Archive for the ‘Robert Williams’ Category

Chip Kelly: Genius?…or Arrogant Dictator?

Wednesday, March 4th, 2015

by Robert Williams

Robert Williams Blog

 

 

 

 

(Image via WhartonMagazine.com)

(Image via WhartonMagazine.com)

The Philadelphia Eagles have cut their best pass rusher and now they have traded their best running back in team history. They are about to let their best wide receiver and second best pass rusher test the open market.  Eagles fans throughout the nation are completely in shock. There are two things that can come from these moves.

 

1.) Chip is building his team with his players. As a coach who has been in the league for two years, he has a feel for what he wants. He has assumed complete command of the front office. His director of player personnel was picked by him, who was the head recruiter for Alabama. Kelly intends to maintain the balance of power he once had when he was in college; which lead to the success of the Oregon college football program. He had success without successfully recruiting top players in the country. He believes in the motto ‘hard work beats talent if the players are willing to work hard’. The owner Jeffrey Lurie wouldn’t have given Kelly so much power if he didn’t trust him. He did the same thing with Andy Reid and that turned out well in the long run. With these moves he has freed up to $50 Million+ in cap room. The team can potentially sign more players in free agency to build around their dilapidating defense. Plus Nick Foles and Mychal Kendricks contract are up next year, so this is a great opportunity to build for the future. Those players were Andy Reid players and he simply wants to bring in his own players. Hopefully they’ll be more successful.

2.) Chip Kelly is not making conscious decisions. He hasn’t recognized the team chemistry these veterans have been building. LeSean McCoy and Trent Cole wanted to restructure their contracts for the team. Brandon Graham wants to stay here (if the price was right). He noted he still had some unfinished business with the team. Kelly needs to understand these are not only players, but irreplaceable. Trent Cole draws so many double-teams, it leaves one-on-one matchups for the other players to get sacks. We’ve seen this with Jason Babin and now Connor Barwin. Not that they are not great players in their own rights, but they wouldn’t be as effective without the presence of Trent Cole. The other Eagle that will be missed (if he is allowed to leave) will be Jeremy Maclin. He is coming off a career year in which he made the Pro Bowl and was a strong candidate for Comeback Player of the Year. His impact will be missed to a young inexperienced Wide Receiving corps. Brandon Graham is a rare player to find. He can play either as a 3-4 OLB pass rusher or a 4-3 defensive end. He proved this year he can be a three down player. He was supposed to be a replacement for Trent Cole, instead he will be allowed to test the market. LeSean McCoy has been the most productive running back since he has been drafted. He is also coming off of back-to-back Pro Bowls. It was hard for him to gain yards last season due to injuries to the offensive line and repetitious play calling. Chip Kelly ridding himself of all of these players is a dangerous move. These are not players that can be replaced in the draft and free agency; these are polished NFL players. Kelly has brought his Oregon players onto the team and they haven’t been productive at all.  It is looking like the Eagles are trying to tank this season like their brethren across the parking lot.  The team needs to make some key moves in Free Agency and in the NFL Draft the next two seasons. If Chip Kelly cannot develop a deep postseason team in three years, he will be known as the biggest goat in recent memory.

 

Robert Williams, for War Room Sports

Top 8 Reasons why the Philadelphia Eagles should NOT trade for Marcus Mariota

Saturday, February 21st, 2015

by Robert Williams

Robert Williams Blog

 

 

 

 

(Image via philadelphia.cbslocal.com)

(Image via philadelphia.cbslocal.com)

It will be an interesting 8 to 9 weeks till the NFL Draft. The Philadelphia Eagles have a new Director of Player Personnel and several new position coaches. They also have NO General Manager (at least not in title). We can expect the Eagles not to be too aggressive in this free agency period and pick up role players for cheaper prices. The release of James Casey could be a sign of picking up a fullback. Does that mean the team will switch to a traditional way of getting the ball across the goal line? The NFL Scouting Combine is happening, which some people call “The Underwear Olympics”; slave auction with a homogenized element to it. It is just another way to evaluate players.

 

Top 8 Reasons why the Philadelphia Eagles should NOT trade for Marcus Mariota:

 

1.)  They already have a QB; Nick Foles has established himself as the Philadelphia Eagles signal caller: He is 14-4 in his first 18 starts under Chip Kelly. He still has ways to go but I believe he can IMPROVE in time. Chip Kelly has to be more creative and less animated with his play calling. He needs to pound the ball to keep the defense honest. This takes pressure off of Foles and balances the attack on the defense.

 

2.) Chip Kelly had a Mariota “type” before and didn’t do well: Eagles fans forget about Michael Vick being the Eagles QB. He was 2-4 under Chip Kelly and had 5 turnovers in 6 games. The Eagles weren’t playing up to the standard of Chip Kelly. It wasn’t until Vick got injured and Foles took his place to lead the team to the playoffs. Plus Chip Kelly knows how to change his system to fit Nick Foles. It not only worked, it was better!

 

3.)  Nick Foles has the support of the locker room: LeSean McCoy and others have already voiced their opinions on a potential idiotic trade. LeSean McCoy called Foles “OUR LEADER”. Trading a player that the WHOLE team supports will put in doubt the decisions that Chip Kelly will make throughout his tenure.

 

4.)  Nick Foles balances out the madness of Chip Kelly: As people praise him as “offensive genius”, he still displayed some flaws in his strategy. The running game was non-existent in the first five games of the 2014 season; running virtually the same play, making the game awfully simplistic. Not including the passing situations in which Chip Kelly would call screens or obvious go to routes with Darren Sproles. Nick Foles forces Chip Kelly to play a pro-style system with a touch of “Kellyness”.

 

5.) The “Combo Meal” never worked:  Most teams who trade away their future for one player hasn’t worked; See the Herschel Walker and Ricky Williams trades for starters. We already see what is happening to the Redskins. This savior complex is not only dangerous, but detrimental to a franchise and its future.

 

6.) The TEAM needs help elsewhere: The Eagles secondary is atrocious. 3 of the 5 starting offensive lineman are over the age of 30. The Eagles need younger pass rushers. Not including a more tone receiving corp. SPECIAL TEAMS. There are more positions to worry about than the quarterback position.

 

7.) Elephant in the room: The team doesn’t really have their front office in order. We cannot trust the front office. It is really scary that they tried to interview people for GM and nobody wanted the job. Plus Chip Kelly is just learning about the draft process and how to properly draft players. We can tell from the previous two drafts that he has a lot of LEARNING to do.

 

8.) Nick Foles Contract: This is Nick Foles’ contract year. Let him EARN his money!

 

Robert Williams, for War Room Sports