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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 29: Jake Elliott #4 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on prior to the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field on January 29, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Super Bowl gets closer and closer. And what better way to pass the time than to break down the matchup endlessly? On Tuesday we took a look at both teams’ offenses, and it came up Eagles, with them winning 6 out of 9 matchups. Yesterday we looked at the defenses, and the Eagles won 4 out of the 5 matchups. But what about Special Teams? It is perhaps the least important of the 3 units. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter. And it may be the Eagles’ one weak link. So let’s see who has the edge on Special Teams.

  • Kicker- Jake Elliott vs Harrison Butker

    Kicker is one of those positions where the stats do actually tell a full story. There is no one else you have to rely on. You either make the kicks, or you don’t. So let’s simply look at both guys’ numbers this year.

    Extra Points FGs 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+
    Jake Elliott 96.20% 87.00% 0-0 6-6 8-9 1-2 5-6
    Harrison Butker 92.70% 75% 0-0 7-7 4-5 4-5 3-7

    I mean, one is pretty clearly better than the other. Elliott is solid from any part of the field. Butker struggles to range past 50 yards. The interesting takeaway here is how rarely the Eagles attempt a 40-49 yard field goal. If the Eagles get into that intermediate area, more than likely they will be going for it.

    But Elliott is clearly the better kicker. If needed, they can trust him from any distance. The Chiefs probably have to get within a 45-yard FG to feel good having him line up for a game-winning or game-tying kick. It might not come down to that, but having the luxury to attempt a long FG at the end of the game is an advantage that the Eagles have, and the Chiefs may not have, given Butker’s struggles on 50+ yard FGs.

    Edge: Eagles

  • Punter- Arryn Siposs/ Brett Kern vs Tommy townsend

    It is looking like Arryn Siposs will be back for the Super Bowl, though it is still not confirmed. But whether it is him or Kern, neither are better than Tommy Townsend. Townsend was the first-team All-Pro Punter. Siposs and Kern are both near the bottom of the league in all punting stats. While Townsend is 2nd in average punt distance with 50.4 yards. This isn’t close. It may be the largest edge the Chiefs have over the Eagles. The Eagles are one of the worst punting teams in the league, and the Chiefs are one of the best. Luckily for the Eagles, they don’t have to punt too often.

    The Eagles’ coverage units have also been a bit iffy at times. It improved some over the course of the season. But there are still times when it feels like they are giving guys too much space to return the ball.

    Edge: Chiefs

  • Return Man: Isiah Pacheco and Kadarius Toney vs Britain Covey and Boston Scott

    Neither team is particularly dangerous in the return game. Covey has done a better job later in the season, but that is not saying too much. It has never felt like he represents a threat to break one, or even get a decent return. Boston Scott has broken loose on a few kick returns, but mostly he just gets back to the 25.

    And it is pretty much the same story for the Chiefs. Pacheco has not been too dangerous on Kick returns. Toney had a decent return vs the Bengals, but he is banged up coming into the game so those duties may pass to Skyy Moore. Either way neither has put up big return numbers this season. It seems unlikely the returners will have a big impact in this game for either team. This might just be a draw.

    Edge- Draw

  • Conclusion

    Kicker- Eagles

    Punter- Chiefs

    Return Man- Draw

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    Who Has The Better Roster: Defense Edition

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