12 NFL teams who will be playoff contenders in 2015-16

5) Philadelphia Eagles

Was there a more entertaining offseason than the one the Philadelphia Eagles enjoyed? It isn’t just the proliferation of moves, nor the odd remarks made by one former superstar after being traded. It was the idea fans got of being able to see inside the mind of the NFL’s newest mad scientist. Every move was calculated to a tee, and yet the way each was performed seemed chaotic. In other words, it was precisely what the Chip Kelly offense is like to defend.

So much motion. So much sprucing up. Yet at the end of the day, it’s good, old-fashioned football.

Kelly’s offense will presumably be run by Sam Bradford, who doesn’t seem like the ideal fit for the system—which at least at Oregon prioritized the ability of the quarterback as a runner. But Bradford is Kelly’s guy, and isn’t quite as Kelly-unfriendly as it seems.

Bradford has always excelled as a passer when allowed to get out on the hashes and throw laser beams to crossing receivers and guys running the “fly and die” route (a “go route” where the receiver pushes the defensive back up the field like he’s going deep only to bail back to the sideline in what essentially becomes a comeback).

The passing game will be fine, especially if the running game is as good as expected. By bringing in DeMarco Murray and Ryan Matthews, the Eagles should be able to liberally rotate backs in order to keep them fresh and push the tempo.

The defense, too, should be improved, as it added Byron Maxwell and Eric Rowe to the secondary. Meanwhile the front-seven is loaded with guys, many with talent though no true leader as of yet.

Like a lot of teams in the NFC, the offense figures to be good enough to overcome any deficiencies on the defensive side of the ball. The NFL has truly become an offensive league.

Next: Cardinals keep flying high