The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs ran by the 2024 marketing campaign with constantly robust efforts in opposition to the run. The protection completed the common season with 4.1 yards per rush allowed, the seventh-lowest charge within the NFL. No working again reached even 90 dashing yards in a sport in opposition to the Chiefs; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was the one particular person opponent to cross the century mark (122).
In Tremendous Bowl 59, that resume will go face to face with the Philadelphia Eagles and working again Saquon Barkley, the NFL’s main rusher averaging 129 yards per sport by the playoffs.
“Our arms are full right here with Saquon,” Spags informed reporters. You guys have seen the tape, he’s fairly elite, there’s nothing he can’t do. One of many issues that go unnoticed is how good of a cross protector he’s, and he’s actually sensible… he’s going to be the hardest problem we’ve had within the run sport this yr.”
Over three postseason video games, Barkley has 442 dashing yards on 66 carries — averaging 6.7 yards per try in probably the most significant video games of his profession. He has landing runs of 62, 78, and 60 during the last two wins.
He’s arrange nicely by a robust Eagles’ offensive line, so Spagnuolo can be emphasizing open-field tackling to the off-ball defenders going after the 6 toes tall, 233-pound All-Professional again.
“The factor we all the time speak about constructing it, setting it, and monitoring it,” Spagnuolo shared. “Constructing a wall, setting an edge, and monitoring the hip. The monitoring the hip half is absolutely necessary, as a result of Saquon can stick his foot within the floor and reduce, he has reduce all the way in which again and that’s when he has made these large runs.”
On the floor, it includes the Chiefs’ linebackers and safeties staying of their correct rush lanes in run protection, however it’s additionally about every participant’s depth.
“We actually get in hassle when guys get on completely different ranges,” Spagnuolo defined. “One man will get upfield, and he finds that spot. So not creating these seams and never permitting [Barkley] to seek out them goes to be actually necessary for us.”
Barkley’s big-play risk is paired with Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts, who himself has rushed for a 44-yard landing this postseason. Sometimes, the specter of Hurts’ legs is available in brief yardage with the “Tush Push.”
Josh Allen has been stuffed in need of the road to achieve by the Chiefs on three QB sneaks to this point tonight, probably the most run stuffs by a protection in opposition to sneaks in a sport within the NGS period (since 2016). https://t.co/osz8m69VUi
— Subsequent Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) January 27, 2025
Within the AFC Championship, the Chiefs’ protection placed on an unbelievable efficiency, stuffing Buffalo Payments quarterback Josh Allen on quarterback sneaks. Spagnuolo is aware of these performs can be more difficult to cease within the Tremendous Bowl.
“I feel the Eagles have perfected this over two of three years,” Spags identified. “That offensive line is constructed, they might most likely take the offensive line and win some rugby tournaments. They’re that large and bodily… I used to be actual happy with the way in which the blokes defended these specific performs in opposition to Buffalo final week, that is most likely an entire completely different problem this week.”
Defensive linemen Mike Pennel and Chris Jones teamed up with linebacker Nick Bolton and security Justin Reid to stuff the Payments. That physicality must be multiplied in opposition to Philadelphia.
“It’s actually laborious,” Spags admitted of making ready for the sneak. “We’re not placing pads on, that’s a bodily play within the sport of soccer, you could have a whole lot of guys ramming one another, we’re definitely not doing that. we attempt to do it on luggage. We attempt to speak about issues, we simply did a walkthrough the place we really went by, speaking about matches and the place guys ought to go… the primary time we’ll get a shot at stopping it will likely be within the sport.”
Whether or not it’s Barkley’s explosive performs, Hurts’ effectivity on situational downs, or the final energy of the beginning 5 linemen, the Chiefs’ run protection is gearing up for presumably the stiffest problem of this whole three-year championship run.
