On Sunday, Feb. 9, all the stars will be out in New Orleans, Louisiana as the Chiefs and Eagles will cap off a long and arduous journey throughout their season in New Orleans. The premier sports event in the United States kicks off in the Caesars Superdome Sunday night, where millions of fans will be watching around the world.
How the Eagles can pull off the upset:
- Feed Saquon Barkley
The historic season of Saquon Barkley faces its biggest test against the Chiefs. The Chiefs have only let up an average of 96 rushing yards per game this season, with the most being 202 yards on Christmas Day against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Meanwhile, Saquon Barkley has arguably had one of the best seasons of any running back. His 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns each rank among the most in the NFL. Even in the postseason, Barkley hasn’t been able to be stopped. In the three games the Eagles have played, Barkley has racked up 442 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
If the Eagles want any chance to take home the Lombardi Trophy, they have to give Barkley the ball multiple times per drive. Unlike the Bills in the AFC Championship, who didn’t give James Cook the ball for multiple drives, the Eagles have to rely on Barkley to carry the load in the biggest game of the year.
- Keep track of the Kansas City’s Speedy Receivers
Throughout the regular season, receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown was out with a shoulder injury he suffered during the first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Brown returned to the Chiefs for their Dec. 21 game against the Texans.
Xavier Worthy, on the other hand, had to step up for the Chiefs offense during Brown’s absence. The first-round pick for KC in 2024 racked up 638 yards and six touchdowns during his rookie campaign and had 130 yards and a touchdown during the postseason.
The Eagles rookie defensive backs, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper Dejean are tasked with covering these speedy receivers. The Eagles also need to keep an eye on Deandre Hopkins, who has defied father time to become Patrick Mahomes’ security blanket of sorts because of his extraordinary hands.
- Watch The Blitz
It’s no secret that Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo loves to blitz his linebackers and defensive backs. Usually, Spagnuolo saves these exotic blitzes for the biggest moments, most notably the final play of the AFC championship against the Buffalo Bills. Against Buffalo, Spagnuolo put Trent McDuffie into a position where the Bills weren’t expecting him to blitz. McDuffie then motioned back into a blitz and ran down to pressure Josh Allen and force him to throw a prayer up to Dalton Kincaid.
The Eagles need to keep an eye on these blitzes. Jalen Hurts needs to identify the linebackers coming at him, especially during the final minutes of the game. The Eagles could be missing key pieces in their offensive line in Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson, which could spell trouble for Philadelphia in this one.
During the fourth quarter, Hurts needs to expect the Chiefs to blitz five+ players at him. If Hurts cannot, the Eagles could fail to pull off one of the biggest Super Bowl upsets.
What The Chiefs Need To Do To Win:
- Be Great
The Chiefs have been amazing at this the entire season. Kansas City has been the most well prepared and well coached team in the NFL for a couple of seasons now. The Chiefs just know how to win. Anytime things don’t seem to be going the Chiefs’ way, KC finds a way to win the game. That comes down to one simple factor: they’ve been there before. This sustained run by the Chiefs in the past seven years has brought tremendous experience for the Chiefs’ veterans. Greatness is just in the Chiefs DNA–no team in the NFL has as much playoff experience as the Chiefs do. That means the Chiefs have the ability to rise to the occasion in a way that many teams cannot.
- Protect Patrick Mahomes
During the Bulk of the regular season, the Chiefs have started either Kingsley Suamatieia or Wanya Morris at the left tackle. Recently, the Chiefs have moved their guard, Joe Thuney to tackle while slotting Mike Caliendo at guard. Thuney has been nothing short of excellent in his time at tackle.
On the other side of the line, Jawaan Taylor is tasked with trying to block Nolan Smith. Smith is a freak athlete on the defensive line. His 6’2, 235 lb frame is on the bigger side for edge rushers, but what sets Smith apart is his speed. His 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL combine is the third-best by a defensive lineman in combine history.
That presents a nightmare matchup for Taylor, who struggles with quicker linemen slipping past him. Taylor also tends to try to jump early when presented with speed rushers.
If the Chiefs want to chase history, they will have to keep Patrick Mahomes upright throughout the contest.
- Stop The Run
The huge success of Saquon Barkley this season has been well-documented. His ability to make 50+ yard rushes out of broken plays is unmatched. In the NFC championship game against the Washington Commanders, Barkley broke off a 68-yard touchdown on the Eagles’ first offensive play of the game, breaking multiple tackles on the way to the endzone. He had three touchdown runs that night, and his production is largely why the Eagles are in the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs need to stop Barkley when the time comes. It is imperative to the Chiefs winning that Barkley is contained. The Chiefs defensive line, most importantly Chris Jones, needs to know where Saquon is at all times. Barkley can single-handedly sink the Chiefs’ chances to make history with a three-peat.
On Sunday night in New Orleans, both teams will battle it out in the most anticipated sporting event of the year. The stakes for the game are as high as ever. The Chiefs are trying to become the first team in NFL history to get three championships in a row. The Eagles are trying to pull off the biggest Super Bowl upset since 2008 when the New York Giants spoiled the undefeated season of the New England Patriots on “The Helmet Catch” by David Tyree in the fourth quarter to quash the Pats’ perfect season.
