Eagles' game got out of hands
We counted seven passes dropped by the Eagles in their loss at Carolina.
I WENT BACK and charted the Eagles' dropped passes Sunday night, so you wouldn't have to.
Chip Kelly said Monday he thought there were eight or 10 in the 27-16 loss at Carolina. I could find only seven, which seemed like plenty, especially since one of them was a would-be touchdown to Josh Huff. The last two were back-to-back, sandwiching the two-minute warning, the Eagles down eight points and trying to get a drive going.
"We had guys open," Kelly said. "We just didn't catch the ball."
Kelly said he thinks his receivers are talented enough, but are "thinking too much instead of just relaxing and going to play."
Kelly doubled down on his support of Sam Bradford; asked whether he would contemplate a quarterbacking change during the bye week, to get the offense going, he said: "No, not at all." Why not? "Because I think our quarterback's playing well."
1. The first drop came on the fourth snap of the game, DeMarco Murray bungling a swing pass that wasn't going far anyway, Jared Allen closing in on first-and-10 from the Eagles' 40.
2. Next was the Panthers' interception, first-and-10 from the Birds' 20, on which Jordan Matthews just butchered the ball, basically juggling it until it ended up in the possession of Carolina's Colin Jones, who was trying to tackle Matthews until he found himself holding the football somehow.
3. Third-and-9 from the Eagles' 49, 10:20 left in the first half, perfect Bradford pass for the first down, again to Matthews, who can't catch it, open against Charles Tillman.
4. Drop 4 was really more like a volleyball spike by Darren Sproles, standing all alone near the line of scrimmage on first down from the Carolina 11, with 22 seconds remaining in the first half.
5. This was the Huff drop in the back of the end zone. Looked as if Bradford did a good job of keeping the ball away from where Luke Kuechly could get it. Huff had to turn a little, did so in plenty of time, under control, and . . . (sad trombone). It happened on third-and-goal from the 6.
6. Eventually, even reliable Zach Ertz got in on the parade, botching a third-and-9 throw that would have gained about 5 yards, the play before the two-minute warning.
7. Last gasp, last chance, fourth-and-9 from the Eagles' 16, Miles Austin open at the Carolina sideline, past the sticks, the pass is a little high, but, with a good leap, Austin can catch it at shoulder height. Instead, he kinda stands on his tippy-toes, reaches way up and watches as it bounces off his straining hands. Oof. Story of the game.