Five Big-Picture Takeaways From Eagles Week 14 Win vs Bills

Dec 13, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly (C) gestures from the sidelines during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles won 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

5.) The Ability to Keep out the Noise May be what Keeps the Eagles 2015 Season Afloat

After coming out on top in a game the world pitted as ‘LeSean McCoy vs Chip Kelly’ the Eagles head coach demonstrated a rare instance of his connection with the media’s depiction of his team. After being asked about all of the non-football questions and issues his team had to deal with in the week leading up tot he game, Kelly delivered a stinging response.

"No, I mean, I just — a lot of it to me is tabloid journalism that they just tried to stir things up but it didn’t affect us. I mean, we were playing the Buffalo Bills and a really well coached team by [Bills Head Coach] Rex Ryan that has a lot of really good players. But when people want to make up false stories about me calling someone during the week and them hanging up on me, I just think people are trying to get Twitter hits and [expletive] like that and make themselves significant when stuff doesn’t happen."

Kelly’s comments were directed towards Jeff McLane of the Inquirer and his piece earlier this week about him making a call to Bills running back LeSean McCoy, only to be hung up on. It was a strong statement made by Kelly against a story that painted him in a negative light. Given how few times that has happened despite countless attempts to slight the Eagles coach, one can only assume this instance needled Kelly a bit more than the others.

While Kelly’s remarks were punctuated by him abruptly leaving the podium, the pulse of the locker room seemed far less perturbed by the negativity that surrounds this team. Several players acknowledged the storylines that dominated the tabloids into the game, but did so in almost an endearing manner. It was almost as if the team was clamoring for something to unite them as they worked out the kinks of a trying season to this point.

"“Yeah. I think that’s been what’s been really special about this team and this group for the past two weeks because I know there has been a lot of noise from outside the building. Especially after the Thanksgiving day game. But it doesn’t seem to affect us. I think everyone did a great job at just staying focused and not letting any of that add anything extra to the game. I thought our preparation this week was great. And then to go out there and get another good team win tonight, it’s huge.”-quote courtesy of Sam Bradford “We just ignore it. I think that if you have been in the league for a long time, especially playing in Philly, you realize that the media is pretty strong and there is going to be stuff circulating at all times. I don’t think anyone thought too much about it. You study LeSean because he’s a great back. We tried to game plan him up.”-quote courtesy of Jason Kelce “I don’t care about all that little Chip and McCoy stuff, because he had to play us at the end of the day.”-quote courtesy of Brandon Graham"

Several other members of the team remarked at how the locker room is feeling much more like that of a ‘player-driven’ team. Depending on how true the stories of Chip Kelly’s lack of approachability are, this is likely the ideal approach for a team like the Eagles. There is talent within the Philadelphia locker room. Kelly is also adept at preparing an effective gameplan and making adjustments within the context of a game. If the psychological element of football wasn’t as pertinent, one could probably pencil in the Eagles for another win or two. Alas, that is not how the league works.

Landing on the Eagles, whether by choice or circumstance, brings with it a bulls-eye. Chip Kelly being the coach and wielder of power has made it such. Tack that on to the inferiority complex that comes with a fanbase of a team that has not won a Super Bowl, and negativity seems to follow Eagles teams over the last few years. It would be hard to blame some for letting their frustration get the best of them from time to time.

The 2015 Eagles aren’t the first team to deal with negativity outside the locker room, nor will they be the last. Champions have been forged by such circumstances, while others have let it get the best of them. So little of the storyline leading up to Sunday’s game had anything to do about how one team was going to approach playing against another team. After all was said and done, the story of an Eagles win came down to one team neutralizing the opposition’s gameplan, remaining disciplined, and finding a way to prevail without a decided advantage in the talent department. The Eagles did not let the story leading up to the game turn into the story of the game.