THE season just ended Sunday. Players were cleaning out lockers on Monday. Here it is Tuesday and we’ve already had our first collective kick to the balls as a fan base. According to Head Coach Chip Kelly, Defensive Coordinator Billy Davis will return for a third season in 2015.
Chip Kelly said that he thought Davis’s unit did a “really good job” and even made some improvements. A MOMENT IF YOU WILL!
I’m guessing that Chip Kelly isn’t counting on Eagles fans looking beyond whatever he says. Seems he’s underestimated you and I. Look. Here’s where our Defense ranked in 2013 and 2014:
Interceptions did jump from 8 to 21. Sacks (not on that chart) also went up from 37 to 49. Those are the bright spots.
Total Yards we went from 29th to 28th. Technically that is an improvement. Qualitatively, it really isn’t.
Points Allowed we went from 17th to 22nd. That’s a regression.
Takeaways went from 3rd to 6th. Also a step back.
Kelly said that he felt that the run defense improved. The truth is no, it really didn’t. In 2014 teams attempted fewer rushes than in 2013, but we fell from 10th best run defense to 15th and rushing TD’s allowed went from 15 to 21.
Pass defense shows no signs of improving. We went from 32nd to 31st in passing yards allowed, and from allowing 14 TD’s to allowing 28.
There are conceptual inefficiencies that our opponents have become expert at exploiting. Add to that Davis’s inability to make in-game adjustments, and you have a recipe for failure.
Some might want to argue that Davis’s system has helped us to 2 consecutive 10-6 seasons, or 20-12 overall. Maybe. But I’d wager that Davis’s system has more to do with that 12 than that 20.
Regardless, we’re gonna roll the dice on this guy for a third year. I feel a little less optimistic about 2015 already.
EAGLEMANIACAL.com 