Super Bowl Film Preview: This Eagles defense matches up extremely well with this Chiefs offense

Goodness me, the Eagles are in one other Tremendous Bowl! I’ve watched a ton of Chiefs movie … so this may be an extended one. I made a decision whether or not or to not deal with a number of particular areas, nevertheless it’s the Tremendous Bowl! I’ll simply cowl as a lot as I presumably can. Hopefully, that is as complete a preview as you have to!

I take advantage of a bunch of stats on this one, and credit score goes to Group Rankings, PFF, and Sports activities Information Options. Lastly, my podcast co-host @ShaneHaffNFL is answerable for placing a few of the graphics collectively on this one.

Chiefs Offense vs. the Eagles Protection

Final week, I rewatched the All22 of the Chiefs vs. Payments AFC Championship Sport and commented on each play. I loved it and located it extraordinarily helpful. I’ll remark fairly a bit on that sport on this one. If you wish to take a look at the video, I did it on my Patreon, which you’ll be able to subscribe to right here. I discovered quite a bit from doing it!

The Fundamentals

The Chiefs run as a lot heavy personnel as any crew within the league. Lower than 50% 11 personnel is fairly insane within the fashionable NFL. You will notice this all through the article, however it’s no shock that the Chiefs rank 1st in utilizing RPOs.

There are a variety of designed rollouts and screens, too. This offense is all concerning the quick throws!

Misdirection, RPOs & YAC

The secret is misdirection. This isn’t an ordinary dropback offense. All the pieces this Chiefs’ offense does is about complicated the protection. All the pieces. They don’t have sufficient expertise to take a 5-step drop and throw it on time. It’s not what they do. It’s all RPOs with misdirection. It’s irritating as hell. But it surely’s laborious to cease.

I got here into the movie anticipating all the pieces to be about Travis Kelce. It isn’t. Xavier Worthy is the X-Issue. His velocity and talent set create a lot confusion. He’s consistently transferring, stretching the protection horizontally and vertically. Take a look at the rep beneath. The Chiefs pretend GH Counter, however the tight finish does a 180 and finally ends up lead blocking for Worthy. That’s so intelligent.

Pretend the run to the left and throw it to the proper to a receiver coming throughout the formation who ran a 4.21 40. Soccer is straightforward. The Payments don’t play man protection right here, however they nonetheless can’t cease Worthy as a result of the linebacker is caught staring into the backfield. Andy Reid should have sprinted to the rostrum when Worthy is obtainable. He’s the right match for this offense.

Extra misdirection… Worthy is eye sweet on each single play. You have to be so disciplined on protection.

The Chiefs don’t simply run easy RPOs and throw it to the flat each time. They’ve some implausible designs. Travis Kelce will all the time be a risk, so Reid makes use of him as eye sweet right here. The defenders’ eyes naturally go to Kelce and Worthy, working to the left. So, Mahomes throws it over the defenders’ head and hits JuJu Smith-Schuster over the center.

We’ve seen the Eagles have points within the flat this season. I assure you that Reid goes to focus on them with fast screens. The Eagles should rally to the soccer and deal with effectively. You’ll be able to’t be too aggressive towards the Chiefs, or they may make you pay. Regardless of that, it is advisable to get after the ball rapidly if you see the ball thrown.

Inverted Wishbone

When you’ve by no means seen the ‘Inverted Wishbone’ formation… prepare for it! The Chiefs use it quite a bit. This formation has Patrick Mahomes within the Pistol with two cross catchers on both facet. They love working this formation as a result of it causes a lot confusion on the defensive facet. As I said earlier, it’s all about misdirection…

Misdirection… eye sweet… it’s what this offense does. Andy Reid is nearly as good as anybody at stretching a protection horizontally and testing the protection’s fundamentals and self-discipline. That is implausible sport planning. Many groups will run a ‘scrape change’ towards any play the place the quarterback is studying the EDGE defender, however through the use of the inverted wishbone, the Chiefs have a lead blocker to get the linebacker who’s scraping. They may check the Eagles’ EDGE defenders quite a bit.

Check out the second stage of the Payments’ protection. They haven’t acquired a clue what the Chiefs’ offense is doing. Andy Reid destroyed Sean McDermott’s’ protection.

Extra inverted wishbone? Oh, go on then…

Mahomes ran for two touchdowns final week, and can do it once more if you happen to don’t play the sting effectively.

The Chiefs normally begin the play within the Pistol Offset formation, with two tight ends subsequent to Mahomes on the identical facet. One will normally movement to the alternative facet to create the inverted wishbone. Nevertheless, the 2 tight ends will generally keep subsequent to Mahomes and the Chiefs will run out of the Pistol Offset formation. Simply to present you one thing else to consider as a protection!

In case I haven’t made this clear by now… it’s all about misdirection and deception.

4-Robust

Andy Reid loves working 4-strong. He’ll isolate the X-receiver and flood the passing energy. After they run this between the ’20s, Mahomes will usually goal the X-receiver. Particularly, if that is Xavier Worthy. Nevertheless, within the pink zone, he hardly ever targets the X. He normally throws it to the 4-receiver facet so he can flood one facet of the sector. Mahomes is extremely sharp and solely wants a tiny window to fireplace it in. He has unbelievable arm energy. You could be extraordinarily disciplined in your zone match protection to remove all 4 of those routes.

Because of these tight window throws, defenses can be aggressive within the quick space and soar throughout these Travis Kelce routes. So, what do the Chiefs do? They throw it over the linebacker’s head. The Chiefs’ talent is sequencing performs collectively. Andy Reid is aware of how the protection goes to play them. He’s all the time one step forward of the opposing defensive coordinator. That’s what makes Reid so good. He doesn’t have a transparent philosophy, however he’ll discover a protection weak spot and relentlessly go after it.

After all, Reid received’t make the 4-strong look predictable. The Chiefs run a variety of ‘quick 4’, the place you movement the again out to the Journeys facet simply earlier than the snap. That is all to check the defensive guidelines. Each member of the secondary must know their assignments and the way they may alter to the Chiefs’ movement.

Rub/Choose Ideas

I might not play a lot man protection in any respect towards this offense. It might be tempting to play man protection as a result of the Chiefs’ receivers will not be superb. However Andy Reid is the grasp of scheming open receivers towards man protection. The Payments performed a variety of single-high man protection towards the Chiefs, which was a complete catastrophe. The Chiefs’ offense destroyed man protection. Even if you happen to get stress rapidly on Mahomes, he’s extraordinarily comfy getting the ball out rapidly and discovering the open receiver. Blitzing this offense and enjoying man protection is dangerous. I wouldn’t do it.

There are a ton of ideas on movie like this. The Chiefs like to get Mahomes on the transfer, too, to make these throws even simpler. You can’t play apparent single-high man protection. Fortunately, the Eagles do not do that as a lot!

Discover the similarity between the 2 performs beneath…

That is Andy Reid at his most interesting. The identical play dressed up otherwise. Don’t play man protection towards this crew within the pink zone.

Worthy – Deep Photographs

I’ve already talked about him a ton. Worthy is the man the Eagles must cease. The Chiefs wouldn’t have the receivers to go down the sector. This isn’t an offense that takes a variety of deep photographs. Nevertheless, every now and then, Mahomes will take a shot to Worthy. The Chiefs will throw it quick, attempt to get the protection to come back nearer to the LOS, after which chuck it deep. You have to be disciplined on the again finish.

When watching the deep photographs, it was clear that the Chiefs like to throw them on 2nd and quick. Control the deep play-action photographs on 2nd and quick.

Patrick Mahomes

Regardless of being the perfect participant within the NFL, I really feel like Mahomes should be underrated by some. He’s not had his most interesting 12 months, however the movie continues to be fairly unbelievable. I don’t get to enter element right here. It’s simply value declaring that generally the protection can do all the pieces proper, and Mahomes can nonetheless make a play.

The Chiefs Operating Sport

Have you ever observed that I’ve barely talked about the Chiefs’ working sport? It’s as a result of it isn’t value specializing in. The working backs aren’t nice. The blocking is common. Nevertheless, the design is sweet. As identified all through the article, the run sport depends on misdirection. Count on a variety of eye sweet. When you can ignore the distractions, they run a variety of zone runs, and it’s fairly common. The working sport is all about staying forward of the sticks. The Chiefs run the ball as a result of they must. They do it on early downs to keep away from entering into 2nd and lengthy conditions. The Eagles should win up entrance and shut down the Chiefs’ early down run sport.

third and Lengthy

This isn’t an offense that wins on third and lengthy. They do not have the expertise. The offense has to remain forward of the sticks as a result of the RPOs and misdirection are nowhere close to as efficient when the protection can sit of their zones close to the LOS. Profitable on early downs is completely important towards this offense. The movie confirmed a nasty crew on third and lengthy, however I wished to examine my homework and requested my stats buddy @ShaneHaffNFL, who confirmed my ideas.

On third/4th and eight+, the Chiefs have a 32.3% passing success fee which ranks seventeenth within the NFL. Their Bust Charge is greater than the Eagles in these conditions at 30.8% vs 38.6%.

It’s possible you’ll assume that seventeenth isn’t horrible, however I anticipate a crew with Reid and Mahomes to be quite a bit higher.

How do you beat this offense?

I’ve excellent news! I feel this Eagles’ protection matches up extraordinarily effectively with this Chiefs’ offense. I went again and watched each sack of Mahomes and each interception he threw. There are some fairly clear themes. Firstly, it is advisable to get the offense behind the sticks. You should win on early downs. Cease the first and 10 runs.

You then play split-safety coverages and rush 4. You’ll be able to run some simulated pressures, however Mahomes could be very fast to diagnose stress. I want dashing 4, enjoying zone (bracketing Kelce) and permitting the surface cornerbacks to go one-on-one with the Chiefs’ receivers. Mahomes will pressure it when he will get pissed off.

It might frustrate some followers, however I might play a bend however don’t break type. I don’t thoughts if the Chiefs examine it down quite a bit and get into the pink zone so long as you tighten up and pressure a subject purpose. As a result of lack of receiving expertise, Mahomes should take photographs into tight home windows. The protection can make the most of this.

As soon as once more, that is the way you play this offense. Rush 4, collapse the pocket with good rush lane integrity, and get quite a few defenders round Kelce. Mahomes and Kelce play a variety of ‘buddy ball’ the place Kelce will discover any open area towards the protection. Because of this enjoying man protection is dangerous. This play additionally reveals what a protection can do in the event that they don’t fall for the attention sweet. Take a look at the depth that the linebackers get right here. They don’t fall for the play-action in any respect. It’s all about being disciplined in protection.

I watched each sack the Chiefs took, and lots of of them got here from this kind of play. Mahomes would not wish to take checkdowns on third and lengthy. He desires first downs. So, he’ll look to increase performs as a result of he’s excellent out of construction. As a protection, I wouldn’t ship a variety of stress or play man protection on third and lengthy. Play zone protection, be disciplined in protection, and get our bodies round Kelce. The Chiefs’ offense doesn’t scare me in apparent passing conditions. They simply don’t have the expertise to win on the surface. It’s all about stopping Kelce and profitable on early downs.

That is my favourite sack that I watched. The Raiders ship 4 and rotate from split-safety to single-high. That is one thing I may see the Eagles doing quite a bit. Nevertheless, quite then enjoying straight-up man protection, they permit the surface cornerbacks to take care of the surface receivers one-on-one and get a variety of our bodies round Kelce in the course of the sector. Mahomes ought to take the examine down, however he doesn’t wish to on third and lengthy!

I feel that’s sufficient movie!

Total

The Eagles’ protection has considerably extra expertise than this Chiefs’ offense. Truthfully, it’s an enchanting offense to review as a result of it’s so extremely well-designed, and Patrick Mahomes is unbelievable. However the expertise stage isn’t very excessive. When you can keep disciplined and never fall for the misdirection and deception, there isn’t quite a bit that scares me. Worthy is the X-Issue. He has reliable game-breaking velocity, and Andy Reid is aware of it. Reid makes use of him in so many alternative methods. Mahomes and Kelce will all the time make a number of unbelievable performs, however you possibly can cease this relationship by enjoying sturdy zone protection and getting a variety of eyes round Kelce. Bear in mind when the Eagles performed man protection and despatched 5 final week, and Washington threw to Zach Ertz back-to-back after he beat Reed Blankenship in man protection? Yeah, the Eagles should not try this once more.

This protection has the expertise to cease the Chiefs’ offense, and I really feel fairly assured about it. Nevertheless, you possibly can by no means be too assured when enjoying Patrick Mahomes.

Thanks for studying! I’d love to listen to your ideas, so be happy to remark beneath and ask any questions. When you loved this piece, yow will discover extra of my work and podcast right here.