Philadelphia Eagles (Maddie)
I’m confident the Eagles will emerge victorious over the Chiefs in Sunday’s game.
You might think that’s my brazen Philly-bred confidence talking, but the numbers don’t lie.
First off, the Eagles defensive line is full of sack machines. The formidable group racked up 70 sacks in the regular season alone, a league-leading figure, and added eight more in their two dominating playoff performances. The Chiefs, who are second in the league in sacks, clocked 55 in the regular season — an impressive number in its own right, but not necessarily too spectacular when compared to the Eagles.
The Eagles’ imposing D-line is going to be of the utmost importance in this matchup, as Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is already struggling with a nagging ankle injury. Granted, the Chiefs’ offensive line hasn’t let up many sacks this year, but they also haven’t gone up against the Eagles.
And sure, Jaylen Watson and friends do a good job in the backfield, but they’re no match for the one-two punch of wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. If they manage to stop one of them, the other will come up strong, not to mention the powerhouse that is Dallas Goedert at tight end.
Finally, the Eagles have managed to put together a pretty prolific running game, which has proven to be important in Super Bowl contests of the past. I expect Miles Sanders and, dare I say, Boston Scott to both have big games and help the Eagles rack up some points.
Oh, and Jalen Hurts will also be there. Need I say more?
If the Chiefs manage to win, I hereby solemnly swear to treat Charlie to a Hana Sushi (a newsroom favorite) entree of his choosing. We’ve metaphorically shaken on it. Go Birds.
Kansas City Chiefs (Charlie)
Let me start by getting something out of the way. Are the Eagles good? Yes. Do they have one of the most well-rounded teams I’ve ever seen in the NFL? Also yes. But it isn’t about how good the other team is, it is about how well the two teams match up, so chop on.
It is hard not to start and end with one of the main storylines of these two weeks. Andy Reid, once the patron saint of Philadelphia after leading them to four NFC championship appearances, saw his grateful followers turn on him to follow the new shiny golden calf in Chip Kelly. Instead of sulking, Reid took his talents to Kansas City and set to work building the next AFC dynasty.
His right-hand man Patrick Mahomes has turned from a risky draft pick to the best offensive player in football over the last five years. While the Eagles may have one of the best defensive fronts the NFL has ever witnessed, Mahomes’ numbers under pressure showcase that he is more than twice as successful under duress than the average QB.
The other major storyline of Sunday’s big game is that this will be the first time that two brothers, Jason and Travis Kelce, will face each other in the Super Bowl. Travis is poised to pick apart the Eagles’ linebacker core – one of the few weaknesses on Philadelphia’s roster.
You can also talk about the Chiefs’ underrated defense. They have a sturdy unit that will be tasked with quelling an offense that can beat you in their air and on the ground. But there is one thing that Eagles fans don’t want to talk about. Jalen Hurts, as transcendent as he was before the shoulder injury, has looked only pedestrian since. You can argue that he hasn’t had to do much, but he is still not playing the way he was at the beginning of the season. If the Eagles’ offense is going to score at all against the Chief’s D, they will need a stellar performance from Hurts.
The Chiefs have played in three out of the last four Super Bowls and have the experience to lift the Lombardi Trophy Sunday. Go Chiefs, I guess.
