Eagles All Pro pass rusher pushed back on talking matchups or comparisons to Von Miller, he is solely focused on the task that is finally at hand.
PHOENIX: The offensive tackles for the Kansas City Chiefs who start the game against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday evening in Super Bowl LVII are Orlando Brown Jr., a four-time Pro Bowler and Andrew Wylie, who bounced around a few practice squads before finding a home in Kansas City.
Wylie helped the Chiefs win Super Bowl LIV in 2020 as a valuable backup who started eleven games at guard.
The 28-year-old has started 57 of the 69 games he has been listed as playing in.
You don’t have to be Bill Belichick to figure out that if you are a pass rusher like, say, Eagles Haason Reddick, your first choice to go up against and get your hands on Chiefs all-everything quarterback Patrick Mahomes would be Wylie.
Reddick, to be sure, is watching film of the Chiefs offensive line for its weaknesses.
In addition to Brown, Jr., Kansas City starts Pro Bowlers Joe Thuney at left guard and Creed
Humphrey at center. Trey Smith at the right guard spot is no slouch.
Does Reddick look at what could be the best matchup for Sunday and the best opportunity for him to disrupt Mahomes?
“I know who the tackle is, he’s been the tackle there for the whole year, No. 77, Wylie,” Reddick said. “Of course they’re going to do things to try and slow me down, each team does. But we have so much depth and talent along our d-line, it’s just hard to single in and focus in a single person for the whole game. “
Reddick continued.
“There will be decisions to be made,” he said. “Ok, maybe they double me or try to chip me…stuff like that. That’ll be fine. It will leave other opportunities for my other teammates to make plays as well.”
The former Temple star was the centerpiece of an Eagles defensive line that dominated a good San Francisco offensive line two weeks ago that played a key role for the Birds (16-3) to win the NFC.
His numbers weren’t gaudy (four tackles two sacks, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery) but his impact on the game was Hall of Fame level.
Reddick has surely watched tape of then Denver pass rusher Von Miller and some of his game-wrecking performances including his MVP night against Cam Newton and tackle Mike Remmers in Super Bowl 50, right?
“Nah, I haven’t watched any,” said Reddick, who immediately seemed to want to change the subject…then adjusted the answer. “I haven’t watched any film (on Miller) recently, no.”
After saying he thought winning the Super Bowl would shower his college program, Temple with a positive light, he did pivot away from any Miller references.
“The only thing I’m worried about is winning the Super Bowl, at the end of the day,” Reddick said. “It’s hard to get to this point. The only thing I want to do is see us hold that trophy and bring it back to Philly and get ready for ring sizing.” *
Email Al Thompson at al.thompson@footballstories.com