By GARRY 'G' COBB
The Eagles offensive line should be able to handle the Kansas City Chiefs defensive front, but the Chiefs All Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones is a monster.
He’s capable of destroying every Eagles Super Bowl party in the country.
If you look at all the other matchups, the Birds should dominate and I expect them to be blow open holes in the Kansas City defensive line for the Eagles running game like they did against the 49ers, but Jones is another matter.
The main subject discussed at Stoutland University last week and also this week is Chris Jones and how to double team him two offensive lineman, or with an offensive lineman and tight end Dallas Goedert or backup tight end Jack Stoll.
They will cut him on screens and quick throws over the middle. Their best weapon will be running at him with their running game to keep him guessing.
Before every play, Birds center Jason Kelce and his crew of five, must know where Jones is lined up. Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was wise enough to move him up and down the line.
They line him up every where, from the right and left defensive tackle positions and they will also line him up at the right and left defensive end spots.
His combination of size, he’s 6-foot-6 and he weighs 310 pounds, but he’s quick as a cat but very powerful, which makes him such a problem.
He had 15.5 sacks in the 2022 season and they happen suddenly. Jones is quick off the ball and he gets the offensive lineman moving, then he will get his hands on the blocker and in an instant he’s by him and sacking the quarterback.
So that will be the dilemma, the Birds will face on this upcoming Sunday evening. The rest of the Chiefs defensive line, right defensive end Frank Clark, left defensive end rookie George Karlaftis, and the other starting defensive tackle Khalen Sanders are all good players, but the Eagles will have no problem handling them.
Clark had five sacks on the season and Karlaftis had six. Sanders registered 3.5 sacks, so all of them put together had less sacks than Jones by himself.
I’m sure the Birds will come to the line of scrimmage and say something to identify where Jones, number 95 is lined up.
The head of Stoutland University, offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, will put together a game plan to handle Jones, but they can’t get caught sleeping for one second or he can force a turnover, which could have an impact on which team wins the game.
I want to see the Kelce teaming up with his left guard Landon Dickerson or his right guard Isaac Seumalo on those amazing double teams, where they block the defensive tackles into the linebackers and create huge holes in the opposing defensive line.
I have never seen an offensive line dominate the defensive front so effectively that often the running backs go into the end zone without being touched, the way the Birds dominated the 49ers defensive front. We had heard all the talk about nobody being able to run the ball against the Niners.
All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson continues to play great football, despite the injury he’s play with. Johnson and Birds left tackle Jordan Mailata basically erased NFL sack leader Nick Bosa.
Everyone was talking about Bosa disrupting the Eagles game plan before the NFC Championship game, but Stoutland University basically eliminated Bosa so effectively that we had to go back and look at the tape of the game to see if Bosa played. Johnson and Mailata turned No. 97 Bosa into just another player.
If the Eagles can eliminate Jones to the same level, get ready for a celebration in the city of Philadelphia.
I think Jones is better than Bosa, because he’s bigger with longer arms. Plus they move him around more than the 49ers do with Bosa because Jones will lineup at both tackle and end spots, while Bosa just lines up outside for the most part.
I personally want to see the Birds run the ball at Jones all game long. They need to pound him and tire him out. They need to throw everything at him and the kitchen sink.
The Eagles offensive line battling Jones will be much like the Birds defense battle Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
The Chiefs have three of the best players in the NFL with Mahomes, Kelce and Jones.
Each of them is capable of taking over a game. The Birds will try to keep all of them under control as Philadelphia tries to complete a great season. I’m confident that Stoutland University can get the job done and keep Mr. Jones under control.
Hopefully the Eagles defense can do the same with Mr. Mahomes and Mr. Kelce. *
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