Chip Kelly: 'We're Close, We Need To Make Plays'
PHILADELPHIA, PA (CBS) — It was a little testy on Monday, as Chip Kelly addressed the assembled media and tried to explain why the Eagles are 1-3, after losing 23-20 to Washington on Sunday at his weekly day-after press conference.
In three out of four games, the Eagles offensive line has been incohesive in the first quarter, and it's something that Kelly addressed at the outset.
"I don't think it looks like chaos, I wouldn't use that word, (but) I think we're out of sync a few times. We have the right guys and we're been doing the right things, and again, we start with balls a little low on the first pass of the game and we have to be able to help those guys out," Kelly said. "It's not just one thing. It's the combination of a couple of things. We need to execute the plays better—that's what we need to do."
Kelly has used the "execute" word quite often during this downward spiral the Eagles have taken the last two years. When asked if it was time to do something different, Kelly said, "because I've seen us move the ball. I saw us move the ball on three consecutive drives, or three out of four drive sin the second half against (Washington). I saw us move the ball the second half against Atlanta. I have confidence in this group. We have do it on a more consistent basis."
In the Eagles' three losses, they've scored one field goal in the first half. Why the early offensive woes?
"We're not executing. We need to stay on the field offensively in the first half and not be on three-and-outs. Guys are making plays when they have the opportunity to make plays (in the second half). We're not making plays when we need to make plays in the first half. It's not one guy. If it was one guy, it would be an easy switch. It's not the same guy, it's not one specific thing. There are plays to be made there. We're just not making the plays right now.
"It does concern me, because these are guys we know who are good football players. It's the difference in this league right now. Almost every time you look up, it's a one-score game in 31 of 62 games, decided by 8 points or less. We had a touchdown called back because we lined up wrong. Miss an extra point, miss a field goal, that's the difference in a football game. We allow a completion on third down, that's the difference in a football game."
Kelly said he's continuing to stick with his approach. "We know we have the right players here—it's a play here and a play there. We make two kicks and we're sitting here 3-1 and everybody is happy. I think when we have the opportunity to make plays, we have to make plays. That's how we look at it."
Kelly did admit that he is second-guessing himself. "We'll look at play calls, what could I have done on second down, so that second down could have put us into a more manageable third down. We should have run it in this situation, to get a third-and-six. We're always analyzing that part of it."
On the team's leadership, "I'm not really worried about this group, they know the task at hand," Kelly said. "I like our leadership. I think our guys are doing a nice job. Again, we don't cover a receiver up, we're in a different football game. We lost by three and we have a touchdown called back. I don't think leadership had anything to do with covering a receiver up."