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The Philadelphia Eagles have played sensational football this season, but no matter how well head coach Nick Sirianni's team plays in this special Monday Night game against the Kansas City Chiefs, they are not going to reverse the results of Super Bowl LVII in the Eagles Week 11 game.
That was a game that the Eagles played very well and had the edge well into the 4th quarter. However, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs took charge in the final quarter and came away with a 38-35 triumph.
That game certainly had to hurt the Eagles, and they will undoubtedly think about those results in the hours leading up to kickoff. However, the Eagles are a a talented and mature team their players will keep their mind on the business at hand.
While the Eagles (8-1) are not playing to reverse last year's Super Bowl results, they are playing to gain the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. They have a 1-game lead on the Detroit Lions (7-2) and they are clearly in control of their own destiny.
Facing the Chiefs on the road is one of the toughest assignments of the year, but the Eagles arguably have the best offensive line and defensive line in the NFL. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has been up to nearly every challenge the past 2 seasons, and the same can be said about Haason Reddick and the Philadelphia defense.
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The defense will have to be at its best against Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who clearly knows how to take over games in the 4th quarter.
Hurts will trigger the offense with at least 2 TD passes and 225 passing yards
The Eagles are a confident team that knows how to jump on opponents and get an early lead, but will not panic if they fall behind in the early going.
Hurts plays with a sense of calmness and confidence that his teammates feed off, and he should be ready for this game since the Eagles are coming off their bye week.
Hurts has completed 310 of 305 passes this season for 2,347 yards with 15 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, and he clearly excels as a short-yardage runner in 3rd- and 4th-down situations. He has 88 carries for 316 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns. No team uses the “Brotherly Shove” play better than the Eagles, and that's no accident.
With Jason Kelce in the middle of the Philadelphia offensive line — also known as the brother of Taylor Swift's boyfriend — and Hurts' superior leg strength, the play almost never fails. Hurts has squatted 600 pounds, so he earns every one of those short-yardage successes.
The quarterback is supported by D'Andre Swift in the running game. He has gained 614 yards on 135 carries and he has 3 rushing touchdowns.
Wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are Hurts' primary weapons in the passing game. Brown has become something of an unstoppable force because of his size, strength and speed. He has caught 67 passes for 1,005 yards with 6 TD receptions. Brown is going to see a lot of double coverage, but unless Chiefs pass rusher Chris Jones can consistently get to Hurts, the receiver is going to be successful.
Smith is a solid big-play performer and an excellent complement to Brown with 42 catches for 410 yards and 4 TDS.
Tight end Dallas Goedert is a a solid 3rd-down weapon with 38-410-2.
Chiefs defense must consistently pressure Mahomes; Reddick and Josh Sweat must combine for 4 sacks
The Eagles have been somewhat vulnerable on defense this season, and that could breathe some life into a Kansas City offense that has not been as consistent this year as it has been in the past.
The Eagles rank 14th in yards allowed, as they are giving up 323.3 yards per game. They have also been giving up more points than expected, as they are allowing 21.7 points per game. That figure ranks tied for 16th.
Mahomes has been known to take advantage of average or below defensive units, and the Chiefs are likely to need every point they can get against the Eagles.
However, Reddick and Sweat are a pair of outstanding pass rushers. Reddick leads the Eagles with 7.5 sacks and he also has a forced fumble, while Sweat has 6.5 sacks and has 2 forced fumbles.
It is very difficult to sack Mahomes and keep him from passing to tight end Travis Kelce, but that responsibility will fall on Reddick and Sweat.
Those two should be ready for the challenge and should be able to force Mahomes into getting rid of the ball before he wants to execute his throws.
