Bleeding Green Nation
Opponent perspective on Philadelphia’s rematch with Kansas City.
In case you haven’t heard, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs are playing a football game on Sunday evening.
In order to preview this Super Bowl LIX matchup, I reached out to our enemies over at Arrowhead Pride. The jazzy Jared Sapp kindly took the time to answer my questions about this upcoming tilt. Let’s take a look at the answers. [For my answers about the Eagles, stay tuned to AP.]
Also, be sure to check our “3 reasons why the Eagles will win the Super Bowl” exchange with AP from earlier this week.
On offense, the Chiefs have a very different wide receiver corps (even from Week 1 of this season). Rookie Xavier Worthy has had some big performances down the stretch, and Hollywood Brown is now giving the Chiefs a second speed option. DeAndre Hopkins has never found the volume of targets since coming to the Chiefs, but perhaps he can be featured in some unscouted looks with everything on the line Sunday. Travis Kelce may still lead the team in targets and yards — but he doesn’t have to for the Chiefs to win.
On defense, the biggest difference is the experience of the unit from Super Bowl LVII. In that game, George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie were rookies, and Nick Bolton was a second-year pro finishing his first season as a starter. The Chiefs defense as currently constructed has played a lot of football together and is much more in synch with what Steve Spagnuolo is wanting.
Honestly, the best matchup in the Chiefs’ favor is probably Andy Reid vs. Vic Fangio. Reid and Mahomes are 8-0 against Fangio’s defenses (both as the Broncos’ head coach and the Dolphins’ DC last year). This Eagles’ defense is exponentially more talented than what the Dolphins had in the Wild Card round last year, but I do think the Chiefs have done a good job planning for his scheme. Mahomes has also shown unprecedented patience in taking what’s in front of him this season and not forcing big plays.
On the field, the Chiefs have lined up Worthy almost every way legally possible through two rounds of the playoffs. He and Mahomes have never quite developed the big play timing, but the Chiefs have done a great job of finding him favorable match ups (and there is always a favorable place to put his speed). The 50-yard bomb probably won’t happen, but the Chiefs can probably find him five good opportunities for ten-yard plays.
*The Eagles inside pass rush against the...
