Does Eagles preseason success really mean anything?

The Eagles lead all NFL teams in scoring this preseason and it isn’t even close.

In three wins (over the Colts, Ravens and Packers) Philly has scored 115points. In second place are the Vikings who have scored 88 in four games.

“We’ve scored a lot of points,” Chip Kelly said, refusing to give his red-hot offense that has outscored opponents 52-3 in the first quarter, any credit.”But we are just trying to get better every day and improve as a group. I don’t think people have game-planned for us, nor have we game planned for them.”

Scoring is great, and so is the offensive success — yieldingthehighest yardage total and most rushing yards of any team. But it really doesn’t mean anything in August. It does, however,provide valuable information for Kelly and his staff as they begin to formulate the roster for the upcoming regular season.

“I think we are all trying to get guys opportunities we can teach them off field and for evaluation of guys,” the coachsaid.”I am happy with it in certain situations but looking specifically, defensively the other night those penalties, if that’s a real football game we had three major penalties on one drive. And one that negates a turnover.That can be a determining factor in winning a football game.”

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Sure, the Eagles beat Green Bay 39-26, with most of the Packers points coming late in the game. But the first team defense made its fair share, and then some, of 11 penalties, many costly.

But even without specifically game-planning for the Packers, the Eagles’ speed on offense seems to be confusing or hurting opposing defenses. Several critical defensive penalties have been assessed to the Birds’ opposition while they have been able to move the ball quite fluidly, with Green Bay compiling 15 penalties for 128 yards Saturday.

The 90 men who have been in camp for most of the summer have been whittled down to 76 (it willbe 75 by tomorrow at 4 p.m). And with so much success in camp for so many guys in the preseason, the showcase could help them find jobs elsewhere.

“This is a critical week because you have to go from 75 guys to 53,” Kelly said.