5 Key Super Bowl LII Matchups

The NFL is a game of matchups and there are plenty of exciting ones to look forward to in Super Bowl LII.  I've picked out 5 matchups that I think we'll be interesting to keep track of on Sunday night.  Because of Thursday's article about which Eagle should cover Gronk I've left that matchup out of this article.

Fletcher Cox vs. Patriots interior linemen
After Aaron Donald, Fletcher Cox is probably the best defensive tackle in the league and his success against the Pats interior offensive line will be a huge factor in this game. From a PFF grade standpoint, Cox had a 91.5 rating this year, whereas none of the Patriots offensive line graded over 81.3.  Also, Brady has notoriously done worse against inside pressure in comparison to edge rush, so if Cox can toss around the likes of Joe Thuney, David Andrews and Shaquille Mason like he has done to so many of his opposition this year, then the Eagles have a real chance of causing the upset.  

Danny Amendola vs. Patrick Robinson
Danny "Playoff" Amendola had a huge game in the AFC Championship against the Jaguars but I think he'll have a tougher time against Patrick Robinson this week.  Robinson had a PFF grade of 90.6 when covering in the slot this year, ranking him as one of the best in the league in that roll.  As good as Amendola is, there are better matchups for the Patriots in the passing game so I'm not expecting the slot receiver to see as many targets as usual.

Alshon Jeffery vs. Stephon Gilmore
The Eagles No.1 receiver has been outstanding in the postseason so far, boasting a 158.3 passer rating for Nick Foles when he's been targeted.  On the flip side, Stephon Gilmore has looked better each and every game he has played in his first year New England and is likely to shadow Jeffery throughout the game.  This is going to be a close matchup and could have a huge impact on how effective the Eagles can be on offence.

Trey Flowers vs. Halapoulivaati Vaitai
Vaitai has done much better than expected since coming in to replace the injured Jason Peters, however he still can be taken advantage of.  Flowers is a very effective pass rusher and will look to dominate the Eagles' left tackle and put some blindside pressure on Nick Foles.

Zach Ertz vs. Patrick Chung
Despite not having a touchdown in the playoffs, Ertz has made big plays at big times for the Eagles and has continued to be a reliable target for Foles.  Patrick Chung is reasonably good in coverage but I think he could struggle against a player that has been dominant all season long.  This could be the matchup that the Eagles can exploit on offence and get them across the line to win their first Super Bowl.