I see. It actually would behoove both of these teams to lose this game. We’ll see who actually comes to play with nothing to play for.
Game by Game: Falcons 26, Eagles 24. (My Pick: Eagles 37, Falcons 26)
Cowboys 20, Eagles 10 (My Pick: Eagles 31, Cowboys 26)
Eagles 24, Jets 17. (My Pick: Eagles 27, Jets 23)
Redskins 23, Eagles 20. (My Pick: Eagles 26, Redskins 13)
Eagles 39, Saints 17. (My Pick: Eagles 23, Saints 13)
Eagles 27, Giants 7. (My Pick: Eagles 27, Giants 16)
Panthers 27, Eagles 16 (My Pick: Eagles 26, Panthers 23)
Eagles 33, Cowboys 27 OT (My Pick: Eagles 23, Cowboys 13)
Dolphins 20, Eagles 19 (My Pick: Eagles 33, Dolphins 16)
Bucs 45, Eagles 17 (My Pick: Eagles 17, Buccaneers 16)
Lions 45, Eagles 14 (My Pick: Lions 23, Eagles 16)
Eagles 35, Patriots 28 (My Pick: Patriots 33, Eagles 17)
Eagles 23, Bills 20 (My Pick: Eagles 26, Bills 17)
Cardinals 40, Eagles 17 (My Pick: Eagles 27, Cardinals 26)
Redskins 38, Eagles 24 (My Pick: Eagles 24, Redskins 23)
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