The Philadelphia Eagles rank in the top four in the NFL in both total yards per game and points per game. They finished the 2013 season ranked No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, in those categories. The numbers don’t lie — Chip Kelly’s offense works.
It worked at Oregon and it works with the Eagles. In fact, teams are so desperate to slow down Kelly and his offense that they have made an effort to hire his former defensive coordinator, Nick Aliotti.
“I have been asked by everybody in the NFC East,” the now-retired Aliotti told John Canzano of OregonLive.com on Monday. “The Giants asked me to come back when Chip got the first job. I didn’t feel right doing that. Some teams have called when they’re getting ready to play the Eagles and they call and have certain questions on the thing. Unless I know the guy and he’s a good friend, I don’t get involved with that.”
We have heard of teams signing players strictly for intel, but reaching out to an NFL coach’s former assistant for help is less common.
While Aliotti saw Kelly’s offensive system every day in practice for several years, he probably doesn’t hold the key to stopping it. NFL teams can dig up tape from any Oregon game from 2007-2012 (and I’m sure they have), but actually stopping the high-powered attack requires speed and stamina on defense. When Kelly’s offense is firing on all cylinders, you probably can’t stop plays even if you know they are coming.
H/T Crossing Broad
