I think I might like Chip Kelly.

I know that I am pleased he is not Andy Reid. I don’t think I can say that enough… I am pleased he is not Andy Reid.

I’ve been an Eagles fan since birth.  I’ve suffered and celebrated with my team for 40 years now.  I saw Jerome Brown and Reggie White.  I feel in love with Buddy Ryan and then wanted him to fall off the face of the earth.  I witnessed the fog bowl. I watched when we had a quarterback named Peete and then Detmer.  Ray Rhodes made me love him and hate him every Sunday.

Then came Andy Reid.

I doubted him until I didn’t.  I was disgusted that Lurie would hire a quarterbacks coach and then 5 NFC Championship games later… I was kind of a believer.  I appreciated that we could win, I did not appreciate this version of football that Reid was trying to sell me.

I was completely over it after our Super Bowl appearance. I wanted Reid gone. He stayed.

And like a woman in an abusive relationship I stood by my man.

Last night was the first regular season game of the Chip Kelly era, and well.  I have PTSD. Post Traumatic Superbowl Disorder.

It was difficult for me to watch the game and not see Reid’s team.

During the entire second half I sat and winced expecting the blow to come.  I jumped more than once seeing some Reid-like fuck ups but I was not battered and bloody when the clock struck zero.

I was shaken, that was to be expected.  But my team was no longer kicking my ass and telling me that it loved me.  It showed me that it loved me by not losing the game.

Progress.

Now with that being said let’s look at the good the bad and the ugly of our 33-27 win over the deadskins:

OFFENSE:

Shady McCoy picked up 184 yards. In one game. This is the stud of a running back who at times would be lucky to get 184 yards in 6 games because the former coach was allergic to running the football.

Mike Vick did not throw an interception.  He did not turn the ball over. Amazing what you can do when you are not trying to start a 45 year old lineman. Vick may only have a year or two left in his wheels but he showed that he can still throw the ball when you protect him.

DEFENSE:

Any linebacker unit with Clay Matthews’ little sister Casi in it is suspect to me.  Ryans did a decent job though and this might be what Cole needed to extend his career and improve his numbers. Casi Matthews is still on the team though and I think she is on her period. Bitch.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

They didn’t fuck up the game.  Sometimes that is all you can ask for.  The return game was not extraordinary but they didn’t fuck up the game.

 

Overall grade: B+

The Chip Kelly era has begun.  I think I kind of like him. Maybe.

 

Aphrodite Brown