Eagles Beat Giants: Five Big Picture Takeaways

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5.) Chip Kelly Realizes the Only Way to Win Big in 2015 Is to Roll With the Punches

Oct 19, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly checks the wind direction before a game against the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Regardless of how much as we, as fans, clamor for change in the face of frustrating failures; Chip Kelly’s approach to the 2015 season has been to stay the course. Loyalty is the name of the game for Kelly this season and, for better or worse, he will carry out that mantra. Sam Bradford has the 2nd most interceptions in the league, but one can bet on him getting full reign to air it out against Carolina. Jordan Matthews can’t seem to hold onto the ball, but he will remain the team’s top receiving target. No matter how many times he’s flagged for a defensive penalty, Byron Maxwell will continue to line up and challenge receivers.

One has to think that many are waiting for Kelly to waiver in his support for one of the Eagles’ high-profile players. There’s no way of knowing whether or not Ryan Mathews would have gotten significantly more carries had he not been dealing with a groin injury. Maybe Riley Cooper’s snaps would have been cut in half if Nelson Agholor was active on Monday. Maybe Billy Davis would be back on the unemployment line if a more desirable defensive coordinator was made available this offseason. One can speculate all he or she wants. Kelly has, to this point of the season, danced with the ones he brought, so to speak.

With a roster featuring as much turnover as the 2015 Eagles, riding out the hardships of adjusting on the fly is the only way to have a chance at winning big. More than any other sport, football features weekly pressure to make changes without taking into account the amount of work required to incorporate a new player, wrinkle, or concept to a group of grown men. The only changes Kelly has made this season have been due to injury. Even when forced to make that type of adjustment, Kelly has committed the same amount of confidence to whomever was tapped to fill in as his predecessor.

If this approach is Kelly’s way of addressing a locker room that questioned his ability to handle such turnover, he’s likely taking the only route that could potentially pay off in the short run. Kelly has made it perfectly clear that the team’s 10-win record that accompanied the end of his first two seasons was insufficient. Given the start of 2015, 10 wins might be something fans would sign up for if given the option this Tuesday afternoon. In spite of that, Kelly also knows that the NFL is a week-to-week league and the struggles of the division have allowed him to operate on that type of basis. Kelly’s ego may have played a part in putting together the team that took the field for him Monday. His humanity may be what’s kept them out there as long as they have been.

Next: Eagles Beat Giants: Game Balls

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