NEW ORLEANS, LA — With Super Bowl LIX between the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs and the underdog Philadelphia Eagles, are experts wise to sleep on the Birds?
Back in their second Super Bowl in three years, and in the earliest rematch since the Bills-Cowboys and Chiefs-Niners, Chiefs-Eagles Part II, is a different story this time around, thank to the addition of RB Saquon Barkley.
Unlike two years ago in Super Bowl LVII, this Eagles team has a dynamic offense focused on a home-run hitting running back, who can take pressure off of QB Jalen Hurts.
Additionally, Philadelphia brings the top-ranked defense to New Orleans, as opposed to two years ago led by Zach Baun, Jalen Carter and Brandon Graham, who are sure to wreak havoc on a very suspect and vulnerable Chiefs offensive line.
For the season, the NFC champion Eagles were ranked second in points per game (17.8), first overall in total yards per game (278.4), yards per play allowed (4.7), passing yards per game (174.2) and third in opponent passer rating (82.5).
Stats aside, what this tells me is that Kansas City is going to be in for a rough night, if they can’t make their big “Mahomes Magic” off-schedule plays, as the Eagles play with an unapologetic and aggressive edge under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
If Fangio hopes to net his first career win vs. Patrick Mahomes in eight games, he will need to take some chances and be comfortable in making Mahomes uncomfortable.
The key to slowing Mahomes down is to spy him, and keep him in the pocket, and not let him extend plays outside of it, and go off-schedule. Bringing delayed blitzes, and some twists and stunts to confuse KC’s offensive line, would be a good start.
Philadelphia has always had a history of being agreesive and bold, the Birds need to stick to this DNA and stay smart in paying tough man-man on the outside, while bracketing the future Mr. Taylor Swift in Travis Kelce with a safety and defensive back on the back end.
Kelce is Mahomes’ safety blanket when things get tight. Philadelphia needs to watch this tendency and try to minimize No.87 as much as possible.
On offense, Hurts is a lot wiser and more mature than he was two years ago, as are A.J. Brown, Dallas Goedert and DeVonta Smith. For the Eagles to pull off the upset, they have to play ball control and take time off the clock, and limit the Chiefs’ possessions.
Look for outgoing offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to utilize Hurts as more of a point guard on grass in getting the ball out quickly on easy routes, and some zone-read to really stymie the Chiefs defensive line, most notably DT Chris Jones and edge rusher George Karlaftis.
Look for time of possession to be a key determining factor in Super Bowl LIX. Whichever team either leads in it, or appears to seize control of the game, will win.
And that could well be the Eagles. Time will tell.