Mr. Mahomes comes to Philadelphia. Eagles say they’ll be ready. | Early Birds
The Chiefs have plenty of playmakers on offense, so what can the Eagles do to slow them down?
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Good afternoon, Eagles fans. The Eagles (1-2) host former coach Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs (1-2) Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.
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Eagles defense prepares Patrick Mahomes
The Chiefs might be 1-2, but they’re still one of the most talented teams in the league. They have a plethora of offensive weapons, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
Last season, the Chiefs led the NFL with 415.8 yards per game, including a league-best 303.4 passing yards per game. The Chiefs, like the Eagles, are coming off back-to-back losses. They dropped a one-point heartbreaker against the Ravens in Week 2 and lost to the Chargers by a single touchdown in Week 3.
“Our guys are ready for the challenge, and we’ll have a good plan for them,” defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon said this week. “[Hill] is really good with the ball in his hands. He makes some catches that you’re like, ‘Man, that ball was a little underthrown or a little overthrown or behind him.’ He adjusts to the ball in the air. He’s got elite ball skills to me. Elite ball skills with elite speed, it’s a tough cover.
“[Mahomes] is extremely accurate. What I really think is when you look at their offense, they make you cover horizontally and vertically, and they use space extremely well to me. And he can make all those throws. We have to do a good job of minimizing some of those explosive plays when he gets off schedule. When he starts moving around, their guys do a good job of knowing how to get open, what spots to find. He can be running this way on the numbers and throw it back over here where typically you’d be like, ‘He’s never going to throw it over there.’”
Gannon concluded: “It’s going to be a big challenge for us.”