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Philadelphia Eagles
Overall: 79
Title track: 83
Ownership: 76
Coaching: 33
Players: 60
Fan relations: 72
Affordability: 89
Stadium experience: 85
Bang for the buck: 86
Change from last year: -10
In Chip they trust -- for now. That's clearly the message conveyed by the results of this year's Ultimate Standings. With Chip Kelly now effectively serving as GM, there's been plenty of change in Philly: Out with LeSean McCoy, Nick Foles and Trent Cole. In with Sam Bradford, DeMarco Murray and Kiko Alonso. As long as the wins come along with it (and they didn't during the first couple of weeks of the NFL season -- the Eagles might be glad this vote happened in July), fans seem to like that kind of aggressive action.
What's good
Kelly ranks 33rd among coaches in American sports, well above the Eagles' overall ranking of 79th overall. And fans are hanging in -- Kelly's ranking dropped only four places from last year's standings. The owner approves: "He doesn't need to prove anything," Jeffrey Lurie said recently. "He's a builder of a roster, a culture builder. He's everything we all thought when we interviewed him and more. ... We knew Chip was very dynamic and very smart. We wanted someone who could see the big picture at all times, could help build a roster, help build the culture the way we wanted -- who had a vision and wasn't afraid to make unpopular decisions. That's all come to fruition."
What's bad
Kelly's popularity doesn't exactly transfer to his boss. Approval of Lurie's ownership is down from last year, dropping from 55th to 69th. Fans aren't that enthusiastic about the experience at Lincoln Financial Field, either, ranking it 85th. That could be because the price per capita of attending an Eagles game, $133.36, was the league's seventh highest, an increase of 9.1 percent from the previous season.
What's new
Overall, the Eagles fell 10 places in the standings this year, though no one category took a huge nosedive, especially in the on-field areas. Fan satisfaction with players dropped only two spots, from 58 to 60. Kelly's approval also held steady. More than anything, the drop seems a product of growing fan frustration. That's understandable. There has been a lot of disappointment since the team's last NFL championship in 1960. That was before Chip Kelly was born. Now he is the man entrusted with ending the drought.
Next: Minnesota Vikings | Full rankings