After the long-awaited debut of Sam Bradford, the Eagles couldn’t decide whether to thank Terrell Suggs or kick him in the shins. The Baltimore linebacker went right for Bradford’s twice-repaired left knee early Saturday night, a cheap shot that started a season of anxiety.

Bradford got up, absorbed an even more direct blow from nose tackle Brandon Williams, and got up again, this time with a bloody lip.

Whew.

After 14 plays and a touchdown, Bradford returned to his familiar perch on the sidelines, where he has spent most of the last two seasons because of back-to-back torn ACLs. He is fine. For now, at least.

Suggs received a 15-yard penalty for targeting Bradford’s knee, and had the audacity to whine about it afterwards. But the truth is, he did the Eagles a favor. Bradford had said he wanted to test the knee as soon as possible. Suggs made sure of that.

How many more tests will Bradford receive in a preseason that clearly worries Chip Kelly? The coach didn’t use his obviously rusty quarterback in the preseason opener, won’t use him in the final exhibition game, and will probably limit his use Saturday in Green Bay. Bradford needs work, but he needs even more to stay healthy.

That traumatic first series of the Sam Bradford era proved it will be an uneasy season for everyone associated with the Eagles, including the fans. Kelly took a huge gamble that the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft would avoid major injury and display the uncanny accuracy and quick release that are ideally suited to his coach’s fast-paced offense.

Bradford’s survival Saturday night obscured a sobering development for the new franchise quarterback. He actually wasn’t very good in that series, despite the touchdown. He overthrew a wide-open Riley Cooper on a deep ball, misfired over the middle to Darren Sproles, and heaved one well beyond the reach of Seyi Ajirotutu later in the drive.

In all, Bradford threw for 35 yards, succeeding more because of penalties and defensive breakdowns than his own erratic performance.

What happened after Bradford left the game was far less significant, but noteworthy. Mark Sanchez continued to tease, Matt Barkley did nothing spectacular and Tim Tebow proved once again that he is Tim Tebow.

The Eagles are going nowhere this season without Sam Bradford. Anyone who believes otherwise is delusional. Sanchez will fail in the big moments; six seasons of choking are no mirage. Kelly wouldn’t be spending $13 million on Bradford this season — not to mention the trade price of Nick Foles and a second-round draft pick — if he actually thought Sanchez could take him deep into the playoffs.

Instead, the coach has chosen a football version of Russian Roulette, hoping each shot absorbed by his brittle quarterback will not be fatal to the 2015 season. There will be more goons like Terrell Suggs in the months ahead, eager to test the surgical skills of Bradford’s doctors.

Will Sam survive?

That’s the most important question facing the Eagles right now, as it will be all season. If Bradford makes it unscathed — and finds the accuracy that eluded him Saturday night — nothing is impossible this year, including a deep run in the playoffs. Sam Bradford is that talented.

But the quarterback has already sounded an alarm after one series as an Eagle. Prepare to hold your breath, Philadelphia. This is going to be a very nervous season.

***

Kelly does not respect the fans of his football team. There is no other logical response after his insulting behavior last week when he refused to say whether Bradford would play Saturday night in the second game of the preseason.

Of course, we know now that Bradford did indeed make his debut as an Eagle, but Kelly’s unwillingness to answer the question was not just unfair to the fans, it was stupid from his own perspective.

What exactly did the coach hope to gain? There is no such thing as a competitive advantage in the preseason; no one really cares who wins the game. There is also nothing to gain by teasing the paying customers who were already disappointed when the team’s new franchise quarterback was held out of the first exhibition game.

As someone who has spent the past quarter century talking to these people on my WIP radio show, I can say with confidence that what Kelly is doing – this obnoxious Bill Belichick act with the media – is a formula for disaster.

Here’s how it works with coaches and executives who don’t treat the fans with respect: Everything is just fine as long as the team wins. Fans can endure abuse extremely well when they’re celebrating success. But as soon as their team loses, the payback is brutal. Just ask Joe Banner or Jim Fregosi or Jim O’Brien or even Bob Clarke.

Two games. That is precisely how far Kelly is away from feeling the full wrath of a fan base he has been mistreating since he got here two and a half years ago. If the Eagles lose the opener at Atlanta (because Bradford is still rusty?) and then the first home game against Dallas, the honeymoon won’t just be over; divorce proceedings will begin.

Kelly’s obnoxious act is already challenging the patience of Eagles fans. I hear the undercurrent of discontent every day on my show. When he doesn’t answer questions, he is programming the customers to turn on him, to abandon their support with a vengeance unique to Philadelphia.

Chip Kelly is one of the smartest coaches this city has ever had – and one of the dumbest when it comes to the fans.

***

The Phillies traded the most beloved player in their history last week when they sent Chase Utley to Los Angeles. That’s right. In history.

Just consider the other legends who have worn red pinstripes:

     • Mike Schmidt, the greatest third baseman ever, won the fan’s respect, but never their love. He is actually more embraced now as a broadcaster than he ever was during his playing days.

     • Steve Carlton, the best pitcher in Phils’ history, was also one of the most fan-unfriendly players of his era. He didn’t speak to the media here for 13 years.

     • Tug McGraw was beloved, but a relief pitcher – no matter how endearing he was – could never match the popularity of an everyday player.

All of the rest are well behind, including the main contributors on Utley’s own team – Cole Hamels, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins – because the iconic second baseman truly was the face, and the dirty uniform, of the 2008 champions. He was the biggest star in a galaxy of heroes.

The day after the trade, my phone lines at WIP were filled with fans proudly declaring that they owned only one jersey, Utley’s. Even more dramatic were the somber parents who revealed that they had a son named Chase, for the obvious reason. Utley touched the life of every fan — of every Philadelphian, really.

GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said last week that the most regrettable part of the Utley deal was its timing; the Phils were planning a huge public sendoff during, or right after, his last game on Aug. 19. In the end, though, the Dodgers didn’t agree to the deal until after the crowd had dispersed that night.

The Phillies can compensate for this lost opportunity with the ultimate token of recognition. They must never assign the No. 26 to another Phillie. When I proposed this idea to Amaro, he said that designation has always been reserved only for Hall of Famers.

Well, it’s time to change that rule. It’s time to honor the player who most embodied the spirit of Philadelphia – the most beloved player in Phillies history – by retiring his number.

And finally ...

     • If Kenjon Barner doesn’t make the Eagles’ 53-man roster, there should be an investigation. Not only is he the star of the first half of the Eagles preseason, with punt returns of 92 and 68 yards, but he also has impressed as a running back. With the injury history of all the Eagles runners, Barner is no luxury. He must make the team.

     • More and more, NFL coaches are reluctant to use their starting quarterbacks in preseason games. As a result, the biggest attractions in the NFL play very little in the first one, and never in the final one. Aren’t the coaches saying they really only need two games to get ready for the season? And what exactly are fans paying for when they buy tickets to these awful games?

     • Drew Rosenhaus may be the most successful agent in football, but he has whiffed in his handling of former Eagle Evan Mathis. Rosenhaus forced Chip Kelly’s hand by demanding Mathis’ freedom, but then had no suitors who would come close to the guard’s $5.5 million salary. Mathis visited Seattle over the weekend. Ultimately, the Seahawks passed. He is still unemployed.

     • The most underrated play-by-play broadcaster in Philadelphia, by far, is Phillies TV voice Tom McCarthy, Not only has he broken in three color commentators in the past two seasons, he has managed to keep the broadcasts entertaining even when the team hasn’t been. McCarthy’s only mistake is following the most admired local play-by-player of all time, Harry Kalas.

     • Chase Utley’s first reaction when he put on a Dodgers uniform Friday night: “This is pretty cool, wearing blue.” Uh, no it isn’t, Chase. Not cool at all.