This year's showdown in Super LII will bring a sense of familiarity for players on both the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots. Although the Patriots have managed to make their second consecutive trip to the big show, the Eagles were able to poach two members from last year's championship team for their own.

Running back LeGarrette Blount and defensive end Chris Long will be squaring off against their old team in a few weeks. According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, Patriots left tackle Nate Solder is looking forward to playing against his old teammates, especially Long:

“Both of those guys were awesome teammates; I have a ton of respect for both those guys,” said Solder, who often faced Long throughout the week leading up to games. “In practice, he always played hard, never made it easy for me. I fully expect his best and look forward to the opportunity to play against him.

“I need to watch the film now. I haven’t seen a lot, but I know he has plenty of power, plenty of speed; he’s crafty, intelligent and understands the game.”

Both Long and Blount have seen decreased usage with the Eagles this year than when they were with the Patriots. Nevertheless, they have managed to play an integral role in Philadelphia's “underdog” approach to the playoffs.

Needless to say, Solder will have his hands full with Long when they square off in Super Bowl LII. While the veteran was unable to produce a sack against the Minnesota Vikings, he made his presence felt by applying unrelenting pressure to go with two pass deflections and a fumble recovery.