THE LAST TIME the Eagles played the New Orleans Saints ended up affecting the way the current Eagles are constructed.
Three major factors defeated the Birds on Jan. 4, 2014, when they hosted the first and so far only playoff game of the Chip Kelly regime:
1. They couldn't stop the run, after Bill Davis set up his defense to shut down a lethal passing attack oriented around tight end Jimmy Graham.
2. Eagles quarterback Nick Foles played pretty well for a first-year starter but took a half to get going (hmm, that sounds kinda familiar) and he missed a few throws that could have swung the outcome in a 26-24 game.