Taking Stock of Philadelphia Eagles Ahead of Week 8 Bye

Once the toast of the town, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly is facing more scrutiny than ever as his team posts a 3-4 record heading into the bye week.

It's not just that the team has underperformed in many eyes, either. It's the fact that Kelly overhauled a roster that had won 10 games each of the past two seasons and suddenly may not even finish .500.

Kelly jettisoned Pro Bowl players at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and on the offensive line. He made major changes at linebacker and in the secondary. When it was all said and done, there were 10 new starters on both sides of the ball to open the regular season.

Now all anybody can wonder is, Where did all of that movement get the Eagles? Right now, several steps backward.

But hold on. With all the changes, it's natural for so many new players to take time to form chemistry with one another. The Eagles may have come out of the gate slowly, but there's no reason this team can't continue to improve and finish strong—perhaps even make the playoffs.

Hey, Philadelphia is only one game out of first place in a weak NFC East. And while many might be thinking this team would be an easy out in the postseason anyway, the trick is getting there first. Once a team gets in, anything can happen.

Time is on the Eagles' side. Whether all of Kelly's moves are remains to be seen.

Quarterback Is Still a Question Mark

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Seven weeks into the Sam Bradford experiment, the Eagles don't appear to be any closer to knowing whether the former No. 1 overall draft pick can become a franchise quarterback. Worse still, the organization has only nine games remaining—and perhaps the playoffs—to evaluate him before he reaches free agency.

Bradford has been highly erratic, to say the least. He's completing a career-high 62.0 percent of his passes and is on pace to set a new personal best with 1,766 yards. However, his 6.4 yards per attempt and nine touchdowns are pedestrian, while his 10 interceptions are tied for the NFL lead.

At times he is decisive and laser-precise and can move the Eagles offense at will. At other times he looks hesitant and uncomfortable and isn't on the same page with his receivers. In short, he looks like a quarterback who hadn't played in nearly two years and must re-adjust the speed of the game and to trust his twice surgically repaired knee, in a new offense no less.

Bradford hasn't been getting a lot of help from his supporting cast, either. Receivers are dropping passes, and the protection comes and goes. Regardless, Bradford's performance alone has cast enough doubt over his future in Philadelphia beyond 2015.

Rebuilt Secondary Is Jelling

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There was a great deal of concern surrounding Philadelphia's secondary entering this season. On one hand, it couldn't do any worse than the unit that ranked 31st and 32nd in the NFL against the pass the previous two years. However, there was some doubt as to whether all the new additions were significant upgrades.

As the season has gone on, the Eagles secondary has proved to be significantly improved. The unit still has room for growth, but considering there are three new starters—four if we include nickel cornerback—the performance has been remarkable through seven weeks.

The Eagles are tied for second in the NFL with 11 interceptions, including three by new starting safety Walter Thurmond—who is tied for fourth among players. The defense is only ranked 19th, or roughly in the middle of the pack, allowing 250.6 yards per game but is sixth with 6.7 yards per pass attempt and a 79.1 opponents' passer rating.

Needless to say, the unit is vastly improved. After a shaky start, expensive free agent Byron Maxwell has been solid outside, while Nolan Carroll fills out the cornerback tandem nicely. Thurmond's transition to safety has gone swimmingly, while Malcolm Jenkins seems to be everywhere, including in the slot when called upon.

Is the Offense Lacking Weapons?

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This is not something everybody thought we would be asking prior to the beginning of the regular season, but does Bradford have enough quality weapons in the passing attack? Jordan Matthews has been a disappointment in the slot, no one can consistently win battles on the outside, and even the backs and tight ends have been underwhelming.

Matthews leads the Eagles with 39 receptions for 398 yards but for a disappointing 10.2 yards per catch and just one touchdown—not to mention about a billion drops. The next-best wide receiver on the team is Josh Huff with 13 catches for 141 yards and a score, while first-round rookie Nelson Agholor has just eight for 105 and is out with an injury.

Zach Ertz has 24 catches for 270 yards from the tight end position, while Darren Sproles has 22 receptions for 162 yards out of the backfield. However, big, dynamic plays have been lacking from both players, and neither one has yet to cross the goal line on a touchdown reception.

It's possible the Eagles overvalued their young receivers. Without a true threat on the outside, defenses are keying on Matthews in the slot, making it difficult for the quarterback to find open targets. Bradford has struggled, but it's hard to place all the blame on him in this case.

The Defensive Front Seven Is Dominant

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Tough game against the Carolina Panthers aside, the Eagles still have one of the best front sevens in the NFL.

Philadelphia's defense fell into a tie for 12th place in yards per carry after the Panthers racked up 204 on the ground on just 33 carries right before the bye week. However, that was the first time the team had let one player—Jonathan Stewart—run for more than 100 yards in a game over a full season. It was very unlike the unit.

True, sack totals are down as well. After finishing second in the NFL last season, the Eagles are buried all the way in a tie for 15th with 15. However, the unit has been getting more pressure on quarterbacks than the numbers indicate; they're just getting the ball out faster—which is why the unit is second in the league in interceptions.

Defensive end Fletcher Cox and nose tackle Bennie Logan are capable of taking over the line of scrimmage. Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham are great at setting the edge against the run, and sacks will follow for the outside linebackers. In the middle, DeMeco Ryans, Mychal Kendricks and third-round rookie Jordan Hicks simply make plays.

If one unit on this team leaves coaches and fans with nothing to worry about, even after a dismal performance heading into the bye, it's the defensive front seven.

Need Offensive Line Help

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Perhaps the most predictable aspect of the Eagles' season has been the disappointing play of the offensive line.

The team hasn't drafted an O-lineman since taking right tackle Lane Johnson with the fourth overall pick in 2013—that's 20 consecutive rounds—and hasn't invested big free-agent dollars in the position in that time. Meanwhile, left tackle Jason Peters turns 34 in January, while the Eagles decided to replace both starting offensive guards with backups.

Not surprisingly, the unit got off to a slow start and continues to struggle at times as injuries mount. When Peters went down with back spasms Sunday against the Panthers, the starting five consisted of Matt Tobin at left tackle, Allen Barbre at left guard and Dennis Kelly at right guard. Only Johnson and center Jason Kelce were of note.

And Kelce's play has really slipped this season. A 2014 Pro Bowl selection, he has not been nearly as effective, plus he has made some huge errors in the form of bad snaps and untimely penalties. Coupled with Peters' natural decline and the drop-off from Evan Mathis to Barbre at left guard, the group has been hit hard with everything.

Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be any help on the horizon for now. This is the offensive line the Eagles chose to go with in 2015, and coming out of the bye, it's going to sink or swim with these players.