How Will the Chiefs Defense Approach the Eagles Offense?
It’s not earth shattering to say that defenses should prioritize stopping the run game when they play the Eagles. Teams have a much better chance of coming out on top if the game is put on Jalen Hurts’ shoulders and Philadelphia is forced to win through the air.
That’s a lot easier said than done, however.
As Greg Cosell mentioned in my interview with him at the end of the regular season, “It has never been [Hurts’] strength to throw the ball between the numbers. That’s not who he is. He’s just not comfortable doing that […] So he works a lot outside the numbers.”
Interestingly enough, of the 20 completions and 246 yards that Hurts threw for in the NFC Championship Game, exactly 0 of them came on throws between the numbers 10 yards or more from the line of scrimmage.
I think Greg pretty much nailed that scouting report.
Given Hurts’ profile as a passer, it would make sense for the Chiefs to try and take away 1-on-1’s on the outside, forcing him to operate in the middle of the field.
But that often requires playing a split-safety defense. And playing with 2 safeties deep leaves fewer defenders to account for the run, which defenses really don’t want to do against the Eagles.
That played itself out in the numbers this season. According to data from
of MatchQuarters, defenses tended to shy away from 2-high coverages against the Eagles, opting instead to play more single-high:
More single-high coverage means more 1-on-1 matchups on the outside where Hurts is at his best. And that’s where he has the receivers in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to scare any defense:
This is the predicament defenses face against Philadelphia. If you dedicate extra defenders to the run game to account for Saquon Barkley, you’re also playing into the strength of their passing game. It’s a pick-your-poison situation.
So how will the Chiefs defense handle this conflict?