Adding value; How the Chiefs' linebackers made life tough on Philadelphia
Willie Gay Jr., Nick Bolton, and Leo Chenal all made contributions to help make the Eagles earn every yard.
Going into the Super Bowl, there were two major storylines in which most pundits favored the Eagles. The first was the Chiefs’ offensive line against the Eagles’ defensive line. The second was the Chiefs’ linebackers against the Eagles’ potent rushing attack.
We all know how Kansas City’s offensive line answered the call, dominating the game up front. But one of the ways the game played out that surprised most was that the Eagles had a tough time running the ball effectively with consistency. And a big part of that was a terrific gameplan by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo that (among other things) largely put his linebackers in a position to succeed.
Willie Gay Jr., Nick Bolton, and Leo Chenal (in a small group of snaps), stepped up in some crucial ways that altered the game script and helped swing the tide in favor of the Chiefs.
One of the underrated storylines of the Chiefs Super Bowl LVII victory (still not tired of saying it) is that that Kansas City’s defense, while it gave up plenty of points, largely played well most of the evening. They forced the Eagles off their normal game plan of beating teams into the ground with the run game, forced repeated high-leverage downs, and made Philadelphia earn every yard. The Eagles (and Hurts in particular) generally did make the plays they needed to move the chains (they’re a terrific team), but the difference in the Super Bowl was that Kansas City’s defense made just a few more stops at a few more crucial times.
The linebackers were a big part of that, particularly Gay and Bolton. I looked at every defensive snap by the LB’s, charting how many “stuffs” they collected in the run game and looking at how they performed in coverage. Let’s talk about how Bolton/Gay flashed their best traits throughout the night, along with a bit on Chenal showing how he can contribute in a niche role. Then let’s talk about how the linebackers contributed to the two most crucial stops of the day.
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