Super Bowl LVII: Philly monsters terrorize their rivals
BETTING À DAY
Once the Chicago Bears, nicknamed the “Midway Monsters”, inspired fear across the NFL. This season, it is rather the Philadelphia Eagles who have taken pleasure in mistreating opposing quarterbacks. The attack may steal the show in the NFL, but we must not turn our noses up at the demonic forces of the day in Super Bowl LVII: the Philly monsters.
In the last two playoff games against the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants, the Eagles harassed the rival pivots with eight quarterback sacks. They thus brought their total this season to 78.
Including the playoffs, they are only five more short of beating the mark of 82 established in 1984 by the Bears. Obviously, the fact that the regular schedule now has 17 games plays into the equation. No choice to take this factor into consideration when records fall or are threatened.
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However, what the Eagles accomplish defensively is a feat.
Just for the sake of the exercise, if we stopped the clock at 16 games this season, the Eagles would claim 68 sacks. It would still be the fourth-highest total in NFL history.
They ultimately finished the regular season at 70 sacks, putting them on par with the 1987 Bears. Only the 1989 Minnesota Vikings (71 sacks) and the 1984 Bears (again, with 72 sacks) are ahead of them.
Since the turn of the 2000s, only the 2000 New Orleans Saints and 2006 San Diego Chargers have passed the 60-sack mark in a season. It's not an easy set.
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Consistency
This rare dominance of the defensive front will therefore be a key element in the game against the Chiefs, especially against a battered Patrick Mahomes.
What has impressed in the Eagles' defense this season is the consistency in production.
For five games in a row, from Dec. 4 to Jan. 1, the Philly Monsters have tormented quarterbacks with at least six sacks per game. This five-game streak, which was punctuated by 32 sacks, is the most productive to date if we exclude the 1987 season. This campaign was statistically misleading due to the players' strike. /p>
Nice depth
The other eye-opening variable is that no less than four players joined the opposing pivot at least 10 times , unheard of within the same formation.
Incredible but true, in the previous 10 seasons, Philadelphia has only fielded two athletes who have claimed at least 10 sacks, Connor Barwin (14.5 in 2014) and Fletcher Cox (10.5 in 2018) .
Stretching even a bit, the Eagles are the first since the 1997 Atlanta Falcons with five players who show at least seven sacks. A sign that production comes from everywhere and that Philadelphia has the freedom to rotate staff. When the forces are reduced in the fourth quarter of a fiercely contested duel, it is a major asset.
Lightning progress
What surprises the more in this intimidating portrait is that the ability to apply pressure was not the cup of tea of the Eagles last season, however, with much the same players. This is where the arrival of outside linebacker Haason Reddick helped hit the jackpot.
Indeed, Nick Sirianni's men ended the previous season with a meager 29 quarterback sacks, which placed them 31st and penultimate in the circuit, ahead of the Falcons (18).
This improvement of 41 sacks this season (regular schedule) represents the biggest jump in NFL history, according to Football Outsiders. The Vikings claimed this mark with a 37 sack improvement, from 1988 to 1989.
These are many numbers that have certainly given the Chiefs coaching staff a few sleepless nights in recent days.
The 5 Eagles Terrors
Haason Reddick
28 years old | 13th pick in 2017 (Cardinals)
16 sacks, 49 tackles, 5 forced fumbles
Josh Sweat
25 years old | 130th pick in 2018 (Eagles)
11 sacks, 48 tackles, 1 forced fumble
Brandon Graham
34 years old | 13th pick in 2010 (Eagles)
11 sacks, 35 tackles, 2 forced fumbles
Javon Hargrave
30 years | 89th pick in 2016 (Steelers)
11 sacks, 60 tackles, 1 forced fumble
Fletcher Cox
32 years old | 12th pick in 2012 (Eagles)
7 sacks, 43 tackles, 1 forced fumble
PHILADELPHIA'S BEST SEASONS FOR BAGS
2022 | 70 bags
Haason Reddick 16 bags
1989 | 62 bags
Clyde Simmons 15.5 bags
1984 | 60 bags
Greg Brown 16 bags
1987 | 57 bags
Reggie White 21 bags
2002 | 56 bags
Hugh Douglas 12.5 bags
Source: Pro Football Reference< /em>
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About The Author
Wilson
Rob Wilson has been a reporter on the news desk since 2013. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining The Gal Times, Rob wilson worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my rob@bobrtimes.com 1-800-268-7128