Believe it or not, the beginning of the 2014 season is rapidly approaching. Players will report back to the NovaCare Complex on April 21 for the start of the Eagles offseason program. Join us as we count down until the Eagles are back in town ...
Fervent supporters of the notion that winning time of possession is an important factor in winning games would not get along very well with Chip Kelly. Kelly hates "wasting time" and is a proponent of playing fast and scoring fast, so as to ensure the maximum number of possessions over the lifespan of a single 60-minute game. The results in his first season as an NFL head coach would seem to support Kelly's stance on the matter. The Eagles set team records for points, touchdowns and yards and ranked second in the NFL in offense, despite possessing the ball for an average of 26:24 per game, last in the league by nearly a full minute. Of course, that means the Eagles allowed their opponents to possess the ball for an average of 33:36 per game – highest in the league. But Kelly doesn't care how much time the opponent is wasting between snaps or in the course of a drive that takes up half the quarter, as long as his offense gets the job done when it has the ball.
First Eagle To Wear 33: T-E-DB Guy Turnbow (1933-34)
Last Eagle To Wear 33: CB Jordan Poyer (2013)
BILLY RAY BARNES
William "Billy" Ray Barnes was a second-round pick (18th overall) by the Eagles in 1957, following a decorated career at Wake Forest. He was ahead of his time and used his dual-threat ability as a runner and receiver to immediately become one of the NFL's top halfbacks. Barnes made the Pro Bowl three straight times (1957-59) in his five seasons with the franchise, played in all 60 games and was a key member of the 1960 NFL Championship team, rushing for 42 yards on 13 carries against the Green Bay Packers and making two big plays on the final drive to set up the winning score. His best two seasons were 1958 and 1959, when he totaled 974 yards (551 rushing), seven touchdowns and 1,001 (687 rushing) yards, nine touchdowns, respectively.
