Eagles Notes: A hurry-up photo before Eagles bye week

The Eagles held meetings Monday before coach Chip Kelly excused the players for a full week off after Sunday's 27-0 win over the New York Giants.

The Eagles will not return from their bye week until next Tuesday. It's one more day off than Kelly gave the players in 2013, when he held a Tuesday practice in the middle of the bye week. Kelly made plans for the seven-day break back in June, so the longer time off had nothing to do with the result of Sunday's game.

"We felt this bye week, for where it fit, it's exactly at the halfway point," Kelly said. "We played four preseason games and six regular-season games. That's 10. We've got 10 to go. We're halfway through the season."

One task that needed to be completed before the Eagles left was taking the team photo. True to Kelly's style, it was done at an up-tempo pace. He boasted about setting a record for the "most efficient photo I've ever seen." They took photos of the entire team, every position group, the coaches, and the training staff in 4 minutes, 40 seconds.

"We had to coach the photographers a little bit, because . . . one of the guys thought he was Ansel Adams," Kelly said. "We said, 'Let's get this thing taken and let's go.' . . . It's not like it's going to be hanging in the Philadelphia Museum of Art or anything. It's going to go in someone's office somewhere, so let's just get it done."

When Kelly met with the team, he said the first six games were "a good start, but we need to continue." He told the players to relax, spend time with their families, enjoy the days off, and "eliminate the stress in your life." All players must work out twice during the seven-day period, and they received a presentation from strength and conditioning coach Josh Hingst and sports science coordinator Shaun Huls.

Kelly said he wasn't worried about players getting in trouble while they were gone. "With this group?" he said. "I have no concerns with these guys at all."

Kelly stood up for starting cornerbacks Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher, who have endured criticism this season for inconsistent play. The coach insisted that the Eagles "don't pay attention to the heat," and that the staff has been happy with the cornerbacks this season. The secondary played a major role as the Eagles recorded their first shutout in nearly 18 years.

"I think a lot of times [reporters] are wrong," Kelly said. "When we start listening to people outside of here, we're going to be in trouble - then we would be wrong. I think those guys have played really, really well."

The Eagles used Jeremy Maclin as a punt returner after Darren Sproles' injury on Sunday because Maclin is the "safest guy," Kelly said. Other options include Jordan Matthews, Riley Cooper, Jeff Maehl, and Josh Huff.