The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tackle the Philadelphia Eagles subsequent Sunday in Tremendous Bowl LIX. In two separate posts, we’ll handle the Chiefs’ three largest questions on each side of the ball. Let’s start with the protection.
1) How will the Chiefs method stopping the run?
When speaking in regards to the Eagles’ offense, the very first thing it’s a must to talk about is what you’ll do in opposition to their run recreation. The Eagles led the league in dashing fee within the NFL at practically 56% of their complete performs. Saquon Barkley has been the very best operating again within the NFL all season, and I assumed he had a reputable argument for MVP. Barkley, at occasions, seems like he’s taking part in a unique sport than everybody else. His pace and explosiveness permit him to show any regular 5 or 6-yard run right into a 70-yard landing. Mixed along with his imaginative and prescient and an elite offensive line, Barkley has been a nightmare for defenses.
Every thing about the way you play the Eagles begins with him. The very first thing you need to ask Barkley is how you’ll align the field in opposition to him. Intuitively, you’d suppose that placing an additional defender within the field is the most suitable choice in opposition to Barkley. Not permitting the Eagles to have a numbers benefit within the field appears sensible.
Nevertheless, that isn’t all the time the case. Whereas having that defender helps at occasions, it does expose you to large runs. If one in every of your field defenders misses, that leaves just one line of protection — the free security — to sort out Barkley. If that participant misses, you might be giving up a landing. Barkley’s first landing in opposition to the Commanders is an ideal instance of this:
To maintain a lid on his explosive runs, preserving two safeties deep helps restrict his huge runs. Nevertheless, that leaves you lighter within the field. When you additionally account for the quarterback being a “plus-one” within the run recreation, you’re all the time giving up our bodies and gaps within the run recreation. With the Eagles’ offensive line and Barkley, that’s a recipe for them to get six yards on each down, which isn’t a profitable technique for stopping the run.
So, for Steve Spagnuolo, is he extra snug having his protection defend with mild bins, or does he dwell with the specter of explosive runs? If it was me, I’d hold my safeties deep. Justin Reid and Bryan Prepare dinner are on the slower facet of safeties, significantly in opposition to a participant like Barkley. I don’t wish to have them be my solely line of protection in opposition to him. I wish to hold these guys deep and permit each to play Barkley from both facet.
One other variable is the Chiefs ought to look to get funky with their fronts. Run stunts, slants, and pressures ought to all be included within the recreation plan. Might we see some 6-1 fronts that restrict the zone runs? Something must be on the desk. Getting Leo Chenal on the sector and taking defensive linemen off is smart in a 3-3-5 look. If there are any stops the Chiefs could make to assist their run recreation, they need to do it. The Eagles primarily play 11-personnel (one operating again, one tight finish), however that may’t cease Chenal from taking part in.
2) Will the Chiefs cornerbacks maintain up in one-on-one conditions?
If it will get to the purpose the place the Chiefs need to commit additional assets to the run, it’s going to go away their cornerbacks on islands vs. Devonta Smith and A.J. Brown. In a single-on-one conditions, how will they maintain up? Within the final Tremendous Bowl these groups performed, they struggled in these conditions.
This time? I’m truly extra snug. The Chiefs cornerbacks are not rookies and improved. McDuffie will be capable of maintain his personal on whichever receiver he faces. Brown is a trickier matchup for him, so I’d be open to the thought of getting him on Smith. Hopefully, Jaylen Watson can play extra snaps this week. I’d not really feel nice about having Nazeeh Johnson on both participant, however particularly Brown. Brown may outmuscle him at each level, and I feel the Eagles would mercilessly assault him in man protection.
For the Chiefs’ protection, if they will win sufficient one-on-ones vs. their huge receivers, they need to be capable of neutralize their passing recreation. The Eagles’ passing recreation isn’t extremely complicated; it depends on their skill to generate constructive matchups with their weapons and allow them to win individually. If the Chiefs can maintain up there, this might be a scenario the place the Eagles wrestle to throw.
3) What inventive seems can Spagnuolo use that confuses Jalen Hurts?
Regarding level 1, one motive I need the Chiefs to play with deeper safeties is that it’s simpler to get to funky protection seems from these formations, which I discover crucial on this recreation.
Jalen Hurts is an attention-grabbing quarterback. He has clear strengths and weaknesses. He limits turnovers, he’s a good scrambler, and he throws effectively outdoors the numbers. Nevertheless, he has huge warts in his recreation that I feel the NFL has discovered. He doesn’t throw with elite arm power, turns down open throws in buildings that aren’t vertical passes and tends to bail early within the pocket and blow up performs. His processing is inconsistent at finest, which results in breakdowns within the go play.
If a quarterback has these weaknesses, that’s music to Spagnuolo’s ears. When he can get inventive seems in passing downs, I wish to see the craziest stuff ever. Bizarre protection rotations, blitzes from in every single place, stunts, pressures. Something that may get Hurts to show down throws and attempt to create is what I wish to see. If the Chiefs can Hurts into that mode, there will probably be alternatives to create explosive performs on protection and neuter this passing offense.
The Chiefs have the G.O.A.T. defensive coordinator having the ability to create these chaotic seems. I feel blitzing must be an enormous a part of the sport plan. It’s laborious to beat the Eagles with a four-man rush, however the blitz can get Hurts to drop his eyes and throw passes away. Any bizarre method you will get strain can scale back the offense and the threats on it. The Chiefs might need a expertise deficit on this recreation defensively, however Spagnuolo vs. offensive coordinator Kellen Moore must be an enormous benefit for Kansas Metropolis.
