Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl preview: Five things to watch when the Chiefs have the ball
Can the Eagles at least slow down Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Chiefs' offense?
The Philadelphia Eagles are back in the Super Bowl for the third time in eight seasons. Their opponent is a familiar foe in the Kansas City Chiefs, who have been to the Super five of the last six seasons, and are looking to be the first NFL team to "threepeat" during the Super Bowl era. Here are our five things to watch, when the Chiefs have the ball.
1) Vic Fangio's defense vs. Patrick Mahomes' dink and dunk offenseThe Chiefs had just 4 pass plays of 40+ yards on the season. Only three teams — the Dolphins, Cardinals, Patriots, and Panthers — had fewer. They also had just 42 pass plays of 20+ yards. Only five teams — the Bears, Browns, Dolphins, Giants, and Patriots — had fewer.
The Eagles' defense allowed just 35 pass plays of 20+ yards, the fewest in the NFL.
The Chiefs don't create many big plays through the air, and the Eagles don't give them up. #Analysis.
Unsurprisingly, Travis Kelce leads the team in 20+ yard receptions. But oddly, Kelce is followed behind by a backup TE and a backup RB:
• TE Travis Kelce: 9• TE Noah Gray: 6• RB Samaje Perine: 5• WR Xavier Worthy: 4• WR DeAndre Hopkins: 4• WR Rahshee Rice: 3• WR Juju Smith-Schuster: 3• WR: Justin Watson: 2• WR Nikko Remigio: 2• WR Hollywood Brown: 1• RB Kareem Hunt: 1• RB Isiah Pecheco: 1
The Chiefs' receivers were ineffective down the field after Rashee Rice got hurt early in the season. First round pick Xavier Worthy ran the fastest 40 time in NFL Combine history and he is the Chiefs' most dangerous receiver, but he's not exactly DeSean Jackson as a deep threat.
However, the Chiefs can be a frustrating offense to play for the following reasons:
They convert third downs at a 48.2% clip, 3rd best in the NFL. They run 6.3 plays per drive, most in the NFL. Their drives last an average of 3:07, highest in the NFL. They committed 14 turnovers on the season, 4th fewest in the NFL.They're masters at sustaining long, boring-ass, frustrating drives.
It'll be interesting to see if Vic Fangio allows the Chiefs to play their style of offense, which ironically aligns with how he would prefer opposing offenses to operate, or if he'll feel the need to be more aggressive against the Chiefs to try to get them out of their comfort zone.
2) Travis Kelce vs. the Eagles' middle of the fieldTravis Kelce may already be the best tight end in NFL history, and he remains by far the best receiving threat in the Chiefs offense.
In the Super Bowl last year, Eagles linebacker Oren Burks, then with the 49ers, had a rough game subbing in for an injured Dre Greenlaw. Per PFF Burks gave up 9 catches on 9 targets for 67 yards and a TD. Some of that was against Kelce.
"He's a great route runner, he has great feel for the game, great feel for zones," Burks said. "He has great chemistry with Mahomes. They've been playing together for a long time. For us, it's just going to be a matter of plastering, and when Mahomes gets out of the pocket being physical with him. We're up to the challenge."
MORE SUPER BOWL Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl preview: Five things to watch when the Eagles have the ball The 5 best Super Bowl performances in Eagles history Don't take this Eagles Super Bowl run for grantedTwo years ago in the Super Bowl, the Chiefs shredded the Eagles in the middle of the field, as T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White didn't have their best games after having good seasons.
In the NFC Championship Game, Commanders TE Zach Ertz had 11 catches on 16 targets for 104 yards. Fangio was probably content to let Jayden Daniels give such a high number of targets to a player like Ertz, who is unthreatening after the catch. He should not be so willing to let Kelce beat him in the middle of the field.
The Eagles' linebackers, safeties, and even slot corner Cooper DeJean will have a hand in trying to keep Kelce from moving the sticks all day.
"His ability to get open and find holes in the zone, I feel like he does that at a high level," DeJean said. "When Mahomes is scrambling, he seems to find the right area to be open and get the ball."
It's interesting that two Eagles defenders specifically noted that they must stay attached to Kelce when Mahomes is on the run. That feels like a coaching point.
For what it's worth, during the regular season the Eagles gave up 591 yards to opposing tight ends, the fewest in the NFL.
3) The Chiefs' rushing attack vs. the Eagles' run defenseThe Chiefs got their rushing attack going against the Eagles in the Super Bowl a couple years ago, but they did not have a very threatening rushing attack in 2024. Their top two running backs are Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco, who combined for 3.7 yards per carry this season:
Chiefs RBs Rush Yards YPC TD Kareem Hunt 200 728 3.6 7 Isiah Pacheco 83 310 3.7 1
Hunt and Pecheco combined for 2 runs of 20+ yards. Pacheco's lone run of 20+ yards was 34 yards. Hunt's was 20 yards. They are not game breakers.
4) Where might the Eagles go Feastin' ????The Chiefs' offensive line looks like so:LT LG C RG RT Joe Thuney Mike Caliendo Creed Humphrey Trey Smith Jawaan Taylor Notes:• Over the course of the season the Chiefs tried a few different guys at LT, like Wanya Morris, rookie Kingsley Suamataia, and D.J. Humphries, who they signed in-season. None of them played well, so the Chiefs moved LG Joe Thuney out to LT.
A common sentiment I've read about the Chiefs' offensive line is that this move "solved" their issues. That's a stretch. Thuney has been better than those three other guys, but he has also been up and down. For example, he got beaten by the Texans' Will Anderson for 2 sacks in the Divisional Round. Here's one of them:
• Thuney's move to LT opened up a hole at LG, where 2022 UDFA Mike Caliendo has filled in. Major downgrade.
• Taylor finished second in the NFL with 18 penalties. He has 7 false starts, 7 holding calls, 3 illegal formation penalties, and 1 illegal use of hands. It's incredible that he only has 3 illegal formation penalties, as he often lines up WAY behind the ball. I imagine the officials will allow him to get away with that in the Super Bowl. Still, even though officials allow him to line up illegally, Taylor can be a drive killer.
• Humphrey and Smith are both very good at C and RG, respectively.
There are holes at LG and RT, and LT is shaky as well. The Eagles have speed on the edge, and I assume the field won't be slippery this time around.
#FeastinMeter™️: Six turkey legs ????????????????????????
5) The Eagles' coverage units vs. Chiefs KR/PR Nikko RemigioIn the Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl, the Eagles punter Arryn Siposs shanked a punt that was supposed to go to the left but went way over to the right, and Kadarius Toney returned it inside the Eagles' 5 yard line.
The Eagles cannot afford another big special teams gaffe on Sunday.
The Chiefs' most dangerous returner is Nikko Remigio, who had a 41-yard punt return in the AFC Championship game against the Bills that set up a Chiefs TD.
The Eagles have a very good pair of fast, physical gunners in Kelee Ringo and Sydney Brown, who will be tasked with slowing down Remigio.
Remigio also had a 63-yard kick return in the Divisional Round against the Texans that set up an opening drive field goal.
The Eagles' kick coverage has had some shaky moments, but has been excellent in the playoffs.
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