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Eagles have a need for speed

Much has been made about culture and scheme ever since Eagles coach Chip Kelly was caught on camera during the Sunday night game against the New York Giants last month telling a practice squad player that the former always trumps the latter.

Eagles wide receiver Jordan Matthews and safety Malcolm Jenkins. (David Maialetti/Staff Photographer)
Eagles wide receiver Jordan Matthews and safety Malcolm Jenkins. (David Maialetti/Staff Photographer)Read more

Much has been made about culture and scheme ever since Eagles coach Chip Kelly was caught on camera during the Sunday night game against the New York Giants last month telling a practice squad player that the former always trumps the latter.

The next clip in the NFL.com montage that put microphones on Kelly and quarterback Nick Foles did not get nearly as much attention, but it was equally as fascinating.

"Hey," Foles tells his offensive teammates, "let's make sure we play at our tempo right now. Let's go as fast as we can."

Going fast is part of the Eagles' offensive scheme, but it is also part of their culture. It is a weapon that can cause mass destruction and it is a source of pride for the big men up front who like to floor the gas pedal in an effort to run over defensive linemen who are running out of gas.

"It's almost like an unstoppable feeling," center Jason Kelce said after practice Wednesday. "When the no-huddle offense gets going, especially running the ball, it's very tough for a defense to stop it and change the momentum. It just feels like there is this tidal wave, this endless army marching forward and it's hard for a defense to gather itself and stop that."

The Eagles' 31-21 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday was a perfect example of the tsunami effect Kelly's up-tempo culture/scheme can have when it is in good working order. Veteran guard Evan Mathis, who will return to the starting lineup Monday night against the Carolina Panthers after missing the previous seven games with a knee injury, was a spectator on the sideline at NRG Stadium, but he could see what was happening on the field.

"That was one of those games," Mathis said. "The Texans were playing lights-out. J.J. Watt was having a hell of a game and we just kept going fast and there was a point where I think the offensive line told Chip it seems like they're wearing down a little bit, so let's keep putting the pressure on them."

The result was a four-run, 70-yard sprint that took 84 seconds.

"There are a lot of benefits" to the up-tempo offense, Mathis said. "You force the defense to line up fast, which, in turn, can limit their playbook and shrink what they are able to do. Secondly, it wears them down. If you can continue to go fast, you have people who haven't been training for that type of tempo and all we've ever done is train for it and play at that level."

Kelce remembers the first time the Eagles trotted out their warp-speed offense on a Monday night against Washington at FedEx Field.

"You guys need to slow it down," an opposing defensive tackle told him. "It's just too fast."

Mathis has heard similar comments.

"I've gotten that one a few times," he said. "We like hearing that. We know it is working and sometimes you see a defense getting frustrated with each other. They get mad or tired because they're missing their assignments or getting out of their alignment. That's just a reason to go faster because the pressure is on them. You get them in a bad spot and you keep going."

As the season wore on last year, the Eagles' up-tempo offense wore down opponents. The Eagles averaged 22 points and 398.5 yards per game in their first eight games last season. In their final eight games, they averaged 33.4 points and 437.4 yards per game. Halfway through this season, they have averaged 29.2 points and 409.3 yards.

"Obviously legs start wearing down for guys as the season goes and we get more and more comfortable running the tempo offense as the season goes," Kelce said. "I would say probably as we go through the season it does become a bigger advantage."

The offensive line, after being besieged by injuries for much of the first eight games, is mostly intact now. The one exception is right guard Todd Herremans, who was lost for the season Sunday. He will be replaced by Matt Tobin, who had been starting for Mathis at left guard.

The big question now is whether Mark Sanchez can replace Foles and keep the no-huddle offense rolling for at least the next month and possibly longer.

"I think it benefits the offensive line and the quarterback the most," Kelce said of the no-huddle offense. "There are a number of benefits. It's hard to say that one is more important than the other. One week the advantage might be if a guy likes to dial up a lot of blitzes, he's going to be limited in the amount of blitzes he can actually call if we're running at a good enough tempo."

This might just be the perfect offense for Sanchez.

"I've always enjoyed the no-huddle tempo and I think some of my best play in New York was that format, so this lends itself to me enjoying playing like that," Sanchez said.

Sanchez did have success running the hurry-up offense with the Jets, but Brian Schottenheimer, the offensive coordinator at the time, never thought it could work through an entire game. Kelly and the Eagles obviously believe otherwise.

"You just get the next play and go," Sanchez said. "It feels like a fastbreak in basketball. You're the point guard. You just dish it to the open guy. Don't hang onto it too long and try not to get hit. That's pretty much the name of the game."

It's culture. It's scheme. It's something to see and hell to defend.

@brookob