Eagles’ fast-paced offense takes leave of absence Sunday

It isn’t supposed to happen with a Chip Kelly offense. But look at the stats from the Eagles’ 24-14 loss to the Seahawks Sunday and it’s hard to deny there was a serious problem with the Birds’ offense.

The Eagles are a team known for running plays at a break-neck pace — but Philadelphia ran just 45 offensive plays in a putrid 18:04. Was it the Seahawks defense? Or was it the Eagles’ offense?

“I think that a lot of that had to do with us not executing.,” LeSean McCoy, who had 17 carries for just 50 yards, said. “Just every part, from runs, pass protection.”

The Eagles managed just nine first downs and really didn’t sustain an offensive drive in the game. Their lack of potency moving the ball really didn’t challenge the Seattle defense very much.

“When you get a first down, then you can start the pace,” McCoy said, “and then you can start the no huddles, the fast pace. It’s hard when you get three-and-outs, it’s hard to really get it going. You don’t start the drive off with the tempo. So to say that they did well against it is hard to say because we didn’t really get going to start the tempo and wear them out and get them tired.”

The Seattle defense didn’t show much respect for Philly’s typically dynamic offense.

Seahawks’ defensive end Michael Bennett told a USA Today reporter, “Tell the Philadelphia police to put an APB out, Sanchez is trying to impersonate a good quarterback.”

“We never felt threatened,” Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman said.

Sherman continued his criticism of the Eagles’ offense, attempting to remain politically correct with regard to their place among the league’s best.

“I don’t think they think anything,” he said. “They are a 9-4 team and they are right in the race of it in their division. They have won some great games against some great teams this year. I think they deserve the right to feel the way that they do.”