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Kellen Moore Gives Eagles Nightmare Jonathan Gannon Flashback on Super Bowl Eve

By Joe Summers

Nov 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore reacts during the third quarter of a game against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Nov 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore reacts during the third quarter of a game against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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The Philadelphia Eagles are set to take on the Kansas City Chiefs in what should be a thrilling Super Bowl, though fans were just given a bitter reminder of how quickly fortunes can turn in the biggest game of the season.

When these teams squared off two years ago, the Eagles were set to lose both offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon to head coaching jobs. Much was made about a potential distraction, and Gannon's performance seemed to support that concern. The Chiefs dominated a vaunted Eagles defense, scoring 38 points to narrowly win the game.

Now with the news that standout play-caller Kellen Moore was leaving to become the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, fans are justifiably concerned about how the offense might perform on Sunday.

Eagles Feeling Déjà Vu After Kellen Moore Hired by Saints Before Super Bowl

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Moore is officially expected to become the next coach of the Saints. He's been a revelation for Philadelphia, helping Saquon Barkley earn NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year honors while the offense ranked in the top 10 in yards per play (5.7).

However, he's been busy with interviews to secure this job while Kansas City's coordinators, Matt Nagy and Steve Spagnuolo, could fully focus on preparing for the Super Bowl. In all likelihood, Moore spent plenty of time on his game plan, though one would understand if he was slightly distracted over the last two weeks trying to land the opportunity of a lifetime.

Spagnuolo is known as the best defensive coordinator in the league, with respect to Vic Fangio. He'll have every trick up his sleeve, so Moore has to be ready for a ton of potential variables that he might not expect. It's hard to think of every possible counter when you're busy preparing for a head coaching interview, giving the Chiefs the same edge they held two years ago.

The obvious counter to Gannon's example is Steichen, whose offense put up 35 points on Spagnuolo's defense in that matchup. Even though he was getting hired by the Indianapolis Colts, Steichen still put together a fantastic plan that could've won the game. Whether Moore can replicate that success is unclear, but he's certainly got the playmakers to do it.

We'll see if Moore was able to stay focused over the last 14 days. If he wasn't, Philadelphia's Super Bowl dreams might blow up in smoke once again.

For now, the Eagles are 1.5-point underdogs at FanDuel Sportsbook, indicating this should be a tightly-contested game that comes down to the very end.

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