Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Going Behind Enemy Lines with KC Reporter
There’s a chance Monday night’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs could be the highest-rated Monday night game of all time, and why not?
It features the two top teams in the league and is a rematch of last year’s highly entertaining Super Bowl that wasn’t settled until a last-second field goal.
Not only do Philadelphia and Kansas City own the best records in their respective conferences this season, but they have also flexed their dominance over the league for two calendar years. Since Dec. 1, 2021, including the postseason, the Eagles have the NFL’s best record (26-5, .839) while Kansas City (26-6, .813) ranks second.
Furthermore, Monday’s game marks just the ninth rematch of teams that competed in the previous season’s Super Bowl and the first since 2017 when the New England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons.
The team that captured the prior Super Bowl has won four straight rematches (also Denver over Carolina in 2016, Seattle over Denver in 2014, and Green Bay over New England in 1997). What’s more, over the last six rematches, six of those teams went on to play in the next Super Bowl: New England returned in 2017, Seattle in 2014, Green Bay in 1997, both Dallas and Buffalo in 1993, and Pittsburgh in 1979.
With all that in mind, here are five questions I posed to Jordan Foote, the deputy editor of @arrowheadReport, and, I promise, no questions about Taylor Swift:
Do you think the Chiefs have what it takes to repeat as Super Bowl champs? Why or why not?
I do believe KC can find enough to win a championship this year, but it will be tough. The offense still isn’t living up to expectations (more on that later), but Steve Spagnuolo’s defense is thriving. The Chiefs’ new identity through the bye week was built on becoming a defense-first team. That sounds weird, doesn’t it? It’s also hard to completely write off the trio of Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and Travis Kelce. If the offense can just be consistently good come playoff time, the Chiefs definitely have a shot.
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts eludes Chiefs pressure in Super Bowl LVII.
USA Today
The Chiefs’ defense is ranked fourth overall in the NFL. What or who is it that makes them so successful?
Last year, GM Brett Veach took a huge risk by relying on a multitude of rookies. It ultimately paid off, and those players are now taking steps forward in their sophomore campaigns. Additionally, the offseason signings of Charles Omenihu, Drue Tranquill, and Mike Edwards have led to a new playmaker being added to each part of the defense. The Chiefs boast one of the most versatile and flexible schemes in football, and the result is a unit that’s better than anyone expected.
There isn’t a Chiefs receiver among the top 50 in yards. Is Travis Kelce enough or is the lack of an upper-echelon receiver holding back Patrick Mahomes?
I said back in the spring/summer and I’ll echo it here - if the Chiefs end up falling short of their goal this year, the odds-on favorite to be the culprit is absolutely a lackluster wideout room. Rookie Rashee Rice is solid and veteran Justin Watson is in the same boat, but KC’s investments elsewhere aren’t panning out. That, combined with inconsistent offensive line play and Kelce taking a small step back, puts the offense on somewhat thin ice.
How has losing Eric Bieniemy, and adding Matt Nagy at OC, impacted the offense?
At the end of the day, it’s still Andy Reid’s show and he’ll always be calling the shots with the majority rule in decision-making. With that said, it’s entirely fair to wonder whether the Chiefs miss Bieniemy’s run-game background and perspective in the room. Sorting out a KC offensive coordinator situation is always tricky, although Nagy’s promotion hasn’t seemed to help matters a ton through nine games.
Who do you think wins Monday night’s game and why?
This is the outing that will make up my mind for the rest of the Chiefs' season. If they can’t get their offense going for Week 11, they might not ever be able to tap back into their 2022 form. If they come out firing, it’ll change the narrative surrounding the team. Because of the aforementioned Hall of Fame-caliber trio and the bye week, I’ll lean with the latter. The Eagles are a fantastic team, but this is a huge game for KC. I’ll go 31-24 for the final score.
