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Eagles' Game 1 loss had its good and bad moments

There are reasons for optimism and reasons to be concerned after Birds lost to Falcons.

LIKE MOST Eagles fans, I settled in before the TV Monday night expecting the Eagles' high-powered offense to roll up points almost at will against a poor Atlanta defense and with hopes that their improved defense would hold the Falcons under 20 points.

The first half was a shocker, and the eventual outcome was a heartbreaking loss that was particularly agonizing, given Dallas' last-minute victory over the Giants the night before.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Eagles should be going into the Dallas game 1-0 facing the 0-1 Cowboys. But that is not the case, and, if Sunday isn't a must win for us, it is pretty darn close. Since divisional play began, only 12 percent of the teams that start out 0-2 have made the playoffs.

Why did the Eagles lose? I put the blame on coach Chip Kelly. If you read this column, you know I think Kelly walks on water, but he clearly did a poor job getting the team ready to play, as the Eagles were outplayed in every facet of the game in the first half.

Kelly also abandoned the run far too quickly. The Birds ran the ball 16 times and threw 52 times. That was the fewest number of runs called by any team last Sunday, and the Eagles' 63 yards gained was tied for 30th in the NFL.

Kelly also made one important mistake on the drive that lead to Cody Parkey's missed field goal. On third-and-1, he ran Ryan Mathews in the middle of the line. Now, Mathews is a good runner, but the Eagles paid a king's ransom to sign DeMarco Murray, who was the best north/south runner in the NFL last year.

Murray led the NFL in 2014 in successfully gaining first downs on third-and-1 plays, converting over 82 percent of the time. He wasn't even in the backfield for the play that could have salted away an Eagles victory.

I know Kelly likes to play up-tempo - primarily to prevent the other team from having time to get organized - and that has been a great part of the Eagles' success. But there are some occasions when up-tempo should take a back seat to getting the play right. Murray should have carried that ball.

To make matters worse, after the Eagles failed to pick up the third down, Kelly waited almost 12 seconds before deciding to send the field goal unit in, and they appeared to be disorganized and ended up rushing to get off Parkey's attempt.

It was a difficult loss to swallow, but we certainly shouldn't be jumping off the bandwagon. If the Eagles beat Dallas tomorrow, they will be tied for first place in the NFC East, as every team will have at least one loss.

Some very good things also occurred on Monday night that should give us reason for optimism (though there also were reasons for concern):

Reasons for optimism

1. Sam Bradford: He was everything Kelly told us he would be. An incredibly accurate passer, who ran the team like a well-oiled machine in the second half.

2. Jordan Matthews: His 10-catch performance demonstrated he is ready to step up as one of the league's best possession receivers.

3. Darren Sproles: Ran the ball five times for 50 yards and made seven catches for 76 yards. If we use him more this season, his speed and illusiveness will be a great weapon.

4. Zach Ertz: In limited play, he looked great. He might not be on the level of a Rob Gronkowski, but there is every reason to believe he can be the next Jason Witten.

5. Kiko Alonso: Might turn out to be better than LeSean McCoy, even up. His speed, athleticism and hard hitting make him a game changer. With Mychal Kendricks and DeMeco Ryans, he gives the Birds a good inside linebacker rotation.

6. Bennie Logan: Lost a ton of weight from last season and looks quicker, and might be as much of a factor as Fletcher Cox.

Reasons for concern

1. Cody Parkey: Seems to me he must still be injured, because he did not kick well throughout the preseason and, obviously, on Monday night. He does not look anything like what he did last year (whether the issue is mental or physical).

2. The offensive line: The obviously miss Evan Mathis, who was let go in the offseason after expressing his desire for a new deal. The guard play left a lot to be desired, including causing Murray to be thrown for a 12-yard loss early.

3. The secondary: Malcolm Jenkins continues to play like an All-Pro and Walter Thurmond looks as if he will be more than adequate. The cornerbacks, including Byron Maxwell, don't look ready for prime time. Let's cross our fingers and hope that Maxwell being burned by Julio Jones was because Jones is a superstar and not because Byron is really Nnamdi Asomugha in disguise.

4. Lack of separation: As good as the passing game was in the second half, it did not appear that the Eagles have any receiver capable of stretching the field. Hopefully, Nelson Agholor can become that type of threat. If they can't get separation, eventually teams will key their defenses to stop the short and midrange passes without fear of the deep ball.

5. Lack of a return game: Atlanta's kicker put many kickoffs in the end zone, but the Eagles did not get anything close to a game-changing kickoff or punt return. The answer to this problem wasn't even in uniform Monday night. I am talking about Kenjon "The Burner" Barner. He has the ability to be a game changer every time he receives the ball. I know it is hard to activate four running backs, but the Eagles must find a way to put him on the field.

As Philly sports fans we all tend to focus on the reasons for concern, and, as a result, our trip to Santa Clara, Calif., doesn't seem as likely as it did at 7 p.m. last Monday. On the other hand, the Eagles' front seven on defense might be as good as any, and their up-tempo offense still might put more points on the board than any other team.

I am still a believer, and, if everything else plays out as I predicted, and my 13-3 prediction needs to be amended to 12-4, I don't think there's one Eagles fan out there who wouldn't sign up for that. Go, Birds!

On Twitter: @GovEdRendell