“…you’re also playing against an offense that four teams have tried to stop them and they haven’t yet. I don’t have an answer.” – Eagles head coach Chip Kelly. Photo by Pete Lerro/contrastphotography.com

A reporter from Denver called into one of the Philadelphia major commercial sports talk radio shows during the week leading up to the Eagles – Denver Broncos game at Sports Authority Field Sunday and predicted the Broncos and Peyton Manning would win the game 55-30.

The on-air hosts threw the guy under the bus once he hung up – and could blame them? The Denver reporter had pretty much thrown the Eagles defense under the bus.

Who here in Philly though thought the result would be worse?

The Birds dropped to 1-3 on the season after a complete breakdown in every area of the sport, losing to Denver 52-20.

The Eagles scored a garbage time six-yard touchdown pass from Nick Foles to Jeff Maehl to get the Birds to the 20-point mark.

The Broncos offense recorded 35 first downs overall and seemed to move the ball like there was no one playing against them.

“I think it is disconcerting,” Eagles coach Chip Kelly said in his post game press conference. “But you’re also playing against an offense that four teams have tried to stop them and they haven’t yet. I don’t have an answer.”

The Broncos offense has scored 49, 41, 37 and 52 points against their first four opponents mostly on the coattails of Manning who is off to the best start of his Hall of Fame career.

“He’s efficient, man,” defensive back Champ Bailey said of his quarterback. “And hopefully he gets better – I don’t know how, but hopefully he does – because this guy’s a prime example of what it takes to be a great quarterback in this league. I know a lot of quarterbacks wish they could do it like that.”

Mike Vick was 14 of 27 for 248 yards no touchdowns or interceptions. He ran eight times for 41 yards. LeSean McCoy rushed 16 times for 73 yards and did not get into the end zone.

Manning scorched the Eagles for 327 yards on 28 of 34 passing and four touchdown passes.

Knowshon Moreno ran the ball 12 times for 78 yards and a touchdown for Denver.

The Birds also allowed two touchdowns on special teams in losing for the third straight time, all to AFC West opponents: Trindon Holliday’s 105-yard kickoff return and Steven Johnson’s blocked punt, which he scooped up himself and returned for a 17-yard score.

According to published reports, The Eagles became the first team in NFL history to accumulate at least 1,000 yards passing and 750 yards rushing through the first four games of the season.

The Eagles players could have cared less about the statistics. When you lose by 32 points in an NFL game, there are no bright spots.
“We couldn’t stop them,” said Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin after the game.