Chiefs’ Spagnuolo calls Eagles’ Barkley ‘toughest challenge’ of 2024

The Kansas City Chiefs ran through the 2024 campaign with consistently strong efforts against the run. The defense finished the regular season with 4.1 yards per rush allowed, the seventh-lowest rate in the NFL. No running back reached even 90 rushing yards in a game against the Chiefs; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was the only individual opponent to pass the century mark (122).

In Super Bowl 59, that resume will go head to head with the Philadelphia Eagles and running back Saquon Barkley, the NFL’s leading rusher averaging 129 yards per game through the playoffs.

During a Zoom call on Friday, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo acknowledged the different level the Eagles’ run game is performing at.

“Our hands are full here with Saquon,” Spags told reporters. You guys have seen the tape, he’s pretty elite, there is nothing he can’t do. One of the things that go unnoticed is how good of a pass protector he is, and he’s really smart… he is going to be the toughest challenge we’ve had in the run game this year.”

Over three postseason games, Barkley has 442 rushing yards on 66 carries — averaging 6.7 yards per attempt in the most meaningful games of his career. He has touchdown runs of 62, 78, and 60 over the last two wins.

He is set up well by a strong Eagles’ offensive line, so Spagnuolo will be emphasizing open-field tackling to the off-ball defenders going after the 6 feet tall, 233-pound All-Pro back.

“The thing we always talk about building it, setting it, and tracking it,” Spagnuolo shared. “Building a wall, setting an edge, and tracking the hip. The tracking the hip part is really important, because Saquon can stick his foot in the ground and cut back, he has cut all the way back and that is when he has made those big runs.”

On the surface, it involves the Chiefs’ linebackers and safeties staying in their proper rush lanes in run defense, but it’s also about each player’s depth.

“We really get in trouble when guys get on different levels,” Spagnuolo explained. “One guy gets upfield, and he finds that spot. So not creating those seams and not allowing [Barkley] to find them is going to be really important for us.”

Barkley’s big-play threat is paired with Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts, who himself has rushed for a 44-yard touchdown this postseason. Typically, the threat of Hurts’ legs comes in short yardage with the “Tush Push.”

In the AFC Championship, the Chiefs’ defense put on an incredible performance, stuffing Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen on quarterback sneaks. Spagnuolo knows these plays will be more challenging to stop in the Super Bowl.

“I think the Eagles have perfected this over two of three years,” Spags pointed out. “That offensive line is built, they could probably take the offensive line and win some rugby tournaments. They are that big and physical… I was real proud of the way the guys defended those particular plays against Buffalo last week, this is probably a whole different challenge this week.”

Defensive linemen Mike Pennel and Chris Jones teamed up with linebacker Nick Bolton and safety Justin Reid to stuff the Bills. That physicality will have to be multiplied against Philadelphia.

“It’s really hard,” Spags admitted of preparing for the sneak. “We’re not putting pads on, that’s a physical play in the game of football, you have a lot of guys ramming each other, we’re certainly not doing that. we try to do it on bags. We try to talk about things, we just did a walkthrough where we actually went through, talking about fits and where guys should go… the first time we’ll get a shot at stopping it will be in the game.”

Whether it’s Barkley’s explosive plays, Hurts’ efficiency on situational downs, or the general strength of the starting five linemen, the Chiefs’ run defense is gearing up for possibly the stiffest challenge of this entire three-year championship run.