Kelly praised Andrew Gardner (above) and David Molk.
By Art Beitchman, DOCBLOG
The day after the season opener is usually filled with analysis, commentary, criticism and ridiculous judgments made by silly radio talk show hosts.
So, the first thing this morning Eagles coach Chip Kelly made his appearance on WIP to trade wits and quips with Angelo Cataldi.
As usual when the whip-smart coach goes up against the witless Cataldi, it was a knockout with Kelly left standing.
“You’re a fair-weather fan, you’re not a true fan,” Kelly said after Cataldi, who had previously gushed about this team as a possible Super Bowl contender, admitted he was off the bandwagon the entire first half.
Kelly recalled how Cataldi sent the club pies while they were winning last season, then stopped when the team lost a single game.
Sunday’s Eagles season opener couldn’t have started more inauspiciously, with QB Nick Foles coming down with a bad case of stage freight, in front of 69,596 rabid Eagles fans on a sun splashed September day at the Linc. Foles coughed the ball up twice in the first half and essentially handed the Jags 14 points.
Then the second half started.
The Birds had the ball at midfield on a fourth and 1 play, and Kelly caught the Jags sleeping and called a handoff to Darren Sproles, the smallest player on the field, who dashed up the gut on a 49-yard TD scamper. He not only officially introduce himself to Eagles fans, but he also changed the momentum the Eagles way for good as they scored 34 consecutive points, beating the Jags 34-17.
All’s well that ends well.
Rookie placekicker Cody Parkey’s NFL career started with a bang, connecting on a 51-yard FG to tie the game at 17, then hitting a 25-yarder, making it 27-17.
Zack Ertz hauled in a 25-yard TD pass from Foles in the third quarter, and then Foles threw deep to Jeremy Maclin for a 68-yard strike in the fourth to give the Birds their first lead of the day, 24-17.
Two offensive lineman were injured, Evan Mathis and Allen Barbre, and Kelly praised their replacements, David Molk and Andrew Gardner, in his afternoon press conference.
Which should be a relief for most Eagles fans, with the Indianapolis Colts being the opponent in Week 2 on Monday Night Football, at 8:30pm on ESPN.
