Biggest Takeaways from Philadelphia Eagles' Week 16 Loss

The Philadelphia Eagles' season slipped through DeMarco Murray's fingertips on Saturday night. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall picked up the loose football and ran it into the end zone, essentially sealing a 38-24 victory for Washington—and an NFC East championship.

A division title was the Eagles' last hope of making the playoffs. Instead, their season is essentially over with one game left to play.

There's no bigger takeaway than the realization that something has reached its conclusion. Once a trendy pick for the Super Bowl back in August, the Eagles will finish the season with a losing record and out of the postseason for the second year in a row. Now all we can do is look ahead at what must happen next in order for this team to move on.

Chip Kelly Should Return

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Did head coach Chip Kelly do a good enough job coaching this football team? Did he do a good enough job of assembling it? The answer to both questions is a resounding no, but now is not the time to change course.

Let's not forget that Kelly coached the Eagles to consecutive 10-win seasons in his first two years on the job. Obviously, he's experienced success in the NFL. And while we can certainly point to some of his transactions this offseason that didn't pan out, the fact is he's only had one year to build the team in his image and deserves more time.

The Eagles gave Kelly the power, now they have to see it through. Changing courses again, be it in the front office or on the sidelines, may have an adverse effect.

Bill Davis Must Be the Scapegoat

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If the Eagles are going to bring Kelly back as head coach and GM, then somebody else is going to have to take the fall for this mess. And seeing as the defensive coordinator's work this season can certainly be called into question, Bill Davis seems to be the appropriate candidate.

Consider this: The Eagles haven't held an opponent to fewer than 20 points since Week 6. They've held opponents to fewer than 27 just twice in the last nine games. The unit ranks 26th against the pass, 29th against the run and 30th in total yards.

Even going beyond the numbers, the pass rush has been almost non-existent, and the coverage gets beat by the same concepts on a weekly basis. It's not all Davis' fault, as some of the talent has disappointed this season as well, but the coordinator needs to adjust and he simply hasn't.

Offensive Line Must Be Addressed in Offseason

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Don't let Jason Peters' Pro Bowl invitation fool you. Whether it was due to all the injuries, his age or both, the Eagles' left tackle did not have a good season.

Peters was far from the only problem with the unit. The interior of the offensive line struggled, while right tackle Lane Johnson did not impress on the occasions he was forced to switch sides. And let's not even get started on the depth.

The Eagles haven't invested a single draft pick in the line since selecting Johnson fourth overall in 2013. That's 20 consecutive rounds without, and it's beginning to show. With Peters about to turn 34, the play up the middle lacking and Johnson not certain to be able to take over on the left, it's about time something is done here. An offense is only as good as the players up front.

The Future Is Sam Bradford

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One thing is for sure, and that's you can't blame Sam Bradford for this mess. Given the patchwork offensive line, an inconsistent ground attack and a receiving corps that can't catch, the quarterback performed quite well, all things considered.

His season numbers won't do his gradual, weekly improvement justice, so just look at his last six games. Bradford completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 7.4 yards per attempt with eight touchdowns to only three interceptions—good for a 94.8 rating. That's not quite elite, but it's definitely something to build on.

There are still going to be people who aren't ready to believe in Bradford, but the fact of the matter is he's the Eagles' best hope moving forward. A contract extension will be pricey for the impending free agent, but if he continues to grow in this offense, it will be well worth it.

Playing for Pride

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The season might be over, the Eagles' final game against the New York Giants might be meaningless, but any notion that they should just pack it in will be ignored.

Kelly and the Eagles were in the exact same situation last year. They didn't put in the backup quarterback or the kids just to see what they have and maybe lose to get a higher draft pick. They played the Giants with their starters and won the game.

Week 17 is still a test for the Eagles. If nothing else, it will show which players are dedicated, which guys in that locker room are still listening to Kelly and which guys have tuned out or quit. The final score might be meaningless, but the effort and what the Eagles put on tape most certainly is not.