It’s getting serious – the Super Bowl weekend is finally here! What are the chances for the Eagles against Brady and Co. – and what dangers does New England show for Philadelphia? In the coin toss, SPOX editors Pascal De Marco and Adrian Franke discuss the game with the mySPOX users Cheesesteak87 and Brady12, the game will be available live on Sunday at 11.45 p. m. on DAZN – optionally with German or US original commentary!
The Eagles Open – mySPOX-User Cheesesteak87: The Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl? Unrealistic with second-year quarterback Carson Wentz, impossible with Nick Foles in the position of the playmaker. This was the general tenor of the experts.
Foles’ performances at the end of the season were too shaky. If you could already see some improvements against the Falcons, the unexpected turnaround came in the Championship Game against the Vikings: The Run-Pass option worked and Foles noticed the better match with his receivers. The NFL’s best defense has received 31 open points, so there are also convincing arguments against the Patriots that speak for the team from the City of Fraternal Love.
On the one hand, the O-Line, one of the most athletic and broadly one of the best manned lines of the entire NFL. The Patriots Defense admits 4.71 yards per run (second most of the total NFL), here the Eagles have to set in and search for Jay Ajayi, who records sensational 5.8 yards per run. Behind Ajayi, Veteran Blount and Rookie Clement are two more backs that are always good for big play – Ajayi and Clement also have different screen play designs.
The deep pass will be another way to attack the patriots. This defense allows the second most yards per pass and the fourth most per game. Foles showed against the Vikings that he has the arm for the long balls and the Eagles with Jeffery, Smith and Agholor have the players for it in the roster. Zach Ertz will play a major role in the run-blocking as well as Foles’ most reliable play station.
The offense is certainly not the showpiece of the Eagles, but it has a very creative scheme and has the staff to get the patriots into trouble.
Patriots-Defense – Adrian Franke (SPOX): The Eagles’ scheme is indeed very good, and Philly coaches deserve a lot of respect for that. A central question for me, however, will be: How much of this scheme works if New England succeeds in limiting Philadelphia in the run game and reasonably defending the run pass options? How much can Foles contribute late in the down and long third downs, i. e. the two core competencies of Wentz up to his injury?
That’s the crux of the game. I assume that the patriots – similar to the second half of the Championship game against Jacksonville – will be defensively trying to eliminate the RPOs. This goes beyond aggressive boxing, man coverage and disciplined linebackers and safeties. This was not the case against the Jaguars and their Play-Action-Game as well as their Run Pass Options in the first half, for New England this first half is a perfect example of the bug-fixing before the Super Bowl.
In combination with that, Belichick will defensively focus on the run game to force Foles into long second and third downs. The Eagles are very good in run-blocking, also thanks to their strong offensive line, that’s true. However, there are some areas that could attack New England and cause problems for Philly: For example, I expect some Bear fronts – that is, the delivery of the complete interior line – to prevent Center Jason Kelce in particular from reaching the linebacker level quickly.
I also expect New England’s Outside Cornerbacks to be good matchups for Philadelphia’s receivers (Gilmore vs. Jeffery, Butler vs. Smith) and the effectiveness of Tight End Zach Ertz against Chung will also be limited.
And the high yard numbers? On the one hand, of course, it is problematic – but on the other hand, it can be explained by two things: the disproportionately bad start to the season (which has nothing to do with today’s Patriots defense) and the general approach in New England: Bend-but-don’t-break is indeed philosophy and not just lip service.
So will the Eagles be able to move the ball on Sunday? Yeah. But will they also be able to reach the Red Zone and achieve touchdowns there? I am much more sceptical about this. And with Field Goals in and at the Red Zone, so much is clear, the Eagles won’t win this game.
Page 1: The Eagles-Offense against the Patriots-Defense
Page 2: The Patriots’ Offense against the Eagles Defense