Immovable force vs. Unstoppable object? That is the case in one area of matchups between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Eagles bring a potent run game to the Super Bowl while the Chiefs have held firm on their run defense, leading to a matchup that could decide the winner of Super Bowl LIX.
Eagles Rushing Offense vs Chiefs Rushing Defense Will Decide Super Bowl LIX
Super Bowl 59 looks like it will come down the trenches. A stout Chiefs defense will have their hands full when they take on the Eagles and Saquon Barkley, who is having one of the best seasons by a running back in NFL history. Barkley has hit 100+ rushing yards in all three of the Eagle’s playoff games; however, he will see his biggest challenge yet against Kansas City. The Chiefs have gone 18 straight playoff games without allowing a 100-yard rusher. 18 straight is impressive; that is a regular season’s worth of playoff games where the Chiefs have shown they just do not let a single rusher cross that 100-yard threshold.
Can Saquon Barkley Break the Streak?
Barkley has as good of a chance as anyone to break the rushing yard streak of the Chiefs. Barkley can comfortably say he is the best running back and has had the best season of any of the previous running backs the Chiefs have seen in those previous 18 matchups.
He has rushed for 100 or more yards in his last five games and in nine of his last ten. During the Eagle’s run to the Super Bowl, Barkley has been nothing short of electric. He has three 60+ yard touchdowns, which is the most in NFL playoff history. If you add in the regular season, he has six total, which is also the most in a single season.
Barkley is a part of the prestigious 2,000-yard club, and with his added playoff run, he is 30 yards away from the single-season record in yards, which includes the regular season and playoffs. Hall of Famer Terrell Davis has the original record of 2,476 yards in 1998 when he helped the Denver Broncos win the Super Bowl that season. Win, lose or draw on Super Bowl Sunday, Barkley has a good chance to break the all-time season record. However, to take down the Chiefs, he will probably need to surpass that 100+ yard threshold, and with the season Barkley has been having, he is more than capable of doing so.
Will the Chiefs Sell Out to Stop the Eagles’ Rushing Attack?
The Eagles have had the best rushing attack in the league, and it was their driving force to Super Bowl LIX, and nobody knows that better than the Chiefs. So, will the Chief’s defensive game plan consist of selling out to stop the run? Possibly. It won’t be easy, though. It is not because of Barkley and the season he is having, but it is also having to worry about Jalen Hurts, who can get things done with his legs as well. In the Super Bowl LVII matchup, Hurts rushed for 70 yards against the Chiefs. If Kansas City makes it a point to limit Barkley, Hurts is more than capable of making them pay.
Game Script Will Be Key
The two running backs the Chiefs have gone up against this postseason have found success on the ground. Joe Mixon had 19 carriers for 88 yards, and James Cook rushed 13 times for 85 yards, but due to falling behind on the scoreboard, both the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills had to go with a heavy passing game script going away from the run game, which works in the Chiefs favor and is a big part why they haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in 18 straight playoff games.
The Eagles will have to keep pace with the Chief’s offense or flat-out beat them down because if the Chiefs make the Eagles one-dimensional to have to play catchup on the scoreboard, it is a good chance the Chiefs can make it 19 straight games by the end of Sunday night.
Main Image: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
