Lovie Smith and Chip Kelly: Polar Opposites
TAMPA
Lovie Smith vs.Chip Kelly: It doesn't get much different.
Old school vs. new school. Tortoise vs. the Hare. Corvette vs. Family station wagon.
When Lovie Smith and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Eagles in Philly on Sunday, you will see two coaches that conduct their lives and football teams as if they grew up on opposite sides of the world.
Kelly can be contrite and sharp with the media as if he has no time for their questions. He runs an up-tempo offense that doesn't stop for red lights.
He was 10-6 in his first two NFL seasons and won the NFC East title in 2013. Lovie was 2-14 last year in his first season with the Bucs.
Kelly turned down an opportunity to become the Bucs' head coach. Lovie couldn't wait for the opportunity. Under Kelly, Philadelphia broke its single-season scoring record twice, including last year with 474 points.
Lovie is the humble guy who loves the underdog and will use his patience to outdo his opponent. It's a slow process that has brought some criticism in his two years at One Buc Place, but he is starting to win folks over.
The Eagles are tied for last in the league in producing drives that hast five minutes or more but eighth in drives that last 10 plays or more.
Kelly wants to out-quick you. Lovie wants to wear you out.
Philly is last in the league in average time of possession (26:52), but ranked in the top four in scoring the past two seasons.
Both teams are 4-5 but that's where the similarity ends. Kelly is not
happy with his record. Lovie will espouse riddles about what it means to be 4-5.
"We're a good football team with a bad record," Smith said, allowing the outside world to comprehend his words.
Smith says 4-5 teams are at the crossroads ready to go one way or the other, which is where his Bucs are now. They've doubled last year's two-win total, but are looking to take the next step. Kelly talks as if his team has underachieved.
"We want to be that team that's improving. There are signs," Smith said. "Now, the good football teams that have had a bad record, here's your chance to be a good football team with a good record. That's what we are trying to do."
Both teams have injuries. Mark Sanchez will replace Sam Bradford at quarterback for Philadelphia, but that could be a positive for the Eagles.
Kelly attracts the spotlight whether he is acquiring players or letting them go, as he did in sending LeSean McCoy to Buffalo and bringing in Demarco Murray and Sam Bradford.
Lovie loves the underdog and says he isn't worried the Bucs are down to one healthy starting receiver in Mike Evans. He's high on undrafted rookie pass catchers Adam Humphries and Donteea Dye.
"I like everything about them. I just kind of like undrafted players in general," Smith says. "They come in and earn everything that they've gotten. They're smart, they practice hard and when they've had an opportunity to make plays, they've made plays."
The biggest challenge for the Bucs on defense will be keeping pace with Philadelphia's up-tempo offense. Smith is taking a no-frills approach to solving that puzzle.
Bucs defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said the insertion of Sterling Moore and Jude Adjei-Barimah as the starting cornerbacks two games ago will make that task easier because of their man coverage skills and ability to reroute receivers into Lovie's zone defensive scheme.
"It definitely makes a difference when you are trying to stop some of those high powered offenses that we face in the National Football league. Just to be able to play a little bit more man-to-man has probably helped us, and credit those two guys," Frazier says.
Both coaches have improved their defenses, but in different ways. Kelly acquired some high-priced talent. Lovie is doing it with undrafted rookies.
Lovie judges defenses by caused turnovers, but the Eagles are tied for second in the NFL with 20 takeaways, are fourth with 67 points scored off turnovers and rank fifth with 12 interceptions.
Sanchez can be productive but has a habit of throwing interceptions at the worst times. Last year, in eight starts, he had 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Since their bye week, the Bucs are allowing the third fewest rushing yards per game in the NFL. Lovie says yards allowed is a misleading statistic. Kelly loves to rack up those numbers.
The game is Lovie Ball vs. Kelly's Way. The winner will become a good team in Smith's way of thinking. Enjoy the afternoon.
This story was originally published November 21, 2015 at 11:41 PM with the headline "Lovie Smith and Chip Kelly: Polar Opposites ."