Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles kicks off on Sunday, 12 February, as one of the most anticipated events of the year. With a halftime performance by Rihanna and two MVP-caliber quarterbacks, this year’s Super Bowl will surely not disappoint. In this preview, we take a deep dive into what we expect will happen and who will ultimately host the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
The Eagles’ Path
Coming into this season, the Philadelphia Eagles were considered by many to be a dark horse contender for the title. Their roster was constructed to compete among the NFC’s best and for a deep playoff run, but their biggest question mark was whether quarterback Jalen Hurts was the right fit and player for their scheme. Five months later, Hurts has cemented himself as the Eagles franchise quarterback with an MVP-caliber season.
Coming into the playoffs the Eagles were the number one seed in the NFC. Throughout the season they proved many correct with their consistent performances. Although they had the easiest schedule in football, they dominated the opposition on a weekly basis with their league-best offensive and defensive lines, elite pass rush and secondary, and superb plays from their quarterback and skill-position players. Stud wide receivers AJ Brown and Devanta Smith had monstrous seasons and became the first wide receiver duo in Eagles history to each have over 1000 receiving yards. The only bump on their otherwise flawless season was over the stretch of two games when Hurts was absent due to a shoulder injury. The Eagles heavily rely on Hurts’ strength and running to facilitate their offence, and ensuring he comes into the Super Bowl at peak health is critical for their success.
The Eagle’s road to the playoffs was a walk in the park. In the divisional round, they blew out the New York Giants and routed an injury depleted San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship. The only question for this team entering the Super Bowl is whether Hurts and the Eagles can come up clutch in tight games after walking through this season with virtually no challenge at all.
The Chiefs’ Path
Coming into this season, many had written off the Kansas City Chiefs as Super Bowl contenders. After losing in the AFC Championship last year and an off-season blockbuster that saw star wide receiver Tyreke Hill traded to the Miami Dolphins, many wondered how the Chiefs could repeat their domination. Last week, the doubters were silenced after the Chiefs hoisted their third AFC Championship in the last four years, after winning a rematch of 2021’s AFC Championship against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Like the Eagles, the Chiefs finished the season as the top seed in the AFC, although it was much more unconventional. After a Bill-Bengals game was cancelled due to the on-field scare involving Bill’s safety Damar Hamlin, the Chiefs were awarded the top seed. Had the Bills won that game, they would have been awarded the top spot. This led to many believing the Chiefs were undeserving of the top seed but nonetheless, the Chiefs sufficiently ignored and blocked out the noise and entered the divisional round unphased and locked in.
In the divisional round, the Chiefs won a narrow victory against an up-and-coming Jaguars team, but this victory did not come without consequences. Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the likely MVP candidate, was injured mid game with an ankle sprain. In the week leading up to the AFC Championship it was also reported the Chiefs top receiving option, tight end Travis Kelce was dealing with a back injury. In combination with wild comments being made by supporters from the Bengals side – who have been undefeated against Patrick Mahomes—these injuries led to the Chiefs entering the AFC Championship as marginal favourites.
Once again, on the back of their star quarterback (who seemingly was playing with one leg), the Chiefs proved the doubters wrong. They jumped up to a quick 10-0 lead against the Joe Burrow-led Cincinnati Bengals and never looked back. While there were controversial calls throughout the game, the Chiefs reigned victorious and solidified themselves as the Kings of the AFC.
The Super Bowl
The matchup between the Eagles and Chiefs is strikingly even. Both teams come to the Super Bowl with a combined regular season and playoff record of 16-3 and both have scored exactly 546 points this season. When looking at these two teams, the x-factor seems to involve the Eagles having a more well-constructed and complete roster on both sides of the ball, and the Chiefs having a better and more experienced quarterback-coaching duo. Next Sunday will determine which of these is more significant.
On the offensive side of the ball, both teams are elite. Led by pristine offensive-minded head coaches in Nick Siranni of the Eagles and Andy Reid of the Chiefs, two MVP-caliber quarterbacks, and star-studded receiving options, this Super Bowl sure points to a high scoring affair. What gives the Eagles the edge in my opinion is their more superior run game, led by their league-best offensive line. This advantage is crucial in tight games like the Super Bowl and even more significant playing a team like the Chiefs. The mediocre Chiefs defence will likely have their hands full against an Eagles team that steam-rolled the best defence in the NFL in the NFC Championship against the 49ers with their established run game and multidimensional offensive scheme. But more importantly, an established run game will keep the game’s best player, Patrick Mahomes, on the sideline which may prove necessary given the clutch ability he brings.
The same narrative can be said on the defensive side of the ball with the Eagles possessing a league best defensive line and world class secondary. This combination should be sufficient to slow down the heavily relied on and high powered Chiefs passing game, given their inability to effectively run the ball. The factor to consider here is strictly the combination of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes who seemingly have an answer for every defence they have faced. For the Eagles to have any chance they must ensure they are able to run the ball effectively and keep Mahomes off the field.
In my opinion, while the Eagles may not have the better quarterback and coach, their dominant skill-position players, who outmatch the Chiefs’, should be enough to bring it home.
Prediction: Eagles 27, Chiefs 24