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Eagles are a work in progress, but at least they are progressing

Eagles did plenty wrong, but did enough right to escape with a win over the Colts.

Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin watches as Colts defensive back Greg Toler intercepts the ball. (Ron Cortes/Staff Photographer)
Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin watches as Colts defensive back Greg Toler intercepts the ball. (Ron Cortes/Staff Photographer)Read more

INDIANAPOLIS - It is important to note, at this juncture, that the Eagles very much are a work in progress.

They have a quarterback with less than a full season's worth of starts.

They are inexperienced on the defensive line.

They rebuilt their receiving corps.

They addressed the porous defensive secondary, but they could not upgrade it overwhelmingly.

They lost three of their top six offensive linemen to injury or suspension, and the offensive line was their best unit.

The kicker, Cody Parkey, is an undrafted rookie cut in the preseason by these Colts. He stole a veteran's job in Philadelphia and is facing tons of pressure. He caved on his second kick of the night, but converted on his last one: 36 yards, as time expired.

"I didn't say anything mystical to him. I didn't talk to him at all," coach Chip Kelly said. "He's always up."

The coaching staff, Kelly included, is composed largely of career college coaches getting their second year's worth of NFL experience.

And, so, coming into Indianapolis against talented, young quarterback Andrew Luck on "Monday Night Football," anything respectable is acceptable.

A 30-27 comeback, prime-time road win is acceptable.

Erasing a 14-point deficit in the third quarter is acceptable.

Tying it again inside of 4 minutes - acceptable.

Stuffing the Colts on the next possession - superb.

The win was wonderful, but the play was imperfect.

"It just means we're 2-0," Kelly said. "And we have to execute better on both sides of the ball in the first half."

"We felt we left some meat on the bone out there," offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said.

Yes, the Eagles got a gift when Brandon Boykin dragged T.Y. Hilton to the ground, allowing Malcolm Jenkins to intercept Luck's pass at the Eagles' 16 with just over 5 minutes to play in the game. The penalty was obvious, happened in the middle of the field, and went uncalled.

It led to the Eagles' second tying touchdown drive of the game - a 51-yard dump pass to Darren Sproles, capped by a 6-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin that knotted it at 27 with 3 minutes, 25 seconds to play.

The Eagles' first drive stalled when they sent in three-tight end personnel . . . then used them as decoys on consecutive running plays. Coaches sometimes outsmart themselves.

There was symmetry among the outside linebackers' mistakes. Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham each jumped offside during the Colts' third drive. Both times, it gave the Colts a first down. Then, Trent Cole took his turn late in the first half.

On the third drive, safeties Nate Allen and Jenkins each misplayed runs that resulted in big gains.

Special-teams ringer Chris Maragos cost the Eagles 15 yards when he slapped former Eagles special-teams ringer Colt Anderson upside the head, an inauspicious start to the Colts' second touchdown drive. The Colts stuffed the Eagles' blitz on third-and-14 and, eventually, Luck found Reggie Wayne for 19 yards. That was the biggest play in that TD drive.

Veteran cornerback Cary Williams clawed at Wayne's face mask and gave the Colts 15 extra yards . . . on a play in which Wayne essentially had surrendered. The Colts got a field goal on that drive to make it 20-6 with 6:47 to play in the third.

Interior linemen Brandon Bair, Beau Allen and Taylor Hart, all playing in their second NFL game, played like it.

Rookie slot receiver Jordan Matthews dropped two passes and committed a holding penalty. Tight end Brent Celek dropped a touchdown pass.

Twice, Barwin appeared to fail to recognize passing plays for running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who caught both for short touchdowns.

Parker pulled that 38-yard field goal attempt wide left late in the first quarter.

Some of the better players made plays, too.

Fletcher Cox, the defense's best player this season, stripped Trent Richardson and set up the Eagles' third touchdown. That happened because LeSean McCoy converted third-and-15 almost alone, with a 21-yard run. Sproles converted second-and-goal from the 19 the same way: He shed four tacklers and scored a touchdown.

McCoy, as expected, and Sproles, remarkably, have been the offense's best players so far.

Sproles' career-high 178 total yards helped negate the extra attention given McCoy, who is delighted to have a potent new weapon after the team cut dynamic receiver DeSean Jackson.

"Without Sproles, we'd be in trouble," McCoy said. "I've got to get my game together. I haven't been playing to my level."

They should be in trouble.

Quarterback Nick Foles has been hot and cold.

The offensive and defensive lines have fought Jacksonville and, now, Indianapolis, to a little better than a draw.

The coaching staff has adjusted to personnel losses and the opposition's effectiveness.

The mistakes have been overcome.

"I've never been involved in a perfect game, by a player or coach," Shurmur said.

"If we're hitting on all cylinders," McCoy said, "the sky's the limit."

Still, for a work in progress, the progress looks fine.

On Twitter: @inkstainedretch

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