This week’s version of “Monday Night Football” is a Super Bowl rematch. The final time we noticed the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles at the box in combination, it ended with Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Co. rising victorious and being topped champions. Jalen Hurts had arguably the most productive recreation of his occupation in defeat, however did lose a a very powerful fumble that became a Kansas City landing.
Each of those groups has modified moderately a bit of since that final matchup, however what hasn’t modified is they nonetheless appear to be two of the most productive squads within the league. It will have to be interesting — and optimistically thrilling — to watch them sq. off as soon as once more.
Will the Chiefs protect their name, or will the Eagles take a measure of revenge? We’ll to find out quickly sufficient. Before we ruin down the matchup, here is a take a look at how you’ll watch the sport.
How to watch
Date: Monday, Nov. 20 | Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Missouri)
TV: ABC/ESPN | Stream on fubo (try for free)
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Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Chiefs -2.5, O/U 45.5 (via Sportsline consensus odds)
When the Eagles have the ball
Unlike the Super Bowl, the matchup with elite devices on either side is in truth this one.
Kansas City’s protection has been one of the most highest within the NFL this season, with Steve Spagnuolo’s unit rating fourth in yards and primary in issues allowed according to recreation, in addition to 1/3 in FTN’s defensive DVOA and 5th in TruMedia’s model of EPA/play. The Eagles, regardless of frequently having a look off-kilter, nonetheless test in 5th in yards and 1/3 in issues, in addition to 7th in offensive DVOA and 1/3 in EPA/play. So yeah, this will have to be amusing!
The power of Kansas City’s protection is its paintings opposed to opposing passing assaults. Chiefs combatants have finished simply 60.7% in their passes at a median of 6.1 yards according to try, with the NFL’s ninth-worst passer score and third-lowest EPA/play reasonable. The protection has excelled at doing away with large performs, with combatants producing an explosive achieve (20-plus yards) on simply 6.2% of dropbacks — the fifth-lowest price within the league, according to TruMedia.
They’ve generated power slightly frequently (35.6% vs. a league reasonable of 34.6%) and that has contributed to this efficiency, however the secondary has been implausible. Cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and L’Jarius Sneed have emerged as one of the most NFL’s highest and maximum flexible duos, combining to permit a 63.5% finishing touch price, an insignificant 6.7 yards according to try, and only one landing on 85 goals.
They’ll be matched up with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on this one, making it one in every of their hardest exams of the yr. Brown has been completely on fireplace since Week 3, racking up receiving strains of 9-131-0, 9-172-2,6-127-0, 7-131-0,10-137-1, 8-130-2, and 6-77-1 in his final seven video games. Smith has been much less concerned this season than he used to be a yr in the past, however that might trade with Dallas Goedert out after fracturing his forearm within the Eagles’ win over the Cowboys prior to their bye week. Sneed has a bit of extra measurement (6-foot-1) than McDuffie (5-foot-11), so it would not be sudden to see him draw the primary shot opposed to Brown, although McDuffie has been a bit of more potent in protection this yr.
Spagnuolo loves himself a excellent blitz package deal, and Hurts has every now and then struggled opposed to blitzing defenses this yr: he is 69 of 109 for 852 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions when dealing with further rushers. The factor with sending a blitz is what occurs when it does no longer hit house and Hurts can get away from the pocket. Per TruMedia, he has scrambled clear of power an astronomical 18.9% of the time, averaging 8.1 yards according to scamper. We will have to be expecting Spags to ship the warmth, however possibly accomplish that selectively in an effort to idiot Hurts, slightly than accelerate his procedure all recreation lengthy.
Philly, even though, may and possibly will have to take a look at to base its recreation plan across the run. It’s been the simpler (rather) manner to transfer the ball opposed to the Chiefs, and the Eagles have the good thing about arguably soccer’s highest offensive line, arguably its maximum cellular quarterback, and naturally, the “Tush Push.” D’Andre Swift has no longer run all that successfully in fresh weeks (he hasn’t crowned 4.1 yards according to raise since Week 3), however the Eagles are one of the most few groups that may be content material speeding for only a few yards a pop and really feel assured that they are able to convert a brand new set of downs anyway. Playing keep-away by contrast Chiefs workforce is a robust technique although their offense hasn’t been as excellent this yr, as a result of neither has the Eagles protection.
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When the Chiefs have the ball
Philadelphia stays one of the most NFL’s hardest groups to run opposed to, checking in moment in rush protection DVOA and yielding most effective 3.7 yards according to rush. Opponents have won 12 or extra yards on an insignificant 5.0% in their carries, the fifth-lowest percentage within the league. The Kansas City run recreation has additionally struggled when compared to what it seemed like when those two groups final met: Chiefs backs rushed 19 occasions for 110 yards and a landing throughout the Super Bowl, with Isiah Pacheco main the way in which. This yr’s Chiefs are averaging most effective 4.1 yards according to raise, and just about 1 / 4 in their rush makes an attempt were stoned at or at the back of the road of scrimmage, according to TruMedia.
Luckily for the Chiefs, Philadelphia’s cross protection has in truth been moderately flammable this yr. The Eagles rank twenty second in cross protection DVOA, and crucially, they’ve been the worst protection within the NFL opposed to tight ends. Opponent tight ends have stuck 43 passes for 438 yards and 5 rankings, and they’ve no longer confronted a specifically problem slate of tight ends. With the Eagles hardly ever making an investment heavy assets at linebacker or protection, protecting the center of the sector has been a relative weak point for some time, and it has turn into exacerbated this yr by way of the linebacker and protection play, in addition to accidents as the ones positions.
Travis Kelce used to be surprisingly uninvolved (3 catches for 14 yards on 4 goals opposed to the Dolphins) within the Chiefs’ ultimate recreation prior to their Week 10 bye, and that are meant to trade on Monday night time. It additionally would no longer be sudden to see the Chiefs in any case condense their sprawling broad receiver rotation, if most effective to get explosive rookie Rashee Rice extra concerned with an offense that wishes an infusion of juice.
Rice ranks 18th in all the league in yards according to course run, according to Pro Football Focus, out of 219 gamers who’ve run a minimum of 100 routes. He’s frequently been at his highest within the slot, and the Eagles have given up the second-most receptions (86) to gamers coated up within the slot. They’re additionally tied for probably the most receiving yards allowed to slot gamers, regardless of having performed one fewer recreation than the workforce they’re tied with. The Chiefs were uncharacteristically unexplosive (if that is a phrase) offensively this season, and getting Rice extra concerned may lend a hand them.
Mahomes performed opposed to Eagles defensive coordinator Sean Desai final season when Desai used to be in Seattle, and finished 16 of 28 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns, with Kelce producing the vast majority of that manufacturing (6-113 on 8 goals).
Prediction: Chiefs 31, Eagles 27
Kansas City has the good thing about being at house for this rematch, and likewise has a participant in Kelce who the Eagles are simply no longer supplied to preserve in test. We’re making a bet on that outweighing the Philly offense’s benefit within the run recreation.
I love my pick out for this recreation, however you may like Emory Hunt’s higher. He’s our playing guru over at SportsLine.com and he is been on roll together with his Eagles predictions, going 40-25-1 together with his final 66 against-the-spread selections. Anyone who has adopted him is WAY UP! If you need to take a look at his pick out, you can do that right here.