How Will Chiefs Defense Attack Dominant Eagles Offensive Line?

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Arguably, no offensive line was as dominant in the NFL, as the Philadelphia Eagles were this season. This group is led by two grizzled veterans, center Jason Kelce and right tackle Lane Johnson. You could argue that those are simply the best blockers at their respective positions. Meanwhile, Jordan Mailata has only continued to improve, year after year, at left tackle. It is simply rare for a pair of offensive tackles and a center to be at or near the top of their own positions in one single offensive line on the same team.

That trio has everything that NFL teams covet when looking to build out their blocking units. They have the power at the point of attack. They have the length, in addition to that nastiness, making it incredibly challenging to work around them. On top of all that, that Philadelphia trio is insanely athletic for players of their stature.

How will the Kansas City Chiefs look to attack this dominant Eagles offensive line in Super Bowl LVII? Plus, can Kansas City create pressure as often as they have in these playoffs? Let’s kick it off.

Mixing Old School With New Age Thinking

So much has been made about Philadelphia being a blue-collar city and the Eagles living up to that mantra. Overall, no unit on the team may exude that energy more than the Eagles offensive line. This fearsome group is built to win with smashmouth football. Mainly, Philadelphia can rely on items like strength, agility and instincts upfront. It is the athleticism mixed in with the challenging tasks that the Eagles are asked to carry out, that makes them so dangerous.

Kelce and guards Isaac Seumalo and Landon Dickerson are smooth and crisp when asked to pull laterally. The same can be said about their ability to climb to the second level and wall off defenders, to boot. When it is all said and done, Philadelphia’s ball carriers are able to hit full speed instantly. This is due to the speed at which Kelce, Seumalo and Dickerson can get on top of linebackers or slot cornerbacks. Combine that with the RPO action, and the Eagles can leave defenders literally frozen in space and sitting back on their heels.

Winning One-On-One Battles

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Certainly, football largely comes down to winning your one-on-one battles. For Super Bowl LVII, the outcome will likely be determined by who wins in the trenches. The Kansas City Chiefs defensive line is seemingly forgotten about at this point. Because of the excellence of the Eagles offensive line, very few people are giving the Chiefs defensive line much of a chance in this particular Super Bowl. Yet, that is just the way that Kansas City’s defensive line likes it. Being continually doubted fuels their fire, and we saw how that resulted in the AFC Championship Game.

The Chiefs defense may not be super exotic on every play in Super Bowl LVII. Though, Kansas City can still create headaches of their own. When it comes to one-on-one matchups, this defensive line may look to shift to one side of the offensive line. While looping with the weak side defensive end or bringing extra heat from the second level, the Chiefs do a tremendous job of testing the eye and feet discipline of opposing blockers. Can Kansas City outsmart or fool this stout Eagles offensive line?

How Could Kansas City Adjust In Super Bowl LVII?

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It is likely that we still see Chris Jones move all around the defensive formation. He has been one of the best defensive linemen this season, winning from 3-tech or against offensive tackles when sliding out to defensive end. Moreover, it would not be surprising to see the Chiefs move others around the defensive line. We have seen Carlos Dunlap and George Karlaftis condense down inside to the defensive interior. Furthermore, it is not impossible to imagine Frank Clark or a depth piece like Mike Danna doing the same thing.

Where the Chiefs could adjust the most, may lie in how they use the linebackers. Does Steve Spagnuolo attempt to muddy the line of scrimmage by putting Nick Bolton and Willie Gay down in the A or B gaps? We have also seen Kansas City loop those two around the outside of the offensive tackle when blitzing. It may be wise for Kansas City to keep that duo closer to the line of scrimmage, at least early on. Given the improvements that the Chiefs have made as a run defense, these linebackers could be fine taking some risks.

Depending on any adjustments that the Chiefs make, the Eagles offensive line will likely be tested with plenty of eye candy. How will Philadelphia respond? Will it lead to quicker passes or increased runs from RPO action? Either way, there are many tone setters involved in this particular Super Bowl LVII matchup on both sides.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs Super Bowl LVII articles and analysis throughout this week. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.