In the 11 days between the Eagles’ preseason finale and their regular season opener against the Falcons, fans dreamt of an offense that was equal parts methodical and explosive, a defense that paired discipline with aggression and a pace of play that left opponents clutching their knees and gasping for air. In the second half of Monday night’s 26-24 loss in Atlanta, that’s exactly what they got. The first half, though, is one that head coach Chip Kelly, his players, and the fans will look to quickly put behind them.
The Eagles mustered just 125 yards and two first downs in the opening 30 minutes of the nationally televised game, entering halftime down 20-3 thanks to a 10-point flurry by the Falcons in the final 1:10 of the second quarter.