The anticipation surrounding Super Bowl LIX grows with each passing day. The odds are stacked against the Eagles. After all, they are going up against the reigning Super Bowl Champions of the past two seasons. Additionally, they’ve already been beaten up by Kansas once in a Super Bowl. However, Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman, Jalen Carter, has some ideas about how they can achieve a different outcome this time around.
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As the Kansas City Chiefs inch ever closer to securing the first three-peat in NFL history, Carter was asked what his unit will need to do in order to prevent history from being made on February 9th. When speaking with the media during the team’s official press conference, the first-time pro bowler kept it simple.
“Sack them,” was his simple yet effective tip to limit the Chiefs.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers found success against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV thanks to the constant pressuring of Patrick Mahomes and the scheme of Steve Spagnuolo. Perhaps Carter is onto something and the Eagles need to do the same.
“We just gotta do our job… Get back there, get him off his pivot, and sack him,” Carter explained.
Granted, this might be easier said than done for Philly. After all, the Eagles walked away from their 2023 battle with zero team sacks, five QB hits, and only recorded a single tackle for loss. Considering that Mahomes took the 12th fewest sacks in the league this year, the sophomore may be expecting too much out of his defense.
Carter also noted the danger that the receiving core of the Chiefs presents. “They’ve got explosive wide receivers, fast wide receivers. They’ve got a lot of good guys.”
With so many downfield threats at Mahomes’ disposal, the best way to limit the damage that they can do would be to restrict the throwing time of the Chiefs signal caller, as the DT suggests. To the 23-year-old’s credit, the Birds have had little issue generating pressure in the postseason this time around. Will the Eagles D-line be able to show up like it did in the postseason?
Eagles D-Line needs to recreate its playoff magic
Throughout their NFC title run, Philadelphia managed to record 10 total team sacks. The Eagles are now averaging just nearly 3.5 sacks per game throughout their last three contests, a clear improvement over their 2.4 sacks per game from the regular season.
The sudden improvement in the Eagles defensive front is best embodied by fellow sophomore DT, Moro Ojomo, who recorded his first career sack in the divisional round against the Los Angeles Rams. Likewise, three-year veteran, Jordan Davis, recorded the first postseason sack of his career against the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship.
These instances should serve as proof that Philadelphia is getting the absolute most out of every single player on the field right now, a hallmark of championship programs.
Carter himself has collected two sacks throughout this year’s playoffs, showing that he is more than capable of backing up what he says to the media.
Currently responsible for more postseason tackles than any other DT on the roster this season, Philadelphia will need one more solid performance out of the former Georgia Bulldog should they hope to secure their second Super Bowl win in franchise history.
