Eagles beat writers weigh in on the Super Bowl LVII matchup with the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes

In the Eagles-Chiefs matchup a year ago, the Kansas City offense scored touchdowns on six of its seven possessions, aside from Patrick Mahomes kneeling out the end of the game. The only drive that didn’t end in the end zone was the opening drive of the third quarter when Mahomes tossed an interception to — checks stat sheet — Eric Wilson(!). Wilson, a linebacker who would be released a month later, intercepted the best quarterback of his generation. Amazing. Anyway, Jonathan Gannon clearly had difficulty matching Andy Reid’s offense. He has the personnel, 15 months later in the Super Bowl, to do much better.

Reid, shockingly, ran the ball almost as much as he had Mahomes drop — a 27 to 35 ratio — in Kansas City’s 42-30 victory at Lincoln Financial Field. Even the pass-happy coach knew a light box when he saw it and Chiefs running backs rushed for 144 yards on 24 carries. Mahomes was efficient through the air, as well. He completed 24 of 30 passes for 278 yards and five touchdowns. Receiver Tyreek Hill caught 11 of those throws for 186 yards and three scores. Hill is no longer in Kansas City. But Mahomes hasn’t missed a beat. He also still has tight end Travis Kelce, toward whom Gannon bracketed coverage in that meeting.

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It was pick your poison for the defensive coordinator, but Hill’s absence doesn’t mean he should focus on Kelce again. Mahomes likes to spread the ball around. A couple of his receivers are banged up, so he may not have all his pieces. And he, of course, is unlikely to be 100% healthy with the ankle sprain. But the key to containing Mahomes will be pressure. Yeah, he can twist and turn out of trouble with the best of them, and improvise like no other, but if you can take away his first reads, you can force him into bad decisions, throws, and maybe sack him. Gannon is unlikely to blitz him much and he shouldn’t. The Eagles have been able to get home enough with four almost all season and Mahomes is one of the best vs. the blitz. But that doesn’t mean Gannon shouldn’t dress up his rushes.

In terms of his coverages, Gannon has better back-end personnel to execute his two-high safety zones than he did a year ago. But he might be inclined to call a little more man coverage, especially if one of the Chiefs’ top receivers is out. Just to sprinkle it up. Mahomes is going to have his successful drives. The key is limiting the damage, keeping him off the field as much as possible, and forcing him into mistakes, which can lead to interceptions. But if Gannon just plays it straight, or if Reid is content to take what is given on the ground and the Eagles can’t contain the run, Mahomes will carve up the Eagles when he does drop.

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The memory of Hill gaining easy separation against Wilson in zone coverage for a touchdown feels like like ages ago. In reality, it was roughly 16 months ago.

Fortunately for the Eagles, the complexion of their defense has changed quite drastically since the Mahomes show rolled through the Linc last season. The group’s secondary is more versatile, the linebackers more capable and, perhaps most importantly, the pass rush more fearsome.

Mahomes has been hobbled with an ankle injury the last two games. He’s still the best quarterback in the NFL and the type of player that can make even the most well-called, well-executed defense for naught, but if he’s limited the Eagles pass rush will have a golden opportunity to impact the game. The Chiefs lost the 2021 Super Bowl because of an inability to protect Mahomes against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That game can serve as a blueprint.

Even with steady pressure, stopping the Chiefs offense will be the biggest challenge the Eagles have faced all season or postseason. Kelce has been the best tight end in the game the last few years, and Reid has the combination of championship experience and play-calling prowess to suggest the Chiefs will put up points. Expect Reid to test the Eagles’ linebackers in coverage early and often and combat the Eagles’ pass rush with quick passes.

On the other side of the ball, the Eagles will likely need an excellent game from Jalen Hurts to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. This has the makings of a shootout, and the Chiefs defense has been solid this season. The group is good at limiting explosive passes and its pass rush led by Chris Jones and Frank Clark will keep the Eagles’ offensive line occupied.

Running the football with success will be paramount for the Eagles. They were able to reel off productive rushes against the No. 2-ranked 49ers run defense, so the Chiefs should be gettable in this regard.

All of this comes down to the job Gannon’s group does against Mahomes. If the Eagles can bracket Kelce without giving up too much to KC’s stable of receivers and running backs in the passing game, they can give the pass rush the time it needs to affect Mahomes. If his ankle keeps him from the magic he’s become famous for, the defense has a chance. If he’s his old self, Gannon might be in for a long night.

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Nick Sirianni was asked Tuesday about the last meeting involving the Eagles and Chiefs, in Week 4 of the 2021 season. Resetting that scene: In just his eighth career start, Hurts stood toe-to-toe with Mahomes in a memorable shootout. Playing with a roster lacking in offensive star power, Hurts passed for a career-high 387 yards with two touchdowns. He added 47 rushing yards in the loss.

“I thought he played really well that game,” Sirianni recalled of Hurts’ performance. “I thought Jalen played a really good game. To see him [progress], how he’s continued to grow each day since then. That’s some of the things you see there, too. It’s like, ‘Man, he continues to get better.’ He had a great game that day, but he continues to get better. That’s the kind of guy he is. He just strives to get better each day.

“Jalen – his leadership, his ability to improve each day, you’ll definitely see that, and you’ve definitely seen him improve since that day.”

Mahomes has established himself as one of the best players in the world. Meanwhile, Hurts has displayed impressive strides since arriving to the NFL as a second-round pick by the Eagles in 2020. Hurts waited behind incumbent starter Carson Wentz before Hurts displaced Wentz from his starting role toward the end of his rookie season. In Year 2, Hurts flashed a plus option in the run game, but he was hampered by his slow decision-making and also poor receiver play — outside of then-rookie DeVonta Smith. In Year 3, Hurts has blossomed. Thanks to an elite offensive line and the addition of star receiver A.J. Brown, Hurts has developed into a legitimate MVP candidate alongside Mahomes.

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Both teams have experienced roster turnover — good and bad — since that Week 4 meeting in 2021. It’s fitting that the top two teams, with an identical league-high 16 wins each, are Super Bowl-bound.