Chip Kelly sort of addresses Cary Williams comments about Patriots being cheaters
USATSI |
Phil Perry of CSNNE reported that Kelly spoke with the media yesterday and said the use of film during joint practices wasn't that big of a deal. Kelly said that most plays that are run in camp now will look different once the regular season begins and that there was nothing to gain out of reading into what a team does during training camp, especially two weeks in.
"There's a chance for everything but that's a lot of tape to go through," Kelly said. "If you were to play them in our situation, it would be the 20th game of the year plus four preseason games, and then you're going back and looking at practice tape."
Kelly continued:
"Sometimes there's analysis by paralysis. If we end up ‑‑ it would be a great situation that we get a chance to play them in the Super Bowl. And they're going through practice tape and get a chance to see one play that we ran once on a Tuesday in August that we bring out in the third quarter with a minute 32 on the clock and they are prepared for it, then God bless 'em."
In other words, Kelly is basically saying the Patriots can do whatever they want and it won't matter. And he's right. There are tons of different plays and personnel who run them over the course of training camp, and some of those plays and players may not be featured in a game very often, if at all.
As it relates to Williams, Kelly said the following:
"I mean, obviously, I appreciate Cary's input, but I think the value that you can get for every single player and every single coach in terms of what we are doing to get a chance to go against another scheme and another team, I think it's really beneficial," Kelly said, "as long as you and the other team are on the same page. And I thought it worked out really well for us last year. We have a good understanding of what both teams are trying to get accomplished in those couple of days.
"I think a lot is overblown on that point," Kelly said. "They get every single film of every game we have ever played. So you know, I don't think they are getting anything ‑‑ it's not something that we do in practice that we are not going to do in a game. I think when people break it down and obviously people have all of our preseason games and playoff games from last year, they are going to see what we do."
I, like most people, turn a deaf ear to anything Williams has to say because it's usually never constructive and totally off the wall. He's one of many that ignores the fact that coaches such as Bill Cowher (a Super Bowl-winning coach, mind you), have come out and said that teams used to do it all the time. The Patriots were the only ones who got caught.
Yes, Williams is right - they did cheat. But it was one game against the Jets that they most likely would have won anyway, so big deal. That said, his comments may or may not add a little excitement to the joint practices the Patriots and Eagles will hold together next week.
Get your popcorn ready, I guess.
What do you make of Chip Kelly's comments? Let's talk - @JesseGaunce
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