On Sunday, Eagles cornerback Cary Williams said that he wanted to see the team build a defense that struck fear into the hearts of opposing offenses and referenced his time with the Ravens as an example of the kind of unit he hoped to see the Eagles become in the near future.
Coach Chip Kelly didn’t seem thrilled with Williams’ take, particularly the part that dealt with Williams defending a fight with the Patriots in last week’s joint practice. Williams said Monday that he spoke with Kelly after both men met with the media and felt the need to try to clarify his original comments because he thought they were taken out of context even though he said that he never saw any coverage of his comments.
“My intentions were never to bring grief between me and my teammates or me and this coaching staff,” Williams said, via John Gonzalez of CSNPhilly.com. “I just had some comments and that was it. I wasn’t trying to be a jerk about the situation or tell anybody what needs to happen. I just feel like we’re trying to build that culture. I think we’re well on our way. I think, to a degree, it was misunderstood.”
While it might have been bad form to portray the Ravens as having a better approach than the Eagles, Williams’ larger point about the need for the Eagles defense to start scaring opponents is hard to argue with. Defensive coordinator Bill Davis didn’t argue with it, in fact, and said that the Eagles, like all NFL teams, are “striving to be a feared, respected defense.”