Super Bowl Position Breakdown: Running Backs

The Super Bowl is right around the corner, featuring two premier teams in the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.

A game we saw take place two years ago in Arizona, ending in a win for the Chiefs, now being the first championship in potentially the first three-peat in NFL history.

While one team looks to make history, the other is fueled by revenge, in hopes of defeating the current giant of the NFL, and winning their first championship since 2018.

A huge part of every football game is the running backs, with this matchup being no different. Let us take a look at what both teams have to offer when it comes to handing off the rock in the backfield.

Let us start with the clear favorite when it comes to the run game. Philadelphia finished the regular season with the second most rushing yards per game in the league, thanks to their strong offensive line.

However, the real star of the show who took the league by storm in his first season with the team was running back and NFL most valuable player nominee Saquon Barkley. Leading the league with 2,005 rushing yards on his way to his 13 rushing touchdowns, Barkley had a historic season, one he surely will never forget.

The Eagles have depth behind their star as well, with a questionable Kenneth Gainwell and rookie Will Shipley receiving most of the carries outside of Barkley.

The running back room in Philadelphia is not going to be slept on during Sunday's game, and for sure will be a main focus for the Kansas City defense and head coach Andy Reid.

Looking at the other side, the Chiefs have struggled on the ground this year. They found themselves with the twenty-second most rushing yards per game at the end of the regular season.

This performance could be due to a down year for running back Isiah Pacheco, who only played in seven games this year and totaled 310 rushing yards. However, the team did bring back veteran Kareem Hunt, who totaled 728 rushing yards in 13 games, showing that himself and the team could still run the ball decently.

With a lackluster run game, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni will most likely scheme against the Chiefs passing game that finished with the ninth most passing yards per game this season. It will be interesting to see if Kansas City can change things up to solve their running problems in the biggest game of the year.

With numerous factors playing a role in this year's Super Bowl, a strong run game is not the only thing either team will need to win the big game.

Both teams will need to play at the best of their abilities, as one tries to make history with the first ever Super Bowl three-peat, while the other tries to flip the script and win in this rematch that sure will be an exciting game to watch.

Charles Wesolowski is a first-year majoring in journalism. To contact him, email cjw6772@psu.edu.