Special teams have always been special for Sean Payton. And in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, the Broncos head coach expects special teams to determine the outcome.
“I think there’s a significant edge in the kicking game for Kansas City,” Payton told Kay Adams in New Orleans on Wednesday.
Famous for his “Ambush” surprise onside kick to open the second half in the Saints’ Super Bowl XLIV victory, Payton more recently was on the wrong end of a spectacular play in the kicking game. In Week 10 this season at Arrowhead Stadium, Leo Chenal blocked a Wil Lutz field goal to preserve a 16-14 Chiefs win with no time remaining.
Chenal also blocked Ka’imi Fairbairn’s fourth-quarter attempt to effectively seal the Chiefs’ divisional-round playoff victory last month. And two years ago in the first Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl, Kadarius Toney reversed his field with a convoy of blockers to set up a critical fourth-quarter touchdown. The 65-yard punt return was the longest in Super Bowl history, just one note on the long resume of special teams coordinator Dave Toub.
“Toub’s one of the better special teams coordinators,” Payton said, noting he realizes that the kicking-game angle isn’t a sexy narrative. “I said it on FOX two years ago, and here it is, fourth quarter and there goes Toney with a punt return.”
After taking the lead on Toney’s burst, the Chiefs never trailed again in a 38-35 victory. They might get a similar field-flipping play on Sunday from return man Nikko Remigio, who in only two postseason games this year already has a 63-yard kickoff return and a 41-yard punt return – both the longest respective returns in those categories during the 2024 playoffs.
Payton also said he expects a low-scoring game, much different than the 73 combined points the two teams put up in Arizona two years ago. So don’t be surprised if the Chiefs don’t have a Jet Chip Wasp, Corn Dog or Tom and Jerry play that makes headlines this year.
For more information on the Eagles and Chiefs, visit the Philadelphia and Kansas City team pages at ProFootballPost.com.
Discover more from Pro Football Post
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.