Super Bowl 59

Super Bowl LIX Will Be Won At the Line of Scrimmage

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NFL

Super Bowl LIX will come down to one thing – the battle in the trenches. It’s a critical centerpiece for both of these franchises recent success. Football fans witnessed something special when the Philadelphia Eagles steamrolled their way to seven rushing touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game. Pure dominance on display, and they are now the only thing stopping the Chiefs 3-peat.  

The Tale of the Trenches

The Chiefs’ defensive front is playing out of their minds right now. Just ask Houston – they got buried under eight sacks in the Divisional Round. If Jalen Hurts gets caught holding the ball, he will pay the price. Chris Jones might only have five sacks in the regular season, but don’t let that fool you; the heart of KC’s defense showed up when it mattered most, blowing up a critical fourth-down attempt for Buffalo in the AFC title game. 

The Eagles’ pass rush is full of disrupters. Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith are leading a defensive line that’s been terrorizing quarterbacks. This front has accumulating ten sacks in their last three games. The Chiefs offensive line is no stranger to making adjustments when facing elite units. In the AFC title game, they kicked All-Pro guard Joe Thuney outside to tackle and they managed their way to victory. This adds a little wrinkle to possible matchups that will come from such adjustments. If all remains the same – Mike Caliendo continues playing guard, and now he’s got to deal with Jordan Davis. Talk about baptism by fire.

Both fronts are battling injuries, the Eagles watched Cam Jurgens fight through a back injury in the NFC Championship, while Landon Dickerson’s knee had everyone holding their breath.  Jurgens had to sit the first half against Washington, then Dickerson’s knee acted up, forcing Jurgens back into the game. But these Eagles linemen are built different – they kept the protection solid through it all. Both sides are going to have get early wins in preparation trying to leverage the extra week to get healthy. 

Run Blocking Strategies

The ground game tells the whole story here. Philadelphia’s rushing attack leads the NFC with 186.6 yards per game in the regular season. This is a new dominate part of their identity that Philly was not equipped with the first time these two teams matched up in the Super Bowl. Saquon Barkley has turned into an absolute monster in his first season with the Birds, averaging 5.8 yards every time he touches the rock, supporting his 2,000+ rushing yard regular season campaign. 

He racked up 442 yards in three playoff games, with only 15 carries in the NFC title game. This light workload is a win for the Eagles this late in the season. They’ll look to take advantage of a Chiefs run defense that gave up 105 yards per game on the ground, ranking 22nd in the NFL this season.

Kansas City has found their methodical rhythm using their zone blocking scheme. They may not be as explosive as they were once famous for, but their offensive line has created beautiful running lanes. Playing such a fast defensive front like the Eagles, they’ll need to get their RPOs in the mix. If they can’t block someone, they’ll read them.  

Pass Protection Challenges

Patrick Mahomes is getting pressured more than he’s accustomed to. Mahomes took 36 sacks in the regular season alone – his worst beating yet. His only Super Bowl appearance where the Chiefs lost, the Buccaneers got after him all game. The Eagles don’t need fancy blitz packages to wreck your gameplan. Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio only has a blitz rate between 18-21% in the regular season and postseason. They have the luxury to disrupt the pocket without even sending extra guys. Philly will go as far as that front four will take them. If they play their best football, the trophy is theirs. 

Both teams will find their creative ways in their protection schemes. The Chiefs will get the ball out quick just as they started against Buffalo. Their methods of holding up pass rushers with RPO’s has allowed players like Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown to excel in these playoff games. Their game-plan is crystal clear – don’t let these edge rushers disrupt the game and force turnovers. Before Championship Sunday teams were 7-0 this postseason that won the turnover battle. The one team that managed a victory despite losing the turnover battle were these almighty Chiefs. They might not get away with it in New Orleans as the turnover battle will be the most crucial team statistic. 

Winner Takes All in New Orleans

The story of the Chiefs 3-peat or the end of a dynasty will be determined by trench warfare. Both offensive lines aren’t just facing another game – they’re staring down their toughest test yet. The Eagles’ ground game looks unstoppable but guys banged up, they’ll have to overcome the Chiefs, who have simply been there before. The fall of the Chiefs will happen if they do not lock down their protection or Chiefs fans will flashbacks to their beatdown in Super Bowl LV. 

Whoever controls the clock and wins the turnover battle will continue what has occurred throughout the rest of this postseason. The Eagles now have that explosive dynamic that they didn’t have in this matchup two years ago in Saquon Barkley.  Chris Jones and that defensive front will have their hands full adding that to their gameplan from Super Bowl 57. History tells us something pretty clear – you win in the trenches, you win the Lombardi. This rematch? Although the experts will talk about playmakers and dynasties when the confetti comes down, but the true football fans know the big game will be decided at the line of scrimmage. 

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