- Patrick Mahomes must take some photographs: Mahomes has grow to be well-known for his skill to take what a protection provides him, however the Eagles are inclined to excel when quarterbacks preserve issues beneath towards them.
- Jalen Hurts must keep away from sacks: Whereas the Eagles’ offensive line is an elite unit, Hurts tends to ask stress and create pointless hardship for himself.
Estimated Studying Time: 7 minutes
Be keen to assault downfield early
Over the previous few seasons, Mahomes has typically been taking what defenses give him. His common depth of goal has dropped virtually yearly, and this season, his 6.9-yard common is the third lowest within the NFL. Due to that, Mahomes’ big-time throw share can be the bottom of his profession (3.3%) and the sixth lowest within the NFL. All of that merely means the Chiefs aren’t pushing the ball down the sector.
That performs proper into what the Eagles’ protection needs opponents to do. They invite an offense to throw the ball beneath, forcing them to string collectively lengthy drives. They’ve allowed an explosive go (15-plus yards) on solely 10.1% of performs, the perfect charge within the league. Philadelphia’s protection unit additionally ensures that receivers acquire little yardage after the catch. The protection’s 4.7 yards allowed after the catch per completion is the perfect within the NFL.
Earlier than the 2023 marketing campaign, Mahomes had by no means completed a season with a deep PFF passing grade (makes an attempt over 20-plus yards) decrease than 90.0. However his marks for the previous two seasons fell under 81.0. If Mahomes and the Chiefs’ passing offense can generate explosive passing performs early by attacking the Eagles’ deep safeties, it might open up their run sport and the intermediate stage of the protection later within the sport.
Make performs below stress and convert on third and fourth downs
If the Eagles restrict Mahomes to brief completions, he’ll need to create magic on third and fourth downs. Philadelphia’s protection has confronted the seventh-most third and fourth downs within the NFL this season, largely on account of a scheme that limits explosive performs and retains all the pieces beneath. The Chiefs offense, then again, transformed essentially the most third and fourth downs by passing within the common season.
Mahomes has constantly been unbelievable on a very powerful downs all through his profession. Since he grew to become a starter within the NFL, his 92.8 PFF passing grade on third and fourth downs ranks first amongst quarterbacks.
The Eagles’ protection owns the second-highest crew PFF pass-rushing grade (89.2) and the Tenth-highest stress charge within the NFL this season, which means Mahomes might be below stress and compelled to maneuver within the Tremendous Bowl. It has been a down yr for him when it comes to his playmaking skill in out-of-structure conditions. His 67.3 grade below stress is the second lowest of his profession, and his grade when compelled to maneuver is a profession low (69.3). Mahomes’ PFF grade when pressured nonetheless ranks seventh within the NFL, although, which speaks to how spectacular his profession has been.
If Mahomes can constantly convert in third- and fourth-down conditions, it could possibly be a protracted night time for the Eagles’ protection.
Keep away from sacks
Hurts is below stress on the second-highest charge within the NFL and owns only a 41.1 PFF total grade in these situtions this season, rating ninth lowest. But, the Eagles’ offensive line has the sixth-highest pass-blocking grade. That’s due to how typically Hurts invitations his personal stress.
Hurts was charged with the fifth-most quarterback-faulted pressures and the third-most quarterback-faulted sacks and posted a career-high 23.2% pressure-to-sack ratio. The Chiefs’ protection has the fifth-ranked crew PFF pass-rushing grade and the ninth-highest stress share within the NFL this season, so Hurts could possibly be below stress typically.
The Eagles’ offense depends on staying forward of the chains and placing itself in third-and-short conditions, the place the unit can proceed to make use of Saquon Barkley and a dominant speeding assault. For Philadelphia’s offense to achieve success, Hurts should keep away from drive-killing sacks by not inviting stress and never making a foul play worse.
Belief broad receivers and get the ball out on time
Getting the ball out on time goes hand-in-hand with avoiding sacks and stress. Jalen Hurts has the best common time to throw within the NFL, at 3.21 seconds, which ends up in inviting stress and, ultimately, throwing the ball away — one thing Hurts has achieved the second most amongst quarterbacks.
Hurts should play with higher anticipation to get his receivers the ball. Each A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are within the high 25 in PFF’s separation charge. The receivers are getting open; the ball simply isn’t getting there as typically because it ought to. Typically, a quarterback has to belief their receivers and anticipate them getting open moderately than ready to see it. Philadelphia, fortunately, has probably the greatest receivers within the NFL, so it may be so simple as simply concentrating on him typically. When concentrating on Brown this season, Hurts has a 121.3 passer ranking.
Whereas it hasn’t been his finest season, Hurts is coming off his finest efficiency of the season, posting a 91.4 total grade within the NFC Championship sport, and we’ve already seen him carry out at a excessive stage within the Tremendous Bowl. His 92.2 PFF total grade in Tremendous Bowl 57 — towards the Chiefs — is the best mark for a quarterback since Nick Foles’ 92.3 PFF total grade in Tremendous Bowl 52, a sport Philadelphia followers keep in mind effectively.
