For The Record, Still Hating Chip Kelly
 |
| Eagle HQ: Low Ceilings R Us |
Notwithstanding the fools' gold of a three-point win, at home, against a sub-.500 opponent that couldn't stop taking penalties as if there were hoarders at the dollar store, the win means that the final two games of the year should be relevant, and thank goodness for very small favors. If Philly wins out, they beat DC in the process, and also NY, so the division is theirs at 9-7. (This includes a thoroughly unlikely win over Arizona next Sunday night, but what the hell, it's not like the last two wins were high in the likely meter either.) Even if they crap the bed against Arizona next week, 8-8 might be enough to get it done. DC would have to win in Buffalo next week, and the Giants would have to win in Miami. Plenty of scenarios in which .500 gets it done.
But here's the thing: who the hell cares? With both teams winning today and all of the other chasers in the NFC falling back, it's becoming overwhelmingly likely that the team that they'd host in an NFC wild card game is merely the defending NFC champions, aka the Seattle Seahawks. And sure, Seattle is a little banged up at running back, and their WRs are not terrifying, and they've also lost TE Jimmy Graham for the year as well. And ever since all of that bad stuff happened, they've pass blocked with a vengeance, and QB Russell Wilson has thrown for a ton of touchdown passes. And if you think it's just their usual home field advantage, well, nope. Destroyed Minnesota in their yard, destroyed Baltimore in theirs.
So that's the ceiling, by the way, for Year Three of the Kelly Era; a home loss where you aren't competitive against a Real Team. Kind of like how Seattle came to town a year ago, after the Eagles were feeling good about themselves after beating Dallas, and beat the living garbage out of them. That team had a better line, a better RB, a better WR, and the defense actually played well that day. And they lost by multiple touchdowns in a game that writ large in the Western sky that Kelly's scheme didn't work against a physical defense / real contender. You know, kind of like what happened to him in college, too.
So, back to back wins, season saved, at least another year of Boy GM making indefensible personnel decisions. Just this week, we learned that he offered DeMarco Murray twice what he would have made in Dallas, plus made the cap money terrible, because why wouldn't you. I have no words. This also means probably another year of not nearly good enough QB play from Sam Bradford, at a number that will be somewhere between painful and pointless. Maybe progress will be achieved, and Nero will at least cut Mark Sanchez loose, or actually get his hands on some offensive linemen. And with the division remaining a place where half of the owners are meddling morons, winning it again really isn't exactly impossible.
But again, at the core... who cares? Kelly's team isn't young. His draft picks aren't thrilling. His free agent picks have been a complete disaster. His offensive schemes aren't fooling anyone any more, and if his team gets to the playoffs, it will do so on a another mix of flukish wins. We aren't anywhere closer to an actually good team, or playoff wins, or even a very watchable team, than we've ever been.
With at least one more year, and maybe two, to learn more about what we already know.
3 comments:
I'd say that no one from the division deserves to go to the playoffs, but it's been such a blah year in the league that there isn't a team on the outside looking in that deserves to be there either.
Whoever finishes last among the Jets, Chiefs, and Steelers should get the AFC South spot though.
Of Philly's 7 losses, they could have easily won 3 of those games -- Washington, Miami and Atlanta. The Dallas, Detroit, Tampa and Carolina games were out of touch. Just make a single play against DC, or just eat the ball instead of throwing an idiot Sanchez pick against Miami, and they are 8-5 with the division more or less sewn up. But they'd still be in the same position of getting worked by Seattle in the first round game.
This, of course, ignores the fact that the Jets, Bills and Dallas road games were also coin flips. Also, that Big Blue has led most of their games in the fourth, and is probably the actually best team in the division. And, again, would get worked in a home playoff game.
Yeah, the Giants have had 4th quarter leads in 5 of their 7 losses and the Eagles game back in October was the only game they lost by more than 6 points. If they could close at all they'd be in the running for a first round bye.
Needless to say, it's been a frustrating season.
Post a Comment