Steve Spagnuolo killed Eagles' offense with kindness, but has every reason to be confident in Super Bowl LIX matchup vs. Kellen Moore
The Kansas City Chiefs aren't a team that gives an opponent bulletin board material ahead of an upcoming matchup. That's true every week throughout the season, and again this week with the Philadelphia Eagles leading into Super Bowl LIX. They'll express confidence in their abilities, but they don't let that get in the way. They shower […]
The Kansas City Chiefs aren't a team that gives an opponent bulletin board material ahead of an upcoming matchup. That's true every week throughout the season, and again this week with the Philadelphia Eagles leading into Super Bowl LIX.
They'll express confidence in their abilities, but they don't let that get in the way. They shower their opponent with praise and respect to maintain focus on the challenge ahead. Asked about the Eagles' offense ahead of the game, Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo gave the NFC champions their due credit, just as expected.
"I don't see a weakness in Philadelphia's offense," Spagnuolo said. "I really don't. I mean, quarterback, running back, the O-Line, all the weapons they have on the outside, the tight end."
The reality is that the weakness might not be in their personnel but rather in their coaching and offensive scheme. Spags would never say it himself, but he's had Eagles OC Kellen Moore's number. In the three games they've played against each other since Spags arrived in Kansas City, Moore's offense has gone 0-for-3. Better yet, only one of those games has yielded non-field goal points for Moore's offenses.
In their first matchup, in 2021, Spagnuolo's defense held what Moore's No. 1 ranked Dallas Cowboys offense to three field goals. Spags' defense produced five sacks, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery against Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense.
In 2023, when Moore was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers under Brandon Staley and Giff Smith, the coordinators faced off twice. But really, the Week 7 game is the only one worth counting, given that the Chiefs played their backups in Week 18. Spagnuolo's defense held Moore, Justin Herbert, and the Chargers offense to only 17 points in that late-October game. They also staved off Los Angeles 13-12 in Week 18, but that was with backup QB Easton Stick at the helm.
"Spags does an incredible job," Moore told 810 Sports Radio during Super Bowl LIX opening night. "They're really tied together. Everyone is aligned. They don't make a bunch of mistakes, and they're going to make you play really clean football. And he's going to stress you. He's going to give you some challenges, some things that maybe you haven't seen. Different challenges, whether it be the run game or protections. So, you've got to be prepared for those things."
Spags knows that it will take everyone coming together to stifle the Eagles' offense. It all starts with eliminating what they've been good at creating in 2024 and what they were good at creating against Kansas City back in Super Bowl LVII. That's the explosive play.
"We've got to play with our best chemistry as a unit on as many plays as we can for as many plays as we can and try to limit what they do explosively," Spagnuolo said. "Which is. . . they'll get the explosive runs with Saquon (Barkley) and the explosive passes with Jalen Hurts. If we have too many of those, it'll be a long day for us."
Some might say Moore's due for one against Spags, but he doesn't exactly boast the type of coaching record that exudes confidence. Moore's group will have their hands full against the Chiefs' defense, even if Spagnuolo insists Philly's O is without weakness.
Final predictions for Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LIX showdown on Sunday
It’s time for big-time football.
