Saquon Barkley has had a historic season and has been the driving pressure behind the Philadelphia Eagles’ run to the Tremendous Bowl. He rushed for over 2,000 yards within the common season and has averaged 147.3 speeding yards per recreation within the three playoff video games to date.
Barkley will want one other large recreation within the Tremendous Bowl for the Eagles to have an opportunity to win towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. Nevertheless, Greg Jennings doubts the star working again may dominate the Chiefs’ protection.
Greg Jennings Is Not Offered on Saquon Barkley Making an Impression in Tremendous Bowl
Throughout a phase on FS1’s “The Breakfast Ball,” Craig Carton mentioned how Barkley would simply rush for over 100 yards within the Tremendous Bowl, however the former Inexperienced Bay Packers wideout didn’t consider it.
“I’m not so positive he’s,” Jennings stated. “Look, right here’s the deal, the Chiefs D [defense] has to win the road of scrimmage. It’s important to win the road of scrimmage and get them out of what they wish to do. Make Kellen Moore query working the ball, after which, conversely, your offense [Chiefs] has to rise up. That’s the formulation to success.”
Jennings, who gained the Tremendous Bowl with the Packers in 2011, talked about that though the Chiefs have all the time tailored through the Tremendous Bowl video games to win, it will likely be higher in the event that they get off to an excellent begin.
He talked about how the Eagles have been rattled in Week 4 towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after they have been down 24-0 within the second quarter. Since they have been down by a number of scores, Philadelphia needed to cease working the ball, which pressured Barkley out of the sport.
“I do not suppose Kansas Metropolis has seen a staff as full because the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles must be favored… Saquon Barkley is working for 100 yards.” — @craigcartonlive
“I am not so positive he’s”
— @GregJennings pic.twitter.com/70hcIz1TA7
— Breakfast Ball (@BrkfstBallOnFS1) January 31, 2025
“They [Eagles] received down early. Saquon was having a improbable recreation, however he didn’t have an opportunity to get going,” Jennings added. “10 carries for 84 yards, like eight over eight yards a carry. However while you get down a lot and fast, your offensive coordinator, your play-caller now’s like, ‘Effectively, I gotta throw the ball,’ and that’s precisely what you need this staff doing.”
As evident by nearly all of their playoff video games and previous Tremendous Bowl matchups, the Chiefs typically begin taking part in properly as soon as they’re down by at the very least 10 factors. They’ve the expertise of taking part in from behind, however like Jennings stated, if Patrick Mahomes and Co. are in a position to construct a lead within the first half, it’ll pressure the Eagles to throw the ball.
Jalen Hurts performed properly within the NFC Championship Sport and in addition placed on a present within the Tremendous Bowl matchup towards the Chiefs two seasons in the past, however he’s nonetheless thought of the weak hyperlink on the offense.
The Chiefs’ secondary can be robust to dominate.
Chiefs’ Protection Has Restricted RBs All through the Season
The Chiefs’ protection all the time performs considerably higher in large moments, and they are going to be decided to be higher within the Tremendous Bowl after permitting 29 factors within the AFC Championship Sport.
Per Worth Carter, the Chiefs haven’t allowed a working again to hurry for over 100 yards because the Week 16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders within the 2023 NFL season. In that recreation, Zamir White rushed for 145 yards on 22 carries.
Since then, Kansas Metropolis’s protection has prevented Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, Bijan Robinson, Alvin Kamara, James Cook dinner, and Joe Mixon (amongst others) from utterly taking on.
The Chiefs have not allowed a working again to get 100 yards or extra because the Christmas day debacle towards the Raiders.
Lamar Jackson scrambled for 122 within the season opener this 12 months.
— Worth Carter (@priceacarter) January 31, 2025
Cook dinner and Mixon performed properly towards the Chiefs this postseason, however they may not rush for over 100 yards. This offers the defending Tremendous Bowl champions confidence of their capacity to restrict Barkley.
A participant of Barkley’s caliber can be practically inconceivable to take out of the sport utterly. Nevertheless, if the Chiefs’ protection doesn’t permit lengthy runs, the Eagles can be below strain and will make errors.
The final time these two groups performed one another within the Tremendous Bowl, other than Hurts, the Eagles have been in a position to rush for under 45 yards on 17 carries. So, it will likely be attention-grabbing to see how Nick Sirianni’s staff will function if the Chiefs’ protection can neutralize Barkley.
