The 30 Most Memorable Moments of the 2014 Philadelphia Eagles Season
Expectations among Philadelphia Eagles fans heading into the 2014 season were pretty high. After all, who could blame them? Just look what Chip Kelly accomplished as a rookie head coach in 2013.
After taking over a 4-12 team that ranked in the bottom five in the league in scoring offense, Kelly led the Eagles to 10 victories and a fourth-place finish in points scored.
The biggest surprise came at the quarterback position, where sophomore Nick Foles took over the starting job from veteran Mike Vick in midseason. Foles proceeded to throw 27 touchdowns against just two interceptions, good for a 119.2 passer rating, the third-best in NFL history. He led the Eagles to victories in seven of the final eight games before losing to Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on a walk-off field goal in the NFC Wild Card Round.
When the Eagles started the season 3-0, 5-1, 7-2 and 9-3, the playoffs seemed to be a virtual certainty. In fact, they had a legitimate shot at a first-round bye. But we all know what happened next, as the Eagles lost three straight games, eliminating themselves from postseason contention before Week 17.
It was a combination of poor quarterback play, an even worse secondary, a ton of injuries and a first-place schedule that ultimately did the Eagles in during Kelly’s second season as head coach. Basically, they regressed to the mean after exceeding expectations in Kelly’s rookie year. Whether the Eagles can bounce back and contend again for the playoffs in 2015 remains to be seen.
For now, with the long offseason approaching, let’s take a look back at the 30 most memorable moments for the 2014 Philadelphia Eagles. These consist of the good, the bad and the downright ugly, and unfortunately, when you collapse in December and miss the postseason, the most memorable moments aren’t positives. Quite simply, these are the moments that you will remember the longest.
30. Chip Kelly Dials Up Deep Pass on Mark Sanchez's First Play
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Disaster struck the Eagles against the Houston Texans in Week 9 when Nick Foles was knocked out of the game in the second quarter on a hit by linebacker Whitney Mercilus. Veteran Mark Sanchez entered the game for his first taste of game action since he was with the New York Jets in 2012.
That’s when Chip Kelly dialed up his gutsiest play call of the season, with Sanchez hitting Jeremy Maclin for a 52-yard gain down to the 8-yard line. I wish I could say that play was a microcosm for Sanchez’s season; however, it was more like an outlier.
29. LeSean McCoy Fumble Gives Seahawks Insurmountable Lead
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On paper, the Eagles’ Week 14 home contest with the Seattle Seahawks looked like it could decide a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs. The Eagles entered with a 9-3 record, fresh off a Thanksgiving beatdown of the Dallas Cowboys. The Seahawks were 8-4, riding a winning streak that wouldn’t end until the Super Bowl. It was a game the Eagles weren’t expected to win but, realistically, needed to win to establish themselves as a contender in the NFC.
Trailing 10-7 at halftime, the Eagles opened the third quarter with the ball and did the worst possible thing they could do. They turned the ball over. LeSean McCoy’s fumble, forced by linebacker K.J. Wright and recovered by All-Pro safety Earl Thomas, resulted in a Seattle touchdown just two plays later. In less than a minute, the Eagles saw their chance of winning go from 40.8 percent to 15.6 percent, per Pro-Football-Reference.
Although they cut into the 17-7 deficit, they never took the lead and eventually lost 24-14. It was the first loss in a brutal three-game losing streak that would prevent the Eagles from reaching the postseason.
28. No Backups in Week 17
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With the Eagles eliminated from postseason contention following their third straight loss in Week 16, Chip Kelly had a prime opportunity to play some backups in the meaningless season finale.
After all, rookies like Marcus Smith, Jaylen Watkins and Taylor Hart barely played or didn’t play at all throughout the 2014 season. And 2013 fourth-round draft pick Matt Barkley hasn’t played meaningful time since a couple of quarters midway through his rookie season. Perhaps playing him in the final game of the season would allow him to showcase some skills that could result in the Eagles trading him for a low draft pick during the offseason.
But Kelly chose to play all starters and try to win. Although the Eagles did win 34-26, they missed out on a key opportunity to see how some of their younger players have progressed. As a result, the above four players should all be considered complete unknowns heading into the 2015 campaign.
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27. Josh Huff Records Longest Touchdown in Franchise History
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In the Year of the Rookie Wide Receiver, third-round pick Josh Huff was one of the few rookies at the position across the NFL who failed to impress. Huff was targeted on just 17 passes, catching eight and dropping four.
But he did display some breakaway speed as a return man. His shining moment came against the Tennessee Titans in Week 12, when he took the opening kickoff back 107 yards for a touchdown. The play stands as the longest in the 82-year history of the Eagles.
It was the second kick-return touchdown of the year for the Eagles, and it led to an easy 43-24 win.
26. Rams Comeback Comes Up One Drive Short
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Late in the third quarter, the Eagles led the St. Louis Rams 34-7, as the Rams and third-string quarterback Austin Davis had been thoroughly overmatched all day. But the game ended with the Rams on the verge of completing a historic comeback.
Davis led the Rams to three late touchdowns, cutting the deficit to 34-28. It was a game that symbolized how truly horrific the Eagles' pass defense was, as Davis' 375 passing yards and three touchdowns wouldn't look out of place on Peyton Manning's stat sheet.
In the final two minutes, the Rams had a chance to take the lead if Davis could take the team 93 yards. Although he did hit Brian Quick for a 43-yard completion on the drive's first play, the Eagles defense stiffened, forcing a three-and-out around midfield to clinch the victory.
The win improved the Eagles to 4-1, but it was far from a happy week in Philly considering what almost inexplicably happened.
25. Romo-to-Dez Answers Back After Eagles Take Lead on Sunday Night Football
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You could easily make the case that the Eagles’ home Sunday Night Football matchup against the divisional-rival Dallas Cowboys in Week 15 was the most important regular-season game of the Chip Kelly era. After all, the winner would likely win the NFC East and possibly earn a bye in the NFC playoffs. The loser had a realistic shot of watching the playoffs from home in January.
So when the Eagles fumbled the opening kickoff and quickly fell behind 21-0, things looked bleak, especially with backup quarterback Mark Sanchez running the show. But the Eagles, who at one point had just a 4 percent chance of winning, per Pro-Football-Reference, stormed back to cut the deficit to 21-17 early in the third quarter. The big play was a 72-yard catch-and-run by Jeremy Maclin, the second-longest reception of his career.
After the Cowboys received the kickoff, Vinny Curry strip-sacked Tony Romo. Fletcher Cox’s fumble recovery gave the Eagles the ball just 14 yards away from the end zone. Two plays later, Darren Sproles darted in from the 1 to give the Eagles an improbable lead, their fourth double-digit comeback of the season.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, that feeling of euphoria lasted about two minutes. Great teams know how to answer back, and the Cowboys proved they were a great team by driving 78 yards in eight plays, courtesy of Dallas’ four offensive stars: Romo, DeMarco Murray, Dez Bryant and Jason Witten.
After safety J.J. Wilcox intercepted Sanchez at midfield, Romo hit Bryant for another touchdown, his third of the game, to give the Cowboys a 35-27 lead. A late Dan Bailey field goal gave the Cowboys a seemingly insurmountable 38-27 lead, and yet another Sanchez interception clinched the victory for the Cowboys.
Asking Sanchez to win a shootout with an offensive juggernaut like the Cowboys is no small request, but in the end, it was the dangerous duo of Romo and Bryant that cost the Eagles in their most important game of the season.
24. Allen Hurns Sets Stage for Eagles Pass Defense
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Ask any Eagles fan the biggest need for the team heading into the offseason, and he'll tell you it’s the pass defense. It’s obvious that three of the starters (Cary Williams, Bradley Fletcher and Nate Allen) need to be replaced if the Eagles want any chance of competing in a packed NFC.
Throughout the 2014 season, the Eagles found themselves torched by a number of mediocre quarterbacks, including Kirk Cousins, Austin Davis and Zach Mettenberger.
It all began in the first quarter of the first game of the season when rookie Allen Hurns, an undrafted free agent playing on perhaps the worst offense in the NFL, caught three passes for 101 yards and two scores. Both of Hurns’ first two completions were touchdowns, and his third was a 46-yard catch when the Jaguars were backed up on their own 1-yard line.
The Eagles managed to adjust and held Hurns to just one catch for the rest of the game. But it was an embarrassing start to the season for a pass defense that allowed 4,238 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2014.
23. Jeremy Maclin Sideline Catch vs. 49ers
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Jeremy Maclin was faced with a near-impossible task in 2014: replacing three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson while also returning from a torn ACL that cost him the entire 2013 season. Although his numbers tailed off near the end of the year, he had a brilliant season, recording 85 catches for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns. More importantly, he played all 16 games and displayed a toughness that the Eagles needed at the position.
Maclin's most crucial play came in the final few minutes against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4. Trailing 26-21, the Eagles faced a 3rd-and-14 from their own 39-yard line before Maclin made arguably the best catch by any NFL wide receiver not named Odell Beckham in 2014.
Maclin's one-handed, stretched-out reception picked up 22 yards, giving the Eagles a crucial first down. Jim Harbaugh challenged the play, but it was clear that Maclin—somehow—was able to secure the ball with just his left hand before trapping it against his body as he hit the ground. The reception increased the Eagles' chances of winning from 13.4 percent to 39.6 percent, per Pro-Football-Reference.
But the Eagles eventually stalled on the 1-yard line, failing to punch the ball in and dropping their first game of the season. And just like that, Maclin's catch went from the kind of game-winning play you'll tell your kids about to a play that only diehards will remember.
22. Bradley Fletcher Finally Benched...in Week 17
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You’d be hard-pressed to find a more hated Philadelphia athlete in 2014 than cornerback Bradley Fletcher. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed 1,072 passing yards, the highest total in the league, as well as nine touchdowns, second-most in the NFL.
Yet despite his struggles, defensive coordinator Billy Davis continued to keep Fletcher in the starting lineup, refusing to play nickel corner Brandon Boykin (six INTs in 2013) or veteran free-agent acquisition Nolan Carroll (65.4 passer rating allowed with Miami in 2013, per PFF). Even worse, he insisted on keeping Fletcher in single coverage, often on the opposing team’s best receiver, without any safety help.
The microcosm of the season came in Week 15 when Fletcher allowed three touchdowns to Dez Bryant.
You would think at that point Davis would have benched him, but he continued to stick with Fletcher, who was repeatedly torched by DeSean Jackson for eight catches and 164 yards the following week. When Fletcher was finally benched for Carroll in Week 17, it was almost adding insult to injury, as the Eagles had already been eliminated from the postseason.
A close look at the numbers reveals that Fletcher didn’t play quite as badly as most think. He had a few shutdown performances (admittedly against bad receivers), but the 28-year-old’s overall play was poor enough that the Eagles would be foolish to re-sign him. And there was no logic in continuing to throw him out against other team's top receivers week after week.
21. Cody Parkey Wins Kicking Job in Final Preseason Game
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It's hard to believe that the Eagles legitimately had no clue who would be their kicker two weeks before the start of the 2014 season, only to stumble upon a rookie who would score more points than any other rookie kicker in NFL history.
Acquired from the Indianapolis Colts in a preseason trade for running back David Fluellen, Parkey wasn't expected to beat out veteran Alex Henery for the starting job. The Colts traded a player they would have cut for a player the Eagles would have cut.
Parkey's unofficial tryout, however, came in the final preseason game against the New York Jets, when the calm, cool and collected 22-year-old drilled a pair of field goals, each longer than 50 yards.
Considering Henery's ineptitude on distance kicks during his three seasons in Philly (he made just one of four field goals over 50 yards), it didn't make any sense for the Eagles to cut Parkey. Their bold move paid off, as Parkey drilled 32 of 36 field goals and all 54 extra points. His 150 points scored set a franchise record and a league rookie record and earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl.
20. Mark Sanchez Dominates Carolina in First Start Since 2012
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Mark Sanchez was the talk of Philadelphia after he lit up the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football in Week 10. Making his first start since the end of the 2012 season, he threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns. Most importantly, he didn’t turn the football over.
The Eagles racked up 31 points of offense and cruised to an easy 45-21 victory against a team that, despite a losing record, would win the division title and a playoff game.
19. Eagles Collect First Shutout in 18 Seasons
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The Eagles have come so close to a shutout a number of times in the last couple of decades. In fact, they allowed last-second touchdowns to the Atlanta Falcons in 2009 and the Dallas Cowboys in 2011, just missing out on that magic zero.
And when backup quarterback Ryan Nassib drove the Giants down the field in the final minutes, it seemed inevitable that the Giants would tack on a meaningless touchdown to ruin the perfect day by the Eagles defense. Brandon Graham strip-sacked Nassib, but the QB recovered his own fumble.
On 4th-and-4 with just 21 seconds to play, another Graham sack seemingly ended the game, but a roughing-the-passer penalty against Beau Allen gave the Giants a first down on the 24-yard line. But a sack by Brandon Bair, the Eagles’ third in the final minute, clinched the 27-0 shutout for the Eagles in Week 6.
18. Nick Foles' Early Turnovers Against Jaguars
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Nobody expected Foles to continue not turning the ball over at an almost record pace, as he did in the final half of the 2013 season. But even the most pessimistic Foles fans weren’t fully prepared for what happened in the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
On his first two drives, he lost the ball when he was sacked and fumbled. Each time, the Jaguars responded with a touchdown. Just like that, the Eagles were down 14-0 halfway through the first quarter to one of the worst teams in the league. Foles threw an interception early in the second quarter, giving him as many turnovers in a quarter-and-a-half (three) as he had in all of 2013.
Fortunately for the Eagles, Foles bounced back, throwing for 322 yards and two touchdowns, and the Eagles cruised to a 34-17 victory. Unfortunately, his early turnovers set the trend for his disappointing 2014 season.
17. Cody Parkey Walks Eagles off Against Colts
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David Akers played in 192 regular-season games during his 12 years with the Eagles. He collected exactly zero walk-off field goals at the end of regulation. That’s not a knock on Akers, who earned six trips to the Pro Bowl and shattered every franchise scoring record.
It just speaks to the randomness in the National Football League, as it took rookie Cody Parkey exactly two games to accomplish what Akers never did in Philly. Parkey’s 35-yard walk-off field goal against the Indianapolis Colts capped off a 14-point comeback and improved the Eagles to 2-0 on the season.
16. Malcolm Jenkins Luck-Y Red Zone Interception
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The offseason free-agent signing of veteran safety Malcolm Jenkins began to pay dividends almost immediately in the 2014 season. By far, Jenkins’ biggest play of the year came late in the fourth quarter against Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts.
With the Colts leading 27-20 and well in field-goal range, Jenkins intercepted an errant pass for T.Y. Hilton, returning the pass for eight yards. Although replays showed that nickel corner Brandon Boykin may have interfered with Hilton before he intercepted the ball, the refs didn’t deem it extreme enough to throw a flag. Before Jenkins’ interception, the Eagles had a 0.7 percent chance of winning the game, per Pro-Football-Reference.com.
In just one minute, 38 seconds, Foles drove the Eagles 76 yards for the tying touchdown, highlighted by Darren Sproles’ 51-yard catch-and-run. The Colts got the ball back with plenty of time for comeback king Luck to work his magic, but the Eagles defense forced a crucial three-and-out, giving their offense the ball at their own 40 with 1:56 to play. After a 24-yard pass to Zach Ertz and a 17-yard screen to Sproles, the Eagles were in position for rookie Cody Parkey to connect on a walk-off 35-yard field goal.
15. Three Return Touchdowns Against 49ers
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It’s still hard to fathom how anemic the Eagles offense was against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4. A 26-21 loss doesn’t even begin to tell the whole story, as the Eagles collected just 212 yards of offense and failed to cross midfield until the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
An incredible three return touchdowns kept the Eagles from registering a zero on the scoreboard. Brad Smith recovered a Trey Burton blocked punt. Malcolm Jenkins added a nifty 53-yard interception return, and Darren Sproles took back a punt 82 yards for a score.
14. Bashaud Breeland Interception Ends Eagles Season
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The passing numbers for Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez this season were similar, and combined, the two quarterbacks managed to lead the NFL in interceptions. So it’s only fitting that when the Eagles’ season essentially ended in Week 16 against the Washington Redskins, it came via an interception.
With the Eagles’ playoff chances on life support, Sanchez’s third-down interception on an errant pass to Jeremy Maclin wiped out a 10-point Eagles comeback in the fourth quarter. It was a diving interception around midfield by fourth-round rookie Bashaud Breeland.
The Redskins quickly marched down the field, and a last-second field goal by Kai Forbath completed the second-worst December collapse in franchise history.
13. Last-Minute Goal-Line Stand by 49ers
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Through the first three-and-a-half quarters against the San Francisco 49ers, Nick Foles and the rest of the Eagles offense were shut out. Literally. They didn’t score a point, mustering just 139 yards of offense. Only a trio of return touchdowns kept the Eagles within striking distance when they took over on their own 9-yard line down by five.
With 6:26 to play, Foles guided the Eagles down the field on 6-of-9passing, which included a legendary 22-yard one-handed reception by Jeremy Maclin. Facing 1st-and-goal from the 6, Foles threw incomplete to Maclin before a five-yard run by LeSean McCoy put the Eagles within one yard of a go-ahead touchdown.
But the Eagles offense stalled at the absolute worst time, as Foles threw incomplete to both Maclin and Brent Celek to turn the ball over on downs. Incredibly, in a do-or-die situation, Foles managed to lead the Eagles 90 of 91 yards, but with two different chances to punch the ball in from just a yard out, the Eagles couldn’t do it.
A fair amount of the blame should fall on Chip Kelly, who passed up two opportunities for the reigning rushing champion to carry the football. Looking at the decimated offensive line, which lacked Evan Mathis, Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson, you can see why Kelly didn’t trust his blockers to open a hole. But in the end, it was a game the Eagles lost after they really shouldn’t have kept it close in the first place.
12. DeSean Jackson Torches Eagles...Twice
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Chip Kelly's first season as Eagles head coach was a smashing success. He won 10 games and the NFC East division title, coaxing career years out of practically every player on the offense.
Then he made one of the most unprecedented moves in league history, releasing 27-year-old DeSean Jackson, a three-time Pro Bowler in the prime of his career. The reasons for Jackson's release have never really been revealed to the public, although speculation has run wild among the Philadelphia fanbase.
Jackson ended up signing with the Washington Redskins, and to make things worse, two of his best games of the season came against the Eagles. He caught five passes for 117 yards and an 81-yard touchdown in Week 3, before catching four passes for 126 yards in Week 16. The late-season victory helped eliminate the Eagles from the postseason.
11. Jason Peters Protects Nick Foles, Fights Redskins
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There’s an unwritten rule in the NFL that says you protect your quarterback. Against the Washington Redskins in Week 3, All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters went to extreme lengths to make sure that happened.
With the Eagles and Redskins tied at 27 early in the fourth quarter, Foles was intercepted by rookie Bashaud Breeland around midfield. On Breeland’s return, Redskins defensive lineman Chris Baker absolutely crushed Foles on a cheap blindside hit. That’s when Peters charged Baker, hitting him full force and starting an absolute riot that involved both teams clearing the bench.
Order was restored in a few minutes, but during the melee, both Baker and Peters were ejected. A successful challenge by Chip Kelly ruled that the ball hit the ground before Breeland’s interception, which gave the Eagles the ball back. Foles, who was clearly woozy from the hit and appeared to be favoring his left shoulder, remained in the game.
Despite playing without Peters, Evan Mathis, Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson, Foles led the Eagles down the field. His touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin gave the Eagles a 34-27 lead in a game they would eventually win 37-34 to move to 3-0.
Peters, already a fan favorite for his play as arguably the best left tackle in the NFL, became a legend in Philly for his willingness to protect his quarterback at all costs.
10. Cowboys Execute Surprise 47-Yard Onside Kick
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You’d be hard-pressed to find a more demoralizing individual play for the 2014 Eagles than the opening kickoff against the Dallas Cowboys in a must-win game at home on Sunday Night Football in Week 15.
With the division title and possibly a bye in the playoffs at stake, the Eagles opened the game by failing to complete perhaps the most basic play in sports: catching the opening kickoff. Dan Bailey’s 47-yard kickoff, roughly 25 yards shorter than his average kickoff, was no fluke.
The Cowboys clearly saw something in the Eagles’ special teams kick return unit that they thought they could exploit. In fact, Eagles special teams coach Dave Fipp warned his unit literally seconds before the opening kick to watch for the short kick. That’s what makes the play so unbelievable and unforgivable.
It was a combination of rookie Josh Huff, the deep man on the play, and veteran Brad Smith, the designated up man, who failed to corral the ball. Chip Kelly blamed Smith, and looking at the play, he never should have left his position to run up and block on a ball that was literally going to fall into his arms if he didn’t move. Huff sprinted 20 yards forward, but the ball bounced once before it was snagged by Dallas linebacker Kyle Wilber.
Huff ended up taking the blame for the play, and while it was probably a combination of the two, the veteran Smith, whose primary objective on the team is to play special teams, should never have allowed the play to happen. And just like that, the Cowboys essentially executed a 47-yard onside kick.
Within three minutes, Dallas was up 7-0. It eventually took a 21-0 lead and held on for a 38-27 victory that unofficially clinched the NFC East division title.
9. Thanksgiving Day Massacre
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November 27, 2014, was undoubtedly the high point of the Chip Kelly era. Boasting an 8-3 record, the Eagles traveled to Dallas to play the 8-3 Cowboys in a game that would determine the favorite to win the NFC East.
It wasn't even close. The Eagles dominated in all three phases, taking a 23-7 halftime lead before cruising to an easy 33-10 victory. Backup quarterback Mark Sanchez threw for 217 yards and a touchdown. LeSean McCoy and the offensive line dominated Dallas' front seven, as McCoy finished the game with 25 carries for 159 yards and a score. Jeremy Maclin caught eight passes for 108 yards. And the defense harassed Tony Romo, collecting two sacks and forcing three turnovers.
For an Eagles fan base desperate for a championship, the next 10 days leading up to the game against the Seattle Seahawks centered on whether the Eagles had what it took to contend for a Super Bowl in the NFC. But the answer to that question would unfortunately become clear within a few weeks.
8. The One That Got Away: Choke Against Cardinals
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When a team misses the postseason by just a single game, there’s often a game, or even a single play, you can look back on from the season as the reason why it missed the playoffs. For the Eagles, late losses against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4 and the Washington Redskins in Week 16 were tough to swallow, but nothing compares to what happened to the Eagles in Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals.
With the score tied 17-17 late in the fourth quarter, Chip Kelly passed up a 4th-and-1 opportunity from the 2, electing for a chip-shot, go-ahead field goal. But the Eagles' 20-17 lead disappeared just three plays later, as Carson Palmer hit rookie receiver John Brown for a 75-yard touchdown to give the Cardinals a 24-20 lead. In perhaps the defining play of the season for the secondary, Brown's touchdown was the longest go-ahead fourth-quarter offensive touchdown against the Eagles since 1993, per Pro-Football-Reference.com.
With just under two minutes remaining, the Eagles got the ball back, needing a touchdown to win. Foles drove the Eagles down the field on 12 passes, plus a fourth-down conversion scramble. The stage was set for one final dramatic play.
With just one second on the clock, the Eagles needed to gain 16 yards for a game-winning touchdown. Anything less would result in a defeat. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles sent a heavy blitz after Foles, who backpedaled, and backpedaled, and backpedaled, and backpedaled, before finally releasing the ball from his own 32-yard line. That's 16 yards Foles backpedaled immediately after taking the snap, and although the throw to Jordan Matthews in the back left corner of the end zone was caught, the rookie was unable to get both feet down in bounds.
The Eagles came within a single yard of an improbable walk-off victory. As a result of the loss, the Cardinals eventually clinched the top wild-card spot in the NFC playoffs, while the Eagles finished as the NFC's seventh seed and the first runner-up for the postseason.
7. Malcolm Jenkins Signed over Jairus Byrd and T.J. Ward
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Consider me part of a significant portion of the fanbase that wanted the Eagles to sign one of last year’s top free-agent safeties. Buffalo’s Jairus Byrd was the clear favorite, as the former first-round pick had collected 22 interceptions in five years.
But the Eagles wisely passed on Byrd, who ended up signing a lucrative contract with the New Orleans Saints—a six-year, $56 million deal with an insane $28 million in guaranteed money. Byrd, who had a history of knee problems with the Bills, underwent back surgery last offseason before missing 12 games in 2014 with a torn ligament in his knee. When he did play, he was largely ineffective, missing seven of 23 tackle attempts without an interception, per Pro Football Focus.
T.J. Ward, who signed with the Denver Broncos, fared much better, earning a Pro Bowl selection, although he also missed 18 tackles and allowed six passing touchdowns—tied for the most among all safeties—per Pro Football Focus.
In the end, it was Jenkins who played the best of the group. The former first-round pick at cornerback collected interceptions in three straight games from Weeks 2 to 4. Although he cooled off in the second half of the season, he still rated as a top-20 safety, per Pro Football Focus, finishing as the second alternate for the Pro Bowl.
6. Missed Six in First Round Leads to Marcus Smith Pick
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The rave for the 2014 draft class was so intense that some experts called it the deepest draft class in NFL history. With the draft stacked at every position from wide receiver to defensive line, the Eagles likely had six realistic targets with their 22nd pick in the first round: wide receivers Odell Beckham and Brandin Cooks, linebackers C.J. Mosley and Anthony Barr, cornerback Kyle Fuller and safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
When all six were gone, the Eagles made the smart decision to trade down with the Cleveland Browns (passing on Heisman quarterback Johnny Manziel) to pick at No. 26. But they panicked four spots later, ultimately selecting Louisville pass-rusher Marcus Smith.
Projected by most experts to be selected in the third or fourth round, Smith actually started his college career as a quarterback before switching to defense. He recorded 14.5 sacks in a big senior season, but a lack of consistency and inexperience at the position should have been a red flag to the Eagles.
It wasn’t.
They did the worst thing they could have done. They reverted to the form they displayed in the 2011 draft when they reached for players at specific positions (Danny Watkins, Jaiquawn Jarrett, Curtis Marsh, Casey Matthews, Alex Henery) instead of choosing the best player available like they did in 2012 (Fletcher Cox, Mychal Kendricks, Vinny Curry, Nick Foles, Brandon Boykin).
As a result, the Eagles had a first-round pass-rusher who played in just 74 snaps and recorded zero tackles. In fact, Smith was so ineffective that the Eagles don’t even know if he is an inside or an outside linebacker. Despite the possibility of DeMeco Ryans, Trent Cole and Brandon Graham all leaving this offseason, there’s almost no chance of Smith earning a starting job before next season. At this point, the Eagles would settle for Smith becoming a key backup.
5. Early-Season Offensive Line Turnstile
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Heading into 2014, you had to know that the Eagles weren’t going to have the same stroke of luck they did the previous season, when the five offensive linemen made 85 of 85 starts. But nobody expected complete disaster, and that’s essentially what happened in the first month of the season.
With 2013 first-round pick Lane Johnson suspended for the first four games after PED use, the Eagles also lost left guard Evan Mathis (sprained MCL) in Week 2 and center Jason Kelce (hernia) in Week 3. The offensive line basically became a revolving door, with only left tackle Jason Peters healthy and playing in his normal position early in the season. Backups Matt Tobin and Andrew Gardner each struggled at guard (Todd Herremans was moved to right tackle during Johnson’s suspension), while David Molk didn’t play any better at center.
As a result, LeSean McCoy suffered through the worst stretch of his career, finishing three games with fewer than 25 rushing yards and 2.0 yards per carry. Nick Foles was consistently harassed in the pocket, and the injuries on the offensive line likely played a big role in his regression.
The running game and offensive line improved in midseason when Mathis and Kelce both returned, but Herremans missed the season’s final eight games with a torn biceps. In all, the offensive line played together as a unit in just 57 games, an average of 11.4 per player.
4. 11 Return Touchdowns
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The 2014 Eagles collected the most return touchdowns in franchise history; their 11 touchdowns on defense and special teams came within two scores of the all-time single-season record. Three times, the Eagles collected multiple return touchdowns in one game, including three against the San Francisco 49ers in a game where the offense failed to score a single point. In all, 10 different players scored the 11 touchdowns.
- Fletcher Cox, 17-yard fumble return, Week 1, Jacksonville
- Chris Polk, 102-yard kick return, Week 3, Washington
- Brad Smith, 0-yard blocked punt return, Week 4, San Francisco
- Malcolm Jenkins, 53-yard interception return, Week 4, San Francisco
- Darren Sproles, 82-yard punt return, Week 4, San Francisco
- Chris Maragos, 10-yard blocked punt return, Week 5, St. Louis
- Cedric Thornton, 0-yard blocked punt return, Week 5, St. Louis
- Darren Sproles (2), 65-yard punt return, Week 9, Carolina
- Bradley Fletcher, 34-yard interception return, Week 9, Carolina
- Josh Huff, 107-yard kick return, Week 11, Tennessee
- Trey Burton, 27-yard blocked punt return, Week 17, NY Giants
3. Nick Foles Breaks Collarbone Against Texans
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Life as a Philadelphia Eagles fan means adjusting to quarterbacks getting hurt every season. It was that way with Donovan McNabb. It was that way for Michael Vick. And it appears that it will be that way with Nick Foles.
For the third straight season, Foles missed time, this time with the most serious injury of his career, a broken collarbone suffered on a hit by Houston linebacker Whitney Mercilus in Week 9. Foles wasn’t originally ruled out for the season, but even as the Eagles saw their playoff chances dwindling away late in December, he wasn’t able to take the field.
Despite all the injuries to Eagles quarterbacks over the years, his eight games missed actually marks the first time since Randall Cunningham in 1993 that an Eagles quarterback missed at least half the season with an injury. The Eagles, who were 6-2 following the Texans game, won just four of their final eight games to finish 10-6 for the second straight season. Unlike 2013, however, the Eagles missed the playoffs.
You can point to a number of reasons why the Eagles missed the playoffs, but subpar quarterback play is the biggest. Then again, with the way Foles turned the ball over in September and October, there’s no guarantee that he would have been able to beat the teams that Sanchez couldn’t.
2. DeSean Jackson Released
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In the later years of Andy Reid’s coaching tenure with the Eagles, he was apt to try some crazy things, such as signing Michael Vick out of prison or promoting his longtime offensive line coach to defensive coordinator. But even Reid would have never pulled off what Chip Kelly did late last March.
After weeks of speculation and a failed attempt at a trade, the Eagles released 27-year-old DeSean Jackson, a three-time Pro Bowler. He is far from the first troubled superstar, but you never see those situations end in a player getting released. It showed the importance of Kelly’s culture-over-talent philosophy, but it also raised concerns over whether the coach would just release every talented troublemaker he crossed paths with during his tenure.
He called the move a football decision, saying the Eagles wanted bigger players at the position, but then he traded for veteran running back Darren Sproles, who stands just 5’6’’. Whether it was Jackson’s potential gang ties, his feuding with wide receivers coach Bob Bicknell, his skipping of team meetings, his high salary for 2015 or his tendency to disappear in both big games and the red zone, Kelly made it clear who was in complete control of his football team.
You can debate the pros and cons of releasing a player who is one of the best in the league at his position, but one year later, it’s safe to say that things didn't go as the Eagles had hoped. Jackson signed with the division-rival Washington Redskins, recorded more than 1,100 yards despite playing with three mediocre quarterbacks and burned the Eagles twice, including the game that eliminated them from playoff contention.
You can directly attribute a lot of the Eagles’ offensive struggles, especially for Nick Foles and Riley Cooper, to the loss of Jackson. A year later, the wide receiver position is just as much of a question mark for the Eagles as it was last offseason.
1. Chip Kelly Wins Power Struggle Against Howie Roseman
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Since Howie Roseman was named Eagles' general manager before the 2010 season, owner Jeffrey Lurie has sided with Roseman on every power struggle. As a result, the Eagles have seen some top personnel men, such as Tom Heckert and Joe Banner, leave.
Even after 2012, longtime head coach Andy Reid was forced out, while Roseman remained. So when the Eagles announced following the end of the 2014 season that they had mutually parted ways with Tom Gamble, the Eagles' vice president of player personnel, it appeared that Roseman was well on his way to winning yet another power struggle. After all, Gamble was Kelly's guy, and this clearly was not going to make the head coach very happy.
Just two days later, the fanbase was panicking when it was reported that Kelly had asked out of his contract with the Eagles, according to Darren DeGaetano of Wildfire Radio. What could have turned into a potentially ugly situation for the future of the Eagles ended with Lurie giving the second-year coach complete control over all matters involving the 53-man roster. Then again, Kelly basically had complete control anyway, as evidenced by his decision to release DeSean Jackson the previous season.
What changed was Roseman's role with the organization. The Eagles attempted to spin it as a promotion, but Roseman's new position of vice president of football operations is essentially a demotion. Roseman, according to the Eagles, will now oversee all contract negotiations, salary-cap management and NFL strategic matters. He will no longer help with scouting and drafting players
It's unclear in which recent drafts Roseman had control, but it's generally accepted that he was the guy in charge in 2012. That was arguably the best Eagles draft since 2002, as the team selected Fletcher Cox, Mychal Kendricks, Vinny Curry, Nick Foles, Brandon Boykin and Bryce Brown.
Kelly, on the other hand, whiffed badly in the 2014 draft, with only receiver Jordan Matthews making an immediate impact. Then again, Kelly's 2014 class deserves more than one year to show whether it can play, and time will tell if the former Oregon coach can accurately scout and draft college players for the NFL.
The impact of Kelly's victory in the power struggle shouldn't be understated. Just two years into his coaching career, Kelly has the same amount of power Andy Reid had, and he was able to parlay that into four consecutive trips to the NFC Championship Game. Only time will tell how Kelly will do.
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