Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly has had to suffer through some growing pains in his first season in the NFL, with his team off to a 1-2 start following a promising season-opening win over the Washington Redskins. One such problem came during Week 3's 26-16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, when the Eagles failed on a two-point conversion early in the game.
Eagles coach Chip Kelly defends going for 2
The Eagles coach defended his decision to go for the two point conversion in Thursday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Trailing 10-0 midway through the first quarter, Kelly called for a two-point conversion that failed when Zach Ertz was stopped short of the goal line. Facing questions about his decision making early in his NFL coaching career, Kelly was quick to defend the decision to try and get an extra point while playing catchup.
“If you get a chance to steal a point here or there, in the long run, it can really benefit you,” Kelly said this past week, per Bob Brookover of Philly.com. “That’s always been our philosophy. Does it mean we’re going to do it all the time? No, I think you pick and choose it.”
Kelly has had some issues with the nuanced differences between coaching in the NFL and college, yet says this was not one of those times. The Eagles coach maintains the problem with the play was not the call itself, yet a blown assignment that prevented the running play’s success.
“It’s not a tactic that worked at one level, but doesn’t at another level,” Kelly said. “I know whether you play Pop Warner football, high school football, college, or the NFL, if you don’t block your guy at the point of attack, he’s probably going to make the tackle.”
The Eagles have now lost two straight games and next take on the Peyton Manning-led Denver Broncos, and have struggled in multiple phases of the game in what many believe to be a rebuilding year in Philadelphia.
More from SB Nation NFL:
See More:
