With the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles gearing up for Super Bowl LVII, Mahomes presents the biggest challenge yet for the Philly defense
The stage is set and the lights have never been brighter as the Kansas City Chiefs are ready to square off with the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. As usual for the week leading up to the Super Bowl, the media has inundated the public with every storyline and narrative imaginable: Andy Reid facing his old team, the Kelce brothers dueling it out, the first Super Bowl matchup showcasing two African American starting quarterbacks, the list goes on.
One storyline that surely stands out for Chiefs Kingdom involves the dominance of the Eagles’ defense throughout the season. To their credit, they have been incredibly successful throughout the year at stifling opposing offenses, though a deeper dive will reveal that the competition level they’ve faced has been lackluster.
Patrick Mahomes, who is expected to win his second MVP this year, is a different breed, the likes of which the Philly defense hasn’t seen all year.
Giving the Eagles some credit
If one takes an analytical approach, the Eagles’ defense had an incredible year. They led the league in the lowest yards per game allowed with 290.3 and ranked fourth in terms of points per game allowed with 18.8. Additionally, they have gotten after the quarterback more than any team in the league with an astounding 4.1 sacks per game and a total of 70 on the year.
This has surely helped the Eagles in another category in which they lead the league, as they have allowed the lowest average team passer rating of 80.1. The Eagles’ defense deserves respect. However, a deeper dive reveals that the offenses they’ve faced aren’t anything special.
The Eagles haven’t faced elite offenses consistently
To be fair, the Eagles don’t get to choose their opponents and ended the regular season with an impressive record of 14-3. Throughout the year their defense has been lauded for its success and ability to dominate opposing offenses and quarterbacks. That being said, an analysis of the offenses they have faced reveals that they’ve seldom had to defend against elite offenses. The average amount of points per game scored among the teams the Eagles faced in the regular season is only 20.8 which ranks just 19th in the league.
Furthermore, the Eagles have never truly had to face a top-tier quarterback at any point in the season. They’ve only faced three quarterbacks who finished top-ten in QBR: Purdy who ranks 1, Goff who ranks 7, and Tannehill who ranks 10. The Eagles beat all three of these quarterbacks, though the devil is in the details. Tannehill and Purdy were both injured and weren’t able to finish their games. Meanwhile, Goff, the only top-ten quarterback they’ve faced who played a full game against them managed to hang 35 points.
Additionally, it could be argued that the only other good-to-great quarterbacks they’ve faced are Dak Prescott and Aaron Rodgers. Once again, when faced with a solid quarterback the Eagles’ defense wasn’t able to display its usual dominance. Prescott put up 40 points while Rodgers put up 33.
Patrick Mahomes presents new challenge
The Eagles have yet to face an offense like Kansas City’s this season. The only time they’ve faced a top-five offense in terms of points per game was Dallas and Detroit, ranking fourth and fifth respectively, and as previously mentioned both teams were able to put up over 35 points. The Chiefs lead the league in this category with 28.7 and present the biggest obstacle this defense has faced all season. The KC offense also ranks first in several other statistical categories including team passing rating, yards per game, and passing touchdowns per game.
It’s a story Chiefs fans have seen before. Mahomes is set to face a top defense and analysts around the league remain fixated on all the problems they’re about to give him. Time and time again, however, Mahomes has willed his team to victory against even the most elite defenders the NFL has to offer.
With the cementation of his legacy at stake, this Sunday, Mahomes will present the biggest challenge the Eagles have faced throughout the year as he seeks to hoist up the Lombardi for the second time in his young career.