A pair of epic butt-whippings for the Eagles over a five-day span begs all sorts of questions about Chip Kelly's future in Philadelphia.
Amid word that the coach could potentially be lured back to the college ranks, Kelly's players were asked again about whether or not they still believe in the program after Thursday's 45-14 blowout loss to the Lions.
"You hope everybody's buying in. I think we have good leadership on this team, I think we have guys that keep everybody together," Eagles center Jason Kelce said, per CSN Philly, "The reality is that this season has not gone the way anybody expected it to, especially the last two weeks. It's been absolutely horrendous. But when things go like this, the absolute worst thing you can do as a team, the worst thing you can do as a group of players, is separate and start saying things and start thinking you understand more than the coaches do, that you understand what's going on."
Said Kelce: "It's a group effort when you get your ass kicked like this two weeks in a row."
While still alive in the lowly NFC East, the Eagles have allowed at least 45 points in back-to-back games for the first time in franchise history. Still, safety Malcolm Jenkins said he hasn't seen a lack of effort, telling CSN Philly that "there's nobody I look at and can say that they're slacking."
That's not what the Lions saw, though, with one Detroit player telling NFL Media's Albert Breer: "We made them tap out. ... guys just looked like they didn't want to play anymore."
Whether or not they're quitting on Kelly, the result speaks for itself. After all the hoopla over this program's exotic offense and team-building prowess, the Eagles look completely lost in the woods. Kelly on Thursday went to bat for his players -- many who he handpicked -- saying that he still believes in them and sees his charges working as hard as ever. So does the fault fall on him?
"I don't know," said Kelly. "I don't have that answer."
