In one year, Chip Kelly has taken the Philadelphia Eagles from 4-12 to 9-6, and Sunday night his team travels to Cowboy Stadium to face Dallas. The winner takes the NFC East, and the loser is out of the playoffs.
It's been a remarkable turnaround, fueled by Kelly's intensity, ability to sell a message, and fearsome attention to detail. Eagle players get specialized nutrition. They train mentally on an innovative Axon Sports system that speeds their recognition and reaction time.
Kelly adapted the Oregon spread offense to match the talents of Nick Foles and running back LeSean McCoy. McCoy has run for 1476 yards, while Foles leads the NFL in passer rating, throwing 25 tds with just two interceptions, 2,628 yards through the air. (Tommy Gilligan, USA Today Sports Images photo).
The team has won six out of their last seven. Dallas, meanwhile, will be without quarterback Tony Romo, who had back surgery this week.
All through the Eagle's emergence this has been an Oregon story with numerous references to Kelly's rise with the Ducks. The coach overcame a great deal of initial skepticism about "a college coach" with "a gimmick offense."
What the critics didn't realize is that CK is a unique talent and a visionary who instills confidence and energy in a team. They run the zone-read only occasionally. They do spread the field, run no-huddle, and attack the whole field with multiple options. He did a brilliant job of adapting the scheme to a different level and the Eagle's personnel.
They're favored over the Cowboys, and if they win, Oregon graphics and Oregon mentions will continue to be a big part of the story. Former Duck Patrick Chung starts on defense, and Casey Matthews is in the rotation at inside linebacker. Jeff Maehl has stuck on the roster all season at wide receiver, with 4 catches for 67 yards and his first NFL touchdown.
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