Thanks to a last second field goal by Harrison Butker we now know who will battle it out for Super Bowl 57. The matchup is a juicy one, the Philadelphia Eagles vs the Kansas City Chiefs. You can’t really argue that these have been the best two teams in the NFL this year. The story lines are endless and I’m sure we will cover many of them during the coming weeks. First, let’s take a look some of our early thoughts in this Super Bowl preview.
How will the Chiefs slow down the Eagles rushing attack?
The Eagles once again ran all over their opponent scoring 4 rushing touchdowns. They totaled 148 yards on the ground against the leagues best defense. Jalen Hurts really didn’t need to do much through the air as the Eagles dominated the line of scrimmage. Stopping the Eagles rushing attack will no doubt be the #1 game plan for the Chiefs going into the Super Bowl. The issue will be if they load up to stop the run Hurts has the ability to beat them on the deep ball.
How will injuries play a role?
A bum ankle didn’t stop Patrick Mahomes from delivering in the clutch. You could see it affect him on some throws but he is a baller and delivered on several key plays down the stretch. I am not worried about Mahomes for this game as he will have plenty of time to rest but the Chiefs have other injury concerns. L’Jarius Sneed went down early in the game with a hand injury but was ruled out later due to a concussion. If Sneed were to miss this game it would be a huge blow for the Chiefs. He is arguably there best defender and is critical in the passing game. The Chiefs are also dealing with injuries at the wide receiver position as we wait to see the status of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman.
Can the Eagles stop Travis Kelce?
Travis Kelce is the key to the Chiefs offense. Everybody knows this so why is he so hard to stop? Kelce has great instincts and is a master at finding open space. Also the chemistry between him and Mahomes is the reason they have so much success. Mahomes has the ultimate trust in him. The Eagles will no doubt try to disrupt him at the line of scrimmage with their talented defensive line. They can only hope to disrupt the rhythm and keep everything underneath.
Andy Reid vs. Nick Sirianni
Andy Reid will look to hoist the Lombardi trophy vs his former team. Reid coached the Eagles for 14 years before jumping ship to lead the Chiefs. He had success during his time in Philadelphia but they never won the big one. On paper Reid vs. Sirianni seems like a mismatch. Reid will be a Hall of Famer one day and Sirianni is coaching in just his second season but this isn’t a complete mismatch. Sirianni has found the right buttons to push for his team and they seem to really rally around him. Let’s see how this plays out on Super Bowl Sunday.
Patrick Mahomes vs Jalen Hurts
Two MVP candidates, two of the best quarterbacks in the game and it all comes down to this. Mahomes vs. Hurts will be a heavyweight battle and I for can’t wait to see who comes out on top. Mahomes has been here before so the stage won’t be too big for him. Hurts looks to continue his amazing season by leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory. If Mahomes is fully healthy you have to give the Chiefs the upper hand but not by much. The Eagles and Jalen Hurts have mastered the RPO offense and will look to continue their winning ways as they aim for the ultimate prize.
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