For Chip Kelly and Eagles, change is good

When Chip Kelly wisely switched course from his I-coached-great-they-played-bad theme last week, everyone was a little shocked. He stopped talking about execution and spread around the blame for the team's poor start to include himself and the coaching staff, and that represented a true departure.

It also demonstrated what a tight spot the Eagles had gotten themselves into. If Kelly is willing to set aside his stubbornness for a while, things must really be dire.

And dire they were. If the Eagles lost to New Orleans on Sunday, it wouldn't have mattered anymore whether Kelly praised the team, belittled the team, or took it to the beach and bought ice cream cones. The season would have been gone, and gone along with it the chance that Kelly could retain his tight hold over the locker room much longer.

Against the Saints, Kelly did something that spoke a lot louder than his previous words. He didn't just change what he said. He changed what he's been doing. With a nod to the state of the offensive line, he had the team do more basic, straight-ahead blocking than it has been doing. With the need to get the running game heading downhill, he put quarterback Sam Bradford under center more often. Recognizing that protecting Bradford and strengthening the line was vital, he put two tight ends on the field far more than in the previous games.

These are not things Kelly wanted to do. That's not how he prefers to play. He likes zone blocking on the line, and the flexibility of the shotgun, and playing with three wideouts and just one tight end. He doesn't like losing, though, and that's what his preferred methods were getting the team.

It turns out Chip Kelly was willing to alter his vision, even if just for one game, and he wasn't alone. Defensive coordinator Billy Davis shook up some things, too, maybe just to shake up the Saints in the process.

Several times, Davis had the Eagles switch from nickel coverage to base coverage, with more linebackers and fewer defensive backs on the field, in obvious passing situations. Working against Drew Brees, that wouldn't seem like a very good idea. But the Eagles were able to get pressure with their beefed-up alignment against a shaky New Orleans line. For the game, Brees, who is notably difficult to sack, was tackled behind the line of scrimmage five times and hit another seven times.

Two of the sacks separated Brees from the ball, and those fumbles in New Orleans territory became scores for the Eagles. A 17-10 game that was still going back and forth midway through the third quarter became a lot more comfortable after the second fumble on the Saints 13 became a touchdown one play later. The Saints neglected to cover Brent Celek, one of their many oversights on the day, and the game never wavered after that.

The coaches praised the players after the game, giving them the credit for coming through with the execution - that word again - that had been lacking. But the coaches also changed up what they had been doing. What they had been trying wasn't working and even if it was the spiffiest and smartest of stuff, it's not like they could mess up the season by trying other stuff. Something different was in the watercooler last week. Maybe it was the taste of crisis. Maybe it was a hint of panic. Whatever it was, Chip Kelly put it there, and the Eagles benefited on Sunday.

They controlled the clock and controlled the game, with the offensive possessing the ball more than 34 minutes. Coming into the game, the Eagles were last in the NFL in time of possession, at 22 minutes, 48 seconds per game. They were able to control the ball despite calling 45 passes to 34 runs, which is remarkable given how much of the game the Eagles were in the lead.

Sam Bradford recovered from his two early interceptions in the end zone, and the rest of the offense took heart from the drives themselves rather than the results. Eventually, that paid off. The defense gave up 388 yards and allowed the Saints to convert 50 percent of their third downs but also produced the four takeaways that rewarded their aggressiveness.

"We didn't talk about this game being a [must-win] game, but I think everyone understood the situation we were going into," safety Malcolm Jenkins said. "We have a mature group in here, so everyone knows the situation. We have to win. Now we have to find a way to put wins together."

Taking nothing away from what they accomplished Sunday - saving the season - the Eagles won't get to play the Saints every week. In a real way, this was a looking-glass game. New Orleans had a 1-3 record and a beaten-up offensive line and a quarterback about whom there are some questions. It had a defense that lacks an identity and a fair amount of talent. Now, the Saints are 1-4 in a division that still has two undefeated teams. Buh-bye.

It could have been the Eagles bidding farewell, but it wasn't. The players knew the situation, for sure, but more importantly, the coaches saw it clearly, too.

Saying something different is interesting. Actually doing something different is what matters. The Eagles mixed it up a little on Sunday and it worked. Not a moment too soon.

bford@phillynews.com

@bobfordsports