Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are gearing up for an anticipated clash with the Philadelphia Eagles, focusing on a strategic offensive approach. Mahomes, known for his quick releases, boasts a time to throw of 2.5 seconds over his past four games. With this efficiency, the Chiefs aim to challenge the Eagles’ robust defense, particularly by leveraging Xavier Worthy's recent emergence as a formidable underneath threat. The Chiefs plan to be cautious with the ball while testing the Eagles with Worthy's speed.
DeVonta Smith remains a key asset for the Eagles with 57 catches, 414 yards, and three touchdowns this season. Alongside him, A.J. Brown has delivered impressive results, recording 55 catches, 560 yards, and eight touchdowns. Dallas Goedert contributes significantly to the Eagles’ offensive strength with 65 catches, 620 yards, and two touchdowns. In contrast, Saquon Barkley has had a quieter season in receptions, accumulating 21 catches for 70 yards without any touchdowns so far.
Zach Ertz showcased his prowess with an outstanding performance against the Commanders, amassing 104 yards on 16 targets and 11 catches. This highlights the potential threats the Chiefs might face from tight ends. However, the Eagles’ defense has been formidable against tight ends throughout the regular season, allowing only 5.7 yards per target.
The Chiefs are mindful of past defensive strategies, such as the Packers' successful cheek sneak stops in Week 1. Oren Burks, a key player for the Packers, recorded eight tackles in one game. The Chiefs hope to see him increase this tally to 15 tackles in their upcoming encounter.
In postseason play, Mahomes has demonstrated an increased scramble rate of 15.2%, nearly tripling his regular-season rate of 5.5%. His high success rate on scrambles is a testament to his ability to secure crucial first downs. Coach Andy Reid and Mahomes are well-acquainted with Vic Fangio's defensive strategies and have spent two weeks preparing to counteract them.
Historically, Mahomes has performed slightly below his usual standards against Fangio’s defenses, achieving a 0.19 EPA per dropback and a 50.5% success rate. Despite this, the Chiefs are optimistic about their preparation and strategy heading into this critical matchup.
Leave a Reply