Photograph by Mitchell Leff/Getty Photos
Offensive secret superstars for the Eagles, Commanders, Payments and Chiefs
Convention championship video games are performed in rarefied (and generally skinny) air. The stakes are clearly increased, particular person performs imply extra, and the sport script can veer in extremely unpredictable methods that may determine issues fairly shortly.
For the 4 groups left within the 2024 season as we flip our consideration to the NFC and AFC Championship video games, it’s additionally about maximizing the efforts of an important gamers on either side of the ball. Some key gamers are key gamers due to place, some due to expertise, and a few due to particular situations that will require them to play the video games of their lives if their groups are to fulfill their targets of a Tremendous Bowl look.
Given the significance of those X-Elements, we’ve expanded the dialogue to incorporate one participant from every workforce on each offense and protection. Right here’s one offensive X-Issue for every of the 4 groups that can face off on Sunday for the consideration of collaborating in Tremendous Bowl LIX.
Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, January 26, at 3:00 p.m. EST Philadelphia Eagles: TE Dallas Goedert
The Eagles hold profitable primarily as a result of Saquon Barkley is Thanos, and since Vic Fangio’s protection is likely one of the NFL’s finest. That’s nice and all, however anyone who doesn’t see the problems with Philly’s passing recreation is wanting on the factor by means of green-colored glasses.
This season, Jalen Hurts has accomplished 276 of 402 passes for 3,162 yards, 20 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and a passer score of 103.5, which is a profession excessive. Add in Hurts’ 163 carries for 736 yards and 15 touchdowns, and it might appear that every one is properly. However the tape tells a unique story. Hurts has had points studying route progressions downfield this season, which has at all times been a difficulty, however issues appear to have decelerated in that regard. Hurts is getting used as extra of a “game manager” in a pejorative sense. He’s thrown for lower than 200 yards in eight full video games this season, and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is requested week after week what’s improper with the non-Saquon components of the factor.
Now, the Eagles are in place to advance to the Tremendous Bowl if they’ll outduel Jayden Daniels, who threw 5 landing passes when these two groups final met in Week 16. That was a 36-33 win in Washington’s favor during which Hurts left the sport with a concussion. All through this sequence of explosive passing video games, the one goal Hurts has appeared to depend on probably the most is tight finish Dallas Goedert, which makes Goedert essential to mentioned development.
“He has a knack for making plays in big moments, that’s for sure,” head coach Nick Sirianni mentioned of Goedert on Monday. “And he makes these actually huge splash performs, too, the place generally they’re not even a variety of yards, nevertheless it’s so energetic. The physicality that he brings to it’s large.
“He ran a route on that 30-plus gain [in Philly’s Divisional Round win over the Los Angeles Rams]. We had great protection on the play. Jalen put a good throw on him. But Dallas did such a good job of getting open on that route against man coverage. It was a really great route, just a defined route. Just got into it, stuck the defensive back the opposite way, put a seed of doubt in his mind, and then continued on.”
That was a 31-yard catch with 6:21 within the third quarter. It was a 13-13 tie at that time. The Rams have been in Cowl-1, and Goedert took security Quentin Lake upfield on the dig route. Goedert maintained his route, Lake fell down, and that was that.
Dallas Goedert: “Can you dig it?”
Quentin Lake: “No, I can’t. I just fell down.” pic.twitter.com/MtXzrfhNp7
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 22, 2025
Goedert has additionally confirmed to be fairly excited by giving out as a lot aggro to defenders as he will get.
Dallas Goedert really slowed right down to ship an additional stiff arm on his TD Sunday:
“That last one was unnecessary for sure. … I slowed down so he can come and get some.” pic.twitter.com/q9vRG73AV8 https://t.co/MbjMWtsunz
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 13, 2025
Preserving Hurts in rhythm and out of hassle from a stress perspective shall be Job 1 for Moore and his workers, and as Goedert has been Hurts’ safety blanket, anticipate an enormous day there – or, on the very least, a variety of targets.
Washington Commanders: RG Trent Scott
Talking of Jayden Daniels and stress, there’s the small matter of Commanders proper guard Sam Cosmi and the torn ACL he suffered in Washigton’s Divisional win over the Detroit Lions. It’s an enormous hit as a result of Cosmi is Washington’s finest offensive lineman. It’s probably a much bigger hit due to what Eagles super-tackle Jalen Carter did to the Rams’ offensive line, and particularly what he did to proper guard Kevin Dotson, a great participant in his personal proper. Carter had two sacks and eight complete pressures within the recreation, and people stats don’t inform the true story of the carnage Carter left behind.
Jalen Carter. Holy %^&*, man. pic.twitter.com/Eb9QyBODDm
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 20, 2025
After Cosmi was harm, the Commanders changed him with Trent Scott, a journeyman offensive lineman who’s been with 4 totally different groups and has performed a number of positions as a job participant and backup all through his seven-year profession. Scott didn’t permit a stress of any form towards Detroit’s blitz-happy protection in 19 pass-blocking reps, and total, he held up properly. Scott isn’t a dominant blocker, however he is aware of sufficient to cope with stunts and video games, he can pull with energy, and he understands leverage properly sufficient to place some inside pass-rushers on their heels infrequently.
.@Commanders RG Trent Scott had a very nice recreation towards the @Lions after Sam Cosmi suffered a torn ACL.
Right here comes Jalen Carter, although… pic.twitter.com/pmBZGaHvhz
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 22, 2025
In fact, Jalen Carter is not only some inside pass-rusher, and you may wager that Vic Fangio will put Carter on the brand new child early and infrequently.
“We do rotate him some inside and sometimes it’s even on the show team if a player needs other reps,” Commanders head coach Dan Quinn mentioned this week when requested what number of reps Scott had at proper guard in follow in preparation for the Lions. “Because at this time of the year, the reps are valuable, you know this. So, they’re not as many as you have during the early part of the season. So, for him, sometimes that’s in a walkthrough, might just be on the carded spot, but he has the experience on both sides. It’s both tackles and so he really nailed it. And he was also the one that had to work on communication for the cadence. So, he didn’t have a lot of work at that, so he really stepped into a significant role. And I love when those moments happen.”
Daniels has been nice underneath stress this season, however there are totally different sorts of stress, and while you’re going through a game-wrecker like Carter, these safety units shall be of essential significance.
Buffalo Payments at Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
Sunday, January 26, at 6:30 p.m. EST Kansas Metropolis Chiefs: RB Kareem Hunt
Below first-year full-time offensive coordinator Joe Brady, the Payments have put collectively a a number of and various run recreation they didn’t have earlier than. Between James Prepare dinner, Ray Davis, Ty Johnson, and what Josh Allen can do as a runner, that’s part of Buffalo’s offense that may bleed the clock, beat defenses down, and management the sport. The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are properly conscious of this. Within the Payments’ 30-21 Week 11 win over the Chiefs, Prepare dinner scored two dashing touchdowns, and Allen added certainly one of his personal. The distinction was all of the distinction.
On the Chiefs’ aspect, it could possibly be mentioned that Andy Reid and firm are searching for their dashing id this season. Accidents have prevented Isiah Pacheco from capitalizing on his first two NFL seasons, and with out Kareem Hunt, one may marvel what sort of run recreation the Chiefs would have in any respect. Kansas Metropolis signed Hunt to a one-year, $1.21 million contract this offseason after Hunt had spent his earlier 5 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. In fact, this was a reunion for the Chiefs and Hunt, who Kansas Metropolis launched in Nov. 2018 after video surfaced of Hunt pushing a lady to the bottom and kicking her.
Nonetheless the 2 events received right here, Hunt has been a key a part of the Chiefs offense. He has 772 yards and eight touchdowns on 208 carries, and all of these totals lead the workforce by a large margin. In that Payments recreation, Hunt ran 14 instances for 60 yards, and whereas he had only one explosive run (a 17-yarder with 11:44 left within the fourth quarter), he repeatedly set issues up with productive positive aspects on first downs.
Kareem Hunt towards the Payments in Week 11. Odds are, the Chiefs will want extra of this. pic.twitter.com/Pd5xyZJHdG
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 22, 2025
“We like to give him the ball whatever way we can get him the ball, because he’s a good player,” Reid mentioned of Hunt within the lead-up to that first Payments recreation. “He’s doing well for just coming off the couch. He’s doing a heck of a job, and he wants more.”
If he desires extra within the AFC Championship recreation, it might be clever to lean on that. Hunt is coming off an eight-carry, 44-yard, one-touchdown dashing recreation towards the Houston Texans within the Divisional Spherical, and now’s the time to shoot your finest pictures.
Buffalo Payments: WR Khalil Shakir
As clearly outlined because the Payments’ run recreation is, the passing recreation is a little more nebulous. Josh Allen doesn’t actually have an alpha canine receiver to throw to; it’s extra of an attention-grabbing mixture of fellows who current particular attributes for particular conditions. If there’s one receiver who defines it greater than every other, it’s Khalil Shakir, the 2022 fifth-round select of Boise State who has seen his position develop increasingly over time. This season, Shakir has led the Payments with 88 catches on 108 targets for 949 yards, and he additionally has 4 touchdowns so as to add to his resume.
Whereas the 6’, 190-pound Shakir is primarily a slot receiver, it might be unwise to typecast him in any means. In Buffalo’s Divisional Spherical win over the Baltimore Ravens, he proved capable of not solely bag an explosive play on a seam route for 34 yards…
Khalil Shakir: Greater than only a slot man. pic.twitter.com/AAaZnmQq0n
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 22, 2025
…but in addition to dam the heck out of one of many NFL’s finest defensive gamers on Ray Davis’ 1-yard landing run with 4:46 left within the first quarter.
Soccer recommendation: All the time have receivers who block for you want Khalil Shakir blocked Kyle Hamilton right here. pic.twitter.com/NjvtbMvuR3
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 22, 2025
Josh Allen focused Shakir 11 instances towards the Chiefs in Week 11, which marked Shakir’s season-high. It might behoove the Payments to attract up an analogous plan on Sunday.
Photograph by Mitchell Leff/Getty Photos
Offensive secret superstars for the Eagles, Commanders, Payments and Chiefs
Convention championship video games are performed in rarefied (and generally skinny) air. The stakes are clearly increased, particular person performs imply extra, and the sport script can veer in extremely unpredictable methods that may determine issues fairly shortly.
For the 4 groups left within the 2024 season as we flip our consideration to the NFC and AFC Championship video games, it’s additionally about maximizing the efforts of an important gamers on either side of the ball. Some key gamers are key gamers due to place, some due to expertise, and a few due to particular situations that will require them to play the video games of their lives if their groups are to fulfill their targets of a Tremendous Bowl look.
Given the significance of those X-Elements, we’ve expanded the dialogue to incorporate one participant from every workforce on each offense and protection. Right here’s one offensive X-Issue for every of the 4 groups that can face off on Sunday for the consideration of collaborating in Tremendous Bowl LIX.
Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, January 26, at 3:00 p.m. EST Philadelphia Eagles: TE Dallas Goedert
The Eagles hold profitable primarily as a result of Saquon Barkley is Thanos, and since Vic Fangio’s protection is likely one of the NFL’s finest. That’s nice and all, however anyone who doesn’t see the problems with Philly’s passing recreation is wanting on the factor by means of green-colored glasses.
This season, Jalen Hurts has accomplished 276 of 402 passes for 3,162 yards, 20 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and a passer score of 103.5, which is a profession excessive. Add in Hurts’ 163 carries for 736 yards and 15 touchdowns, and it might appear that every one is properly. However the tape tells a unique story. Hurts has had points studying route progressions downfield this season, which has at all times been a difficulty, however issues appear to have decelerated in that regard. Hurts is getting used as extra of a “game manager” in a pejorative sense. He’s thrown for lower than 200 yards in eight full video games this season, and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is requested week after week what’s improper with the non-Saquon components of the factor.
Now, the Eagles are in place to advance to the Tremendous Bowl if they’ll outduel Jayden Daniels, who threw 5 landing passes when these two groups final met in Week 16. That was a 36-33 win in Washington’s favor during which Hurts left the sport with a concussion. All through this sequence of explosive passing video games, the one goal Hurts has appeared to depend on probably the most is tight finish Dallas Goedert, which makes Goedert essential to mentioned development.
“He has a knack for making plays in big moments, that’s for sure,” head coach Nick Sirianni mentioned of Goedert on Monday. “And he makes these actually huge splash performs, too, the place generally they’re not even a variety of yards, nevertheless it’s so energetic. The physicality that he brings to it’s large.
“He ran a route on that 30-plus gain [in Philly’s Divisional Round win over the Los Angeles Rams]. We had great protection on the play. Jalen put a good throw on him. But Dallas did such a good job of getting open on that route against man coverage. It was a really great route, just a defined route. Just got into it, stuck the defensive back the opposite way, put a seed of doubt in his mind, and then continued on.”
That was a 31-yard catch with 6:21 within the third quarter. It was a 13-13 tie at that time. The Rams have been in Cowl-1, and Goedert took security Quentin Lake upfield on the dig route. Goedert maintained his route, Lake fell down, and that was that.
Dallas Goedert: “Can you dig it?”
Quentin Lake: “No, I can’t. I just fell down.” pic.twitter.com/MtXzrfhNp7
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 22, 2025
Goedert has additionally confirmed to be fairly excited by giving out as a lot aggro to defenders as he will get.
Dallas Goedert really slowed right down to ship an additional stiff arm on his TD Sunday:
“That last one was unnecessary for sure. … I slowed down so he can come and get some.” pic.twitter.com/q9vRG73AV8 https://t.co/MbjMWtsunz
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 13, 2025
Preserving Hurts in rhythm and out of hassle from a stress perspective shall be Job 1 for Moore and his workers, and as Goedert has been Hurts’ safety blanket, anticipate an enormous day there – or, on the very least, a variety of targets.
Washington Commanders: RG Trent Scott
Talking of Jayden Daniels and stress, there’s the small matter of Commanders proper guard Sam Cosmi and the torn ACL he suffered in Washigton’s Divisional win over the Detroit Lions. It’s an enormous hit as a result of Cosmi is Washington’s finest offensive lineman. It’s probably a much bigger hit due to what Eagles super-tackle Jalen Carter did to the Rams’ offensive line, and particularly what he did to proper guard Kevin Dotson, a great participant in his personal proper. Carter had two sacks and eight complete pressures within the recreation, and people stats don’t inform the true story of the carnage Carter left behind.
Jalen Carter. Holy %^&*, man. pic.twitter.com/Eb9QyBODDm
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 20, 2025
After Cosmi was harm, the Commanders changed him with Trent Scott, a journeyman offensive lineman who’s been with 4 totally different groups and has performed a number of positions as a job participant and backup all through his seven-year profession. Scott didn’t permit a stress of any form towards Detroit’s blitz-happy protection in 19 pass-blocking reps, and total, he held up properly. Scott isn’t a dominant blocker, however he is aware of sufficient to cope with stunts and video games, he can pull with energy, and he understands leverage properly sufficient to place some inside pass-rushers on their heels infrequently.
.@Commanders RG Trent Scott had a very nice recreation towards the @Lions after Sam Cosmi suffered a torn ACL.
Right here comes Jalen Carter, although… pic.twitter.com/pmBZGaHvhz
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 22, 2025
In fact, Jalen Carter is not only some inside pass-rusher, and you may wager that Vic Fangio will put Carter on the brand new child early and infrequently.
“We do rotate him some inside and sometimes it’s even on the show team if a player needs other reps,” Commanders head coach Dan Quinn mentioned this week when requested what number of reps Scott had at proper guard in follow in preparation for the Lions. “Because at this time of the year, the reps are valuable, you know this. So, they’re not as many as you have during the early part of the season. So, for him, sometimes that’s in a walkthrough, might just be on the carded spot, but he has the experience on both sides. It’s both tackles and so he really nailed it. And he was also the one that had to work on communication for the cadence. So, he didn’t have a lot of work at that, so he really stepped into a significant role. And I love when those moments happen.”
Daniels has been nice underneath stress this season, however there are totally different sorts of stress, and while you’re going through a game-wrecker like Carter, these safety units shall be of essential significance.
Buffalo Payments at Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
Sunday, January 26, at 6:30 p.m. EST Kansas Metropolis Chiefs: RB Kareem Hunt
Below first-year full-time offensive coordinator Joe Brady, the Payments have put collectively a a number of and various run recreation they didn’t have earlier than. Between James Prepare dinner, Ray Davis, Ty Johnson, and what Josh Allen can do as a runner, that’s part of Buffalo’s offense that may bleed the clock, beat defenses down, and management the sport. The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are properly conscious of this. Within the Payments’ 30-21 Week 11 win over the Chiefs, Prepare dinner scored two dashing touchdowns, and Allen added certainly one of his personal. The distinction was all of the distinction.
On the Chiefs’ aspect, it could possibly be mentioned that Andy Reid and firm are searching for their dashing id this season. Accidents have prevented Isiah Pacheco from capitalizing on his first two NFL seasons, and with out Kareem Hunt, one may marvel what sort of run recreation the Chiefs would have in any respect. Kansas Metropolis signed Hunt to a one-year, $1.21 million contract this offseason after Hunt had spent his earlier 5 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. In fact, this was a reunion for the Chiefs and Hunt, who Kansas Metropolis launched in Nov. 2018 after video surfaced of Hunt pushing a lady to the bottom and kicking her.
Nonetheless the 2 events received right here, Hunt has been a key a part of the Chiefs offense. He has 772 yards and eight touchdowns on 208 carries, and all of these totals lead the workforce by a large margin. In that Payments recreation, Hunt ran 14 instances for 60 yards, and whereas he had only one explosive run (a 17-yarder with 11:44 left within the fourth quarter), he repeatedly set issues up with productive positive aspects on first downs.
Kareem Hunt towards the Payments in Week 11. Odds are, the Chiefs will want extra of this. pic.twitter.com/Pd5xyZJHdG
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 22, 2025
“We like to give him the ball whatever way we can get him the ball, because he’s a good player,” Reid mentioned of Hunt within the lead-up to that first Payments recreation. “He’s doing well for just coming off the couch. He’s doing a heck of a job, and he wants more.”
If he desires extra within the AFC Championship recreation, it might be clever to lean on that. Hunt is coming off an eight-carry, 44-yard, one-touchdown dashing recreation towards the Houston Texans within the Divisional Spherical, and now’s the time to shoot your finest pictures.
Buffalo Payments: WR Khalil Shakir
As clearly outlined because the Payments’ run recreation is, the passing recreation is a little more nebulous. Josh Allen doesn’t actually have an alpha canine receiver to throw to; it’s extra of an attention-grabbing mixture of fellows who current particular attributes for particular conditions. If there’s one receiver who defines it greater than every other, it’s Khalil Shakir, the 2022 fifth-round select of Boise State who has seen his position develop increasingly over time. This season, Shakir has led the Payments with 88 catches on 108 targets for 949 yards, and he additionally has 4 touchdowns so as to add to his resume.
Whereas the 6’, 190-pound Shakir is primarily a slot receiver, it might be unwise to typecast him in any means. In Buffalo’s Divisional Spherical win over the Baltimore Ravens, he proved capable of not solely bag an explosive play on a seam route for 34 yards…
Khalil Shakir: Greater than only a slot man. pic.twitter.com/AAaZnmQq0n
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 22, 2025
…but in addition to dam the heck out of one of many NFL’s finest defensive gamers on Ray Davis’ 1-yard landing run with 4:46 left within the first quarter.
Soccer recommendation: All the time have receivers who block for you want Khalil Shakir blocked Kyle Hamilton right here. pic.twitter.com/NjvtbMvuR3
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) January 22, 2025
Josh Allen focused Shakir 11 instances towards the Chiefs in Week 11, which marked Shakir’s season-high. It might behoove the Payments to attract up an analogous plan on Sunday. Learn Extra