Grounded

Welcome to the NFL, Chip

By Max Berger

ANTONELLI, RON, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

The team he left is the number-two team in the country, but many will argue that the electric Oregon Ducks are number one. The team Chip Kelly coaches now has fizzled since its win week one.

The Philadelphia Eagles started their season with a breathtaking 33-27 Monday Night Football win over the 2012 division-champion Redskins, exploding for 443 yards of offense and giving fans hope for the new-look Eagles; however, the fans have been met with another classic Philadelphia letdown as the soaring Birds plunged to the ground and have dropped three straight to the Chargers, Chiefs and Broncos, getting torched on defense for record levels.

First-year defensive coordinator Billy Davis, whose unit has given up the most yards (1,787) and second-most points (34.5/game) in the NFL, pleaded with the media to “trust” him this week, foreseeing better results for his defense.

“Even though there's not the results,” Davis said. “The guys know through the daily work, it'll turn, it'll turn. It hasn't turned yet, it's not where we want it to be, but we will continue to put our heads down and work, and I really believe it will turn.”

His D is on pace to let up the most yards in history thus far, the current record being held by the 2012 New Orleans Saints. No where to go but up after Peyton Manning toyed with them last Sunday en route to 472 yards, 35 first downs and a comical 52 points.

Although the defense is clearly Philadelphia’s weakest link, its offense hasn’t been the same since that opening night. Yes, Chip Kelly’s offense ranks second in the league in total yards and first in rushing yards, but it hasn’t been converting those yards into touchdowns. The Birds have scored touchdowns on just five of twelve opportunities and have racked the eleventh-most points in the league. Not horrible, but a team that totals that many yards should score more. Period.

Along with the team’s point totals declining each week, wide receiver DeSean Jackson has accumulated 398 yards receiving, but just 96 total in the past two weeks combined. Quarterback Michael Vick, after eclipsing QB ratings of over 100 the first two weeks, has posted ratings of 49.4 and 83.6 against the Chiefs and Broncos, respectively.

So what now?

Enter the equally porous 0-4 New York Giants, the team that has allowed the second-most yards and most points in the NFL this season, who the Eagles face on Sunday. Both of these teams can score and both of these teams can’t stop a nosebleed. Get your popcorn ready, as former Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens once said, ‘cause it’s gonna be a show.

Chip Kelly is an offensive genius and many believe that he can fix the 1-3 Eagles’ scoring woes, starting with the G-Men this Sunday. But this team is going absolutely nowhere if it continues its ineptitude on defense.