Bleeding Green Nation
Musings on big game between Philadelphia and Kansas City.
Super Bowl LIX is nigh.
This matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs has already been talked through to death but here are some final thoughts I felt the need to get off my chest.
The Chiefs’ run defense ranks:
It’s not a bad run defense. But the Eagles have faced much better.
Even if the Chiefs WERE amazing against the run, I don’t care. Barkley cannot be stopped. Keep pounding the rock over and over.
Barkley’s career high for carries in one game is 36. He also had three receptions for 39 total touches. I don’t know if the Eagles will need to get to numbers that high. But they shouldn’t be afraid to do so.
Empty the tank.
The last time the Eagles played in the Superdome was when they faced the New Orleans Saints in Week 3. Entering that game, the Saints’ offense was red hot. But one player absolutely shut them down that day. And his name was Jalen Carter.
It helped that the Saints’ offensive line got banged up early in that game. And it helped that Derek Carr isn’t so great.
Still, we all know that Carter has game-wrecking potential. If anybody has the ability to neutralize Patrick Mahomes, it’s him. Carter must absolutely be a force and take the game over.
It’ll be very interesting to see how the Chiefs plan to block Carter. Trey Smith is really good. Will they trust Smith to single block Carter at a decent clip, allowing Creed Humphrey to give more help to Mike Caliendo’s side? Do the Eagles go out of character and move Carter around more often than usual?
Regardless of the situation, Carter must dominate for the Eagles to win this game. I’m talking about seeing prime Aaron Donald out there.
You don’t beat Mahomes by punting the ball and kicking field goals. You just don’t.
Sirianni’s aggressiveness on 4th-and-5 in the NFC Championship Game was a huge turning point for the Eagles.
The Eagles won Super Bowl LII in no small part by running Philly Special on fourth down and later converting a 4th-and-1 in the fourth quarter.
They lost Super Bowl LVII in no small part by Sirianni punting on 4th-and-3 from the Eagles’ own territory.
Go down swinging. Do not play scared.
After watching Hurts ball out in the NFC Championship Game and thinking back to his strong performance in Super Bowl LVII, it’s hard not to think he’s a big game player.
I feel like I should be a little more concerned about...
