Chip Kelly: Eagles' issue 'starts with me'

ByPhil Sheridan ESPN logo
Friday, November 27, 2015

DETROIT -- The Philadelphia Eagles are on alert after their third consecutive loss -- a 45-14 embarrassmentcourtesy of the Detroit Lions.

"It takes a collective effort to get your ass beat like this," Eagles center Jason Kelce said. "It really does. At this point, we're 4-7. We're going to find out what this locker room is made of.

"We're going to find out the guys who are all in and with each other, and we're going to find out who are the cowards. We're going to find out who the guys are that give anonymous [quotes], who the guys are who talk behind people's back. We're going to find out who the guys are who throw people under the bus."

In four days, the Eagles were outscored 90-31 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Lions. They gave up 951 total yards. They allowed Jameis Winston and Matthew Stafford to throw 10 total touchdown passes.

After games like that, it's fair to wonder if the players are still responding to the coaching staff.

"I'm a coach, not a player," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said. "It starts with me. I'm not pointing fingers at anybody, and I don't think anybody points fingers at anybody [else]. ... I think once you start pointing fingers and saying you blame it on somebody else, then you've lost what you have to do."

Eagles left tackle Jason Peters missed the entire 2012 season with a torn Achilles tendon. He was on injured reserve as former Eagles coach Andy Reid's team went 4-12, resulting in his dismissal.

"It made me feel bad that he lost his job and I couldn't fight for him," Peters said. "I'm going to do everything I can to be out there and fight for the organization."

Kelly said coordinator Bill Davis will remain in charge of the defense and added that he still has confidence in the roster he assembled in a tumultuous offseason of change.

"I have confidence in those players," Kelly said. "I've seen them play before. I have a lot of confidence in those guys. I think we have some really good guys. ... I told those guys in the locker room that I have confidence in them."

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