Chip Kelly: Excited To Compete Against Talented Ravens Team
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Eagles are getting ready to welcome the Baltimore Ravens to town.
The Ravens, like the Eagles, enter 2015-16 with Super Bowl aspirations. The two teams will practice against each other on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at the NovaCare Complex in preparation for Saturday night's preseason game at Lincoln Financial Field.
"Number one, different offense," Kelly said on Tuesday, when asked about the advantages of this joint practice. "They'll see a little bit more two-back. We didn't see much two-back. We got a little, just a little from the Colts, but they did it with an extra tight-end in the backfield playing with a true fullback."
Of course, the Ravens, a team that isn't that far removed from their Super Bowl Championship in 2013, are led by their veteran quarterback from Audubon, New Jersey in Joe Flacco.
"And then, anytime I think you get a chance to compete against another team---when you got players like [Steve] Smith," Kelly said. "Steve Smith out there at receiver. And Joe Flacco, who's one of the best in the league.
"You got [Terrell] Suggs and [Elvis] Dumervil and that group on the defensive line---I mean outside linebacker, defensive line---in terms of pass rush. So, that'll be some good matchups with our offensive line."
The Eagles got off to a superb preseason start, with a 36-10 route over the Colts. Third and fourth string quarterbacks, Matt Barkley and Tim Tebow, impressed their head coach.
"I thought both of them played well, but I think in both of their occasions there's a couple miscommunications where some things broke down that weren't their fault," Kelly said. "So they gotta kind of make some adjustments from it, but I thought they both---when they had time---threw the ball very well."
It seems like the Eagles could have a full-slew of weapons for their second preseason game. Kiko Alonso, Mychal Kendricks, DeMarco Murray, and Sam Bradford all practiced on Tuesday after missing the preseason opener. Linebacker DeMeco Ryans, who also did not play against the Colts, is expected back at practice on Wednesday.
Bradford is expected to start on Saturday night against the Ravens.
