The Philadelphia Eagles' 1-3 start has Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Bob Ford wondering if they can recover from what he calls Coach Chip Kelly's worst loss in two-plus years with the team.
"Maybe the Eagles are still capable of reviving their season, which has now drifted to a 1-3 start after a bad loss to a bad Washington Redskins team on Sunday afternoon at FedEx Field," Ford wrote.
"But, make no mistake, with two division and three conference losses already, and a team that is capable of long stretches of poor play, it is going to take an unlikely revival.
"If you're keeping track, the Eagles have now lost six of their last eight games. They finished last season losing three of four, with the lone win in a meaningless finale, and have started this new season of great expectation the same way.
"Chip Kelly said he knew the 2014 edition wasn't good enough to seriously contend, so he threw the roster into the air and started over. Is the current team any better? Not where it matters.
"Against the Redskins, the Eagles very nearly pulled off a comeback of similar proportion to the one they now need to salvage their season. In a way, the game might turn out to be a microcosm of the season. They fought back from a significant deficit, took the lead with help from improbable heroes, then faded at the very end, with neither enough talent nor energy to prevent the loss. When the regular season ends, will that story arc also sum up their year?"
"Their entire season has been a surprise so far. It just hasn't been a good one. And now, having lost six of their last eight, the question is how much longer losing will be considered a surprise?"
'Honest' headlines
From the weekly "Honest NFL headlines" series at the satirical sports website sportspickle.com:
• "Real player forced to win game after kicker blows it"
• "Texans rearrange deck chairs"
• "DeMarco Murray: 'I need more chances to run for 1.6 yards' "
• "Old, bald man wins for Indy in place of balding, homeless man"
• "Monday night football: 0-3 team plays 1-2 team but you'll watch anyway"
• "'Skins hit new low, almost lose to Eagles"
He said it
From Brad Dickson of the Omaha World-Herald:
• "USA Today has an article called '50 things we learned in Week 4 of the NFL season.' That is far too many things to learn in Week 4 of the NFL season."
• "The New York Jets brought 350 rolls of toilet paper to London for their game vs. the Dolphins. Doesn't the NFL have a bad enough image without players tee-peeing Windsor Castle."
• "According to a new college football projection, Nebraska could go to something called the Foster Farms Bowl to play California. It's never a good thing when your team is projected to go to a bowl that many have never heard of."
• "Taco Bell is offering everyone in Fresno a free taco if the Fresno Grizzlies permanently change their name to the Fresno Tacos. On the down side, do you really want to offend grizzlies?"
SPORTS QUIZ
What is the only fixed roof stadium in major league baseball?
ANSWER
Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays
Sports on 10/06/2015