Jason Peters Criticizes Chip Kelly: 'They Caught Up To Us'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- At times during the 2015 season, it didn't look like Jason Peters was into it.
Peters, a 34-year-old eight-time Pro Bowl left-tackle, reportedly pulled himself out of the Eagles' Week 16 playoff eliminating loss to the Redskins and some questioned his desire to play for head coach Chip Kelly.
Speaking for the first time since the start of the 2016 season, Peters openly criticized Kelly.
"I just think it's more scheme," Peters said of the team's struggles last season via CSNPhilly.com. "I mean, this is the National Football League, and if the running back is to the left and you're running the zone read, where do you think the ball is going? To the right. They caught up to us. We had some good years there, back to back. Last year we had our down year. We just needed to change a little bit up, especially with Sam [Bradford] back there. They know he's not gonna run it, so it kind of put our hands behind our back.
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"Last year, the last couple of years, there weren't a lol of vets. And any vet that stood up and had something to say, they got rid of them. [Head coach] Doug [Pederson] was a player here and he understands veteran players, so I think it's better."
In 2013, Kelly's first season in the NFL, the Eagles were the No. 2 ranked offense in football. In 2014, the Eagles remained in the top five despite an injury to then starting QB Nick Foles. Last season, the Eagles offense fell to 12th with a new quarterback in Sam Bradford.
"If you run 100 times in a row, back to back to back, don't you think your 50th time you're going to be a little slower?" Peters said. "But if you get a little bit of a rest, you're going to be a little bit faster. It's give and take. When you go back to the huddle and you get that wind, you're just a little bit more stronger when you go back to the line.
"[The coaches] call the play, and we execute it. But when the [opponents] know, and they're professionals too, and they know what the play is, it's tough."
Peters, who missed two games with a back injury last season, also said Kelly's practice schedule didn't help either.
"We practiced on Tuesdays when Chip was here, and you felt it on Sundays. I did anyway."
