We have had for the past few years a Super Bowl Thread... So, here is this years. Its a great match-up between two of the best, if not the best teams the NFL had all season. Great QB's, two good running teams and two very talented defenses. Both teams coach well also. Should be a good SB, not a one-sided snoozer like we have sat through in the past.
Super Bowl LVII: 6 factors that could determine Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Of all the potential matchups for Super Bowl LVII, this was the one that was always the most intriguing. We have the Kansas City Chiefs chasing their second championship in the last four years and the Philadelphia Eagles pursuing their second title in the last six years. We're going to see the top seeds in the AFC and NFC square off. Of course, we also have familiarity. Kansas City head coach Andy Reid is taking on the same franchise that he spent 14 years leading, while the Kelce brothers (Eagles center Jason and Chiefs tight end Travis) will tangle for family bragging rights. What makes this game more fun is the way both teams arrived here. The Chiefs were supposed to take a step back after trading away star receiver Tyreek Hill. Instead, they became more balanced, developed a young defense and watched quarterback Patrick Mahomes produce a season that should end with him being named Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player for the second time in his career. Just as interesting is the fact that no league MVP has won a Super Bowl in the same season since Kurt Warner accomplished that feat with the Rams in 1999. The Eagles operated in a similarly impressive fashion. The same squad that finished 9-8 and earned a wild-card appearance in 2021 blossomed into the darling of the NFC with a 14-3 regular-season record. Philadelphia relied on a strong defense, a dominant running game, dynamic receivers and a third-year quarterback who grew up at just the right time. Mahomes may have been the best player in the league this season, but it's hard to argue that the Eagles' Jalen Hurts wasn't the runner-up. Now we'll see how these teams measure up against one another. They each faced their share of obstacles to reach this point, and it should be a great contest based off their strengths. This week's First Read will provide our first glimpse on the factors that will impact the outcome of Super Bowl LVII. These are the most significant ones worth noting … 1) Patrick Mahomes needs to keep blowing us away. Anybody who watched Mahomes limp his way through most of Kansas City's Divisional Round win over Jacksonville had to be skeptical of how much he could move around against Cincinnati in the AFC Championship Game. Mahomes was dealing with a high ankle sprain, one that was so problematic he hardly did any running at practice all week. It turns out an injury that can sideline mere mortals for four-to-six weeks doesn't pose the same issues for somebody like Mahomes. He threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns against the Bengals and only turned the ball over once (on a third quarter fumble when the ball slipped out of his hand on a pass play). It's hard to know how healthy Mahomes will be in a couple of weeks against Philadelphia, but he proved those questions don't matter that much today. He made critical plays at key junctures and put his body on the line time and again to generate points for his team Sunday. Mahomes now gets to face an Eagles team that boasts the best pass defense in the league. Judging by how he handled himself against a Bengals defense that had given him problems in three previous losses, he'll probably be just fine. 2) Jalen Hurts needs to make history. The one thing we've never seen happen in the NFL is a team winning a championship with a true dual-threat quarterback. Hurts has an opportunity to change all that, and he's easily the best prepared to do so. The Eagles arguably have the league's best offensive line, a bevy of talented running backs and dangerous pass catchers in A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert. However, most of those players were in Philadelphia last season. The biggest difference with this team is Hurts and his ability to impact games with his legs and his improved passing. Hurts didn't have to do a ton in Philadelphia's 31-7 win over San Francisco in the NFC championship -- he only threw for 121 yards and ran for 39 yards -- but there's no denying what his presence means to this team. The Eagles lost both games that Hurts missed with a sprained right shoulder toward the end of the regular season. They're 16-1 this season when he's on the field. 3) The Eagles' pass rush must dominate. No team in the league had a more ferocious pass rush than Philadelphia this season. It produced 70 sacks and four defensive linemen finished with at least 10 quarterback takedowns. That unit blew up the 49ers' game plan in the NFC championship, as the Eagles injured both starting quarterback Brock Purdy and backup Josh Johnson. To understand how feeble the San Francisco passing attack became in that contest, all you need to know is one stat: The 49ers finished with 83 passing yards. The scary part about the Eagles is they accomplished that level of success against a San Francisco offensive line that is one of the best in the league. There will be some obvious advantages on the edge against the Chiefs, who've received inconsistent play from offensive tackles Orlando Brown and Andrew Wylie. It will be critical for the Eagles to exploit those matchups whenever possible. If they can't pressure Mahomes, they won't win this game. 4) The Chiefs' defense must continue to deliver. The Chiefs knew this season would be about growing pains on their defense, especially because they relied on so many rookies playing key roles. What nobody could've predicted was how well those young players would perform on such a big stage. Joe Burrow threw two huge interceptions in the AFC title bout and both wound up in the hands of first-year cornerbacks (Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams). Rookie defensive end George Karlaftis also added a sack, while rookie safety Bryan Cook tipped the pass Williams wound up picking off. It also didn't hurt that the Chiefs' pass rush capitalized on a Bengals offensive line that was missing three starters. Kansas City amassed four of its five sacks in the first half, with All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones picking up the first two playoff sacks of his career. The Eagles' offensive line -- as well as Hurts and his weapons -- will present a much different challenge for the Chiefs. This will be the best running team Kanas City will have faced this season, and Hurts isn't afraid to go after teams with his arm. The Chiefs played a large part of the second half with five rookie defenders on the field at key moments. They'll have to keep growing up in a hurry. 5) The Eagles' running game can't slow down. The Eagles didn't have the best rushing attack in the league in terms of statistics, but they easily had the most diversified. Everybody gets a taste in this offense, from Miles Sanders to Kenneth Gainwell to Boston Scott and Hurts. This offense ran for 148 yards against the NFL's best defense. Philadelphia has rushed for at least 135 yards in 12 games this season and eclipsed the 200-yard mark five times. The more Philly can establish that presence on the ground, the more it can put opposing defenses in a precarious position. The Eagles are so loaded on the outside with Smith and Brown at receiver that deep play-action shots invariably become available for Hurts to seize. The Chiefs actually ranked eighth in the league in rushing yards allowed, so don't expect them to get rolled in this aspect of the game. Middle linebacker Nick Bolton is a gifted run stopper, and K.C. is much faster on defense because of that youth movement. So, you can bet Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni desperately wants to win this matchup. The more he can control the football on the ground, the less chance Mahomes has to do something special with it. 6) The Chiefs' receivers need to be healthy. One of the more impressive aspects of the Chiefs' AFC championship win was their ability to deal with so many injuries to their receiving corps. Kadarius Toney went down with an ankle sprain. Mecole Hardman aggravated a pelvic injury that had sidelined him for weeks. JuJu Smith-Schuster sustained a knee injury that forced him out of action. It's fair to say the Chiefs don't win this game if wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling doesn't turn in his best performance of the year: six receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown. It's also realistic to think the Chiefs aren't going to be nearly as successful throwing the football in Super Bowl LVII without some of these players being available. As good as the Eagles are up front, they're equally impressive on the back end. That's where talented cover cornerbacks like Darius Slay and James Bradberry operate and ball-hawking safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson makes momentum-changing plays (he tied for the league-high with six interceptions despite missing five games due to injury). Mahomes has proven that he doesn't need a stud wide receiver like Hill to win games in this league. However, it would help immensely to have a few more of the guys he's relied upon all season ready in this contest. NFL.com writer; Jeffri Chadiha
Super Bowl LVII storylines: Defending Mahomes, Hurts The three things you need to know about Super Bowl LVII, per Next Gen Stats, that I think could play big parts in who wins: The Eagles do not need to blitz to affect Patrick Mahomes. This is the craziest thing about a formidable Philadelphia front: Of their league-best 77 sacks in 19 games, including playoffs, 57 came when the Eagles rushed four players. That means 74 percent of their sacks have come on non-blitzes. Which, of course, means that Mahomes will likely most often be trying to complete his passes with a battered receiving corps against seven men in coverage. Tough duty for even a great one like Mahomes. No team in the seven-year history of Next Gen Stats has had such success rushing the quarterback without blitzing as the ‘22 Eagles. Kansas City must be considering offensive alternatives with its beat-up receiver corps. Much has been said about the lack of Tyreek Hill in this offense, and it’s remarkable that the team has been so explosive—and Mahomes so productive—with all the new receivers in his arsenal. New, and not as fast. In 2018 through ’21, with Hill onboard, Mahomes threw 47 “deep TD passes,” defined as passes that traveled at least 20 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. In 2022, minus Hill, Mahomes threw one. We’ve seen all year that Mahomes is far more of an intermediate thrower this year, and he’s been great at it. One more NGS nugget that could come into play: Kansas City has scored 35 touchdowns this year—most in the NFL—with two tight ends on the field. If Travis Kelce isn’t a 100-yard factor in this game, I’ll be surprised. Steve Spagnuolo beat the 18-0 Patriots with an unpredictable pass-rush in the 2007 season. Will he blitz Jalen Hurts in the same way in Super Bowl LVII? Hurts, per Next Gen, had the sixth-worst success rate against the blitz this season. His success rate is 47.7 percent against non-blitzes. One thing Hurts has going for him is the best offensive line in football, a line well-suited to defend against great rushers. He’ll need it against Chris Jones and Frank Clark. Peter King, via; YAHOO
The Kansas City Chiefs activated running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire from injured reserve Monday ahead of Super Bowl LVII and placed wide receiver Mecole Hardman on IR. Edwards-Helaire had been on the shelf since suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers. The former first-round pick started the first six games of the season but saw his snaps dwindle before the injury as rookie Isiah Pacheco surged to the forefront of the Chiefs' rushing offense. _______ ___________________ As of todays Chiefs practice, no one missed it. They are all healthy.
Philadelphia's core four: Brandon Graham, Jason Kelce, Fletcher Cox and Lane Johnson define Eagles PHOENIX -- It was not long after the Philadelphia Eagles had been blown out of their wild-card playoff game by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year, and the vision for the future was clear to perhaps only those who toiled in the building just off Broad Street. There was never any doubt that the Eagles would be aggressive and fearless in the face of risk when it came to acquiring players -- that is how owner Jeffrey Lurie wants his franchise to operate. But Philadelphia was not a boom-or-bust team. There was a throughline in the roster that supplied a bridge from successful years across the down ones and would now provide the on-ramp to the much better ones. The signature wheeling and dealing would come later for general manager Howie Roseman. First, that bridge, one of the most important pieces of the Eagles' entire structure, had to be maintained. And it began with convincing All-Pro center Jason Kelce to delay retirement for another year. How did Roseman pull that off? "I mean, begging?" the general manager recalled. "Begging would be a proper term to use about what we were trying to do to get him to come back. It's very unusual that you're talking about a guy who gets better and better and better with age. He's a unique player, a unique person for our football team. He's a true legend." That Kelce, now in his 12th season in Philadelphia, announced his return in a video, with beer foam dribbling down his beard -- head coach Nick Sirianni had helpfully shipped Kelce a keg, the way other people send flowers to court a loved one -- only enhanced Kelce's stature as an iconic Eagle, and one of the longest-tenured and most critical players in the team's history. He has some company. Brandon Graham, Kelce and Fletcher Cox were drafted in successive springs by Andy Reid's Eagles. And the following year, Chip Kelly, who succeeded Reid as the head coach in 2013, took Lane Johnson in the first round. Kelce is the tone-setter, but that quartet has done more to shape and nurture and enforce the Eagles' culture -- and put Philly in position for a rapid recovery from a massive overhaul -- than anyone else. When Doug Pederson became Philadelphia's head coach in 2016, Graham, Kelce and Cox were familiar faces -- Pederson was beginning his climb up the NFL coaching ladder on Reid's staff when they were drafted -- and he knew immediately he would need them for advice, support and help. Then only in the middle of their respective careers, those three had already seen plenty in Philadelphia. The bittersweet end of Reid's era, the short-lived Kelly experiment, the renaissance of Michael Vick, the drafting of a backup named Nick Foles. They were natural choices for Pederson's players' council, and he turned to them for input on things like how many times they should practice in pads. The coach made them the messengers of a culture change in the locker room when things got messy, which they did during a five-game losing streak in Pederson's first year. They were the ones charged with reminding their teammates during that stretch that they were still a good team. But there were also the more specifics needs. Like when Johnson would be disappointed with his Pro Football Focus grade or upset that he wasn't voted first-team All-Pro. "You kind of had to reel him back in," Pederson said. "Kelce was the ringleader, the voice of reason. He was the one I would say, 'You've got to go talk to Lane.' " NFL.com
Super Bowl 2023: As great as Patrick Mahomes is, Eagles' defense isn't losing sight of Chiefs' sneak attack PHOENIX — The Philadelphia Eagles understand the threat. Patrick Mahomes, competing in his third Super Bowl at just 25 years old, can burn them deep and execute off-platform throws and scramble outside the pocket (even with that high ankle sprain) and even fire a left-handed pass whenever he chooses. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback threatens with his arm, legs and mind. And yet — as coaches scheme for Mahomes and defenders prepare for the quarterback whom defensive end Brandon Graham says has earned his “GOAT” status — Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox warns that their eye discipline must go beyond simply sifting through the misdirection that Mahomes and company cause. Eagles defenders must not lose sight of the Chiefs' run game. Or they risk succumbing to a sneak attack. “We know he’s going to make some really good plays,” Cox said Tuesday afternoon from the Eagles’ team hotel. “[But] No. 1, we know they like to run the football. “If we all get caught up in them passing the ball? If you really turn the tape on, they run the ball very well. And they do a really good job and have a couple good backs that run really hard.” Big plays and run defense will make or break the game, Cox said. A cursory look at Kansas City’s season seems to muddy this theory. Fear the Chiefs’ run game? This is the Kansas City team that led the league in points and yards by leading the league in passing touchdowns and passing yards. The Chiefs ranked 20th, meanwhile, in rushing yards. In fact, the Chiefs passed on 59.5% of plays during the regular season and accounted for 72% of their total yardage via the air. But Cox’s point clarifies when considering not the Chiefs’ overall production but their run efficiency. Kansas City’s 4.7 yards per carry ranked eighth-best in the league. Their 18 rushing touchdowns were good for seventh — both rankings far superior to their volume production. Rookie seventh-round running back Isiah Pacheco led Kansas City’s ground attack with 830 yards and five touchdowns on 170 regular-season carries. Of running backs in the league with at least 100 carries, Pacheco ranked No. 1 in efficiency, per Football Outsiders’ “success” rate that measures yardage gained compared to yardage needed for a first down. Pacheco gashed the Jacksonville Jaguars for 95 yards in a 27-20 divisional round win before the Bengals held him to just 26 yards on 10 carries. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, a 2020 first-round draft pick, was activated Monday after more than two months on injured reserve while battling a high-ankle sprain. He’d tracked 302 yards and three touchdowns in 10 active games, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. And the escape artist Mahomes ripped off 5.9 yards per attempt during a regular season with 358 yards and four touchdowns by ground, 25 times earning a first down with his legs. He has moved the chains twice more on six playoff carries, also extending plays in which he ultimately dumped a ball or unfurled a pass to a teammate. The Eagles' defensive front will aim to slow that ground game, alternating between four- and five-man rushes while never veering from the ultimate goal to each win their 1-on-1 matchups. “We throw a lot of different looks at teams,” Cox said. “They’ve got a lot of special players. … So it’s going to be tough.” As usual, Mahomes will be among those tough players. But he and the passing attack that he represents are not the only obstacles between the Eagles and their latest Lombardi Trophy. “That’s what it’s going to come down to,” Cox said, “Stopping the run and trying to eliminate their big plays.” YAHOO
The Eagles’ offensive line is the best unit in Super Bowl LVII All five starting offensive linemen are ranked within the top ten according to PFF. Over the last two playoff games, the front five hasn’t allowed a single sack or even a quarterback hit; only allowed nine hurries! Right tackle Lane Johnson and center Jason Kelce have only given up a combined 22 total pressures on 600+ pass-blocking snaps each. Both guards Landon Dickerson and Isaac Seumalo have only given up a combined two sacks all season. Left tackle Jordan Mailata is the technically the worst offensive lineman on the team (blown blocks, per SIS) and yet he’s still the fourth highest graded (88.8) zone run scheme blocker in the league, according to PFF. This offensive line has protected Jalen Hurts and has given Miles Sanders some of the biggest gaps to run through all season. Let’s dive into why this Eagles offensive line is so difficult to beat! TOUCHDOWN WIRE _____________ _________________________ Thats some real impressive stuff! Ive always maintained that football games are won in the trenches. Will be interesting to see how the Chiefs defense rises to the task.
Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones says he and his teammates are going up against the best offensive line in the NFL at Super Bowl LVII, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Jones said he always wants to face the most challenging opponent in the biggest games. “Always, man,” Jones said, via NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com. “When you’re going against the best, you always look forward to it. That’s how I think you’d rather have it done, beating the best, going against the best. I know it’s going to be a big challenge. I’m excited about it. I can’t wait for the opportunity.” Jones said it’s hard to find a weak link on the Eagles’ line. “Their chemistry,” Jones said. “How they work and mesh so well together, how they’re able to work together. When you play collectively like that, it’s hard for people to get to your quarterback.” The Chiefs’ defense sacked Joe Burrow five times in the AFC Championship Game and pressured him on several other passes, but Jones knows that’s going to be a tall order against Jalen Hurts on Super Bowl Sunday. PFT
Last nine regular-season MVPs to make the Super Bowl lost, now Patrick Mahomes is up In the 21st Century, the Super Bowl has not been a pleasant experience for winners of the regular-season Most Valuable Player award. Nine times this century the winner of the regular-season MVP has played in that season’s Super Bowl, and nine times his team lost. Now Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who won the MVP on Thursday night, will play in Super Bowl LVII. Mahomes will try to avoid the fate of Tom Brady in 2017, Matt Ryan in 2016, Cam Newton in 2015, Peyton Manning in 2013, Peyton Manning in 2009, Tom Brady in 2007, Shaun Alexander in 2005, Rich Gannon in 2002 and Kurt Warner in 2001, all of whom won the regular-season MVP but lost that season’s Super Bowl. The regular-season MVP winning the Super Bowl used to be commonplace: Kurt Warner did it in 1999, Terrell Davis in 1998, Brett Favre in 1996, Steve Young in 1994, Emmitt Smith in 1993, Joe Montana in 1989, Lawrence Taylor in 1986, Mark Moseley in 1982, Terry Bradshaw in 1978 and Bart Starr in 1966. But since 2000, no one has ended the season with both the MVP trophy and a Super Bowl ring. Perhaps Mahomes will. PFT
Jalen Hurts hasn't played well in the playoffs, college or pro. Will that change in the Super Bowl? PHOENIX — Jalen Hurts has never really performed well in a playoff game. Not in the NFL. Not in college. Considering his Philadelphia Eagles are in the Super Bowl on Sunday against Kansas City, maybe that doesn’t matter. Hurts has clearly been good enough. Or maybe Philly is going to need more out of him to get past Patrick Mahomes, who most certainly has risen at times to play his best ball in the biggest of games. Or maybe after nearly two weeks of breaking everything down, even an MVP candidate can become a question mark. What isn’t deniable are the numbers. In three NFL playoff games, Hurts is a cumulative 54-of-92 (58.7 completion percentage) for 533 yards (177.6 average) with three touchdowns, two interceptions and four sacks. He also rushed for 37.3 yards a game and carried the ball for two scores. His best game featured 16-of-24 passing for 154 yards and two touchdowns against the New York Giants in last month’s NFC divisional game. Those numbers haven't gone unnoticed. San Francisco 49ers kicker Robbie Gould had this assessment of Hurts this week: "if you make Jalen Hurts play quarterback, you're going to have a pretty solid day on defense." Dating back to college, he was no better. In 2019, playing for Oklahoma, he went 15-of-31 for 217 yards and an interception in a college playoff semifinal loss to LSU. In 2017, playing for Alabama, he completed 16 of 24 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns in a semifinal victory over Clemson, then struggled going 3-of-8 for 21 yards in the first half of the national title game against Georgia. Tide head coach Nick Saban famously pulled him at the break and inserted Tua Tagovailoa in the game. In 2016, at Alabama, he completed 7 of 14 passes for 57 yards in a semifinal victory over Washington but then just 13 of 31 for 131 yards and a touchdown in a title game loss to Clemson. That is a cumulative 50 completion percentage for 109.2 yards in five college playoff games. His best “postseason” effort came in 2018, when he subbed into the SEC title game for Tagovailoa and went 7-of-9 for 82 yards and a touchdown to help defeat Georgia. These are performances with three different teams in two different levels of football, so trying to put them together may not signify anything. And no one doesn’t think Hurts is capable of lighting up a game. Still, until he does it in a playoff game, he hasn’t done it in a playoff game. Sunday is his chance to rewrite that narrative or prove he is the big-game player his talent suggests. The championship game benching had been the defining moment of his career until he completely rewrote the script this season. No reason not to finish the job with a big effort in the Super Bowl. For what it’s worth, there is little doubt among the Eagles. They don't see a player who struggles in tense situations. "He's a guy that is not scared to make the big play,” said cornerback Darius Slay. “Some quarterbacks like to be safe. He's not. He knows how to do it all. He knows how to be a one-play guy or he can drive the ball 15 plays and do whatever. That's what makes him so special.” You don’t necessarily need a quarterback to play well to win a Super Bowl. Baltimore beat Dallas behind a 3-for-9, 88-yard, one-touchdown and two-interception effort by Johnny Unitas. Of course, that was 1970. The game is a little different now. In 2000, Trent Dilfer was 12-of-25 for 123 yards and a touchdown and Baltimore still beat the Giants. Philly’s defense may not be quite as good as that Ray Lewis-led crew, but it’s fair to say the most important player on the Eagles might be edge rusher Haason Reddick, who is assigned to chase down Mahomes. Philadelphia’s one Super Bowl championship came five years ago, and it was journeyman Nick Foles who played brilliantly, far above his regular-season norms. He connected on 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns, plus he caught a TD pass after suggesting the Eagles run a daring trick play (“The Philly Special”) on fourth-and-goal. The Eagles never punted nor turned over the ball and thus were able to beat New England 41-33 despite 505 passing yards from Tom Brady. “The stage is never too big for him,” tight end Zach Ertz said of Foles that night. It’s not fair to question Hurts and the stage at this point. The NFL sample size is too small and the two Philly victories this year were so lopsided he wasn’t asked to do much as he returned from injury. He likely will be asked Sunday, though. It’s one thing for the Eagles to shut down an essentially quarterback-less San Francisco team in the NFC championship. Mahomes is an entirely different challenge. That’s the stage. That’s the stakes. And that’s the opportunity for Jalen Hurts, to silence one of the last questions about him as a player. YAHOO
I guess we will see. Personally its apples to oranges. Hurts has more experience now and a great cast around him.
I guess they must think that just because his QBR was low he stunk, but hell he rushed for a TD and got the W, so what do they know?
Average cost of a 30-second ad on national TV during primetime averages $115K For the Super Bowl - $7,000,000
Here are five elements of Super Bowl LVII that could prove to be most revealing: Chiefs could have hands full with relentless Eagles rush. By now you know the Eagles feature one of the best statistical pass-rushing groups in modern NFL history. They’ve totaled 78 sacks, most without the benefit of blitzing, in 19 games (counting playoffs); that’s an average of more than four sacks per game. Five more sacks on Sunday, and these Eagles will break the Super Bowl-era full-season mark set by the 1984 Chicago Bears. They roll two units deep up front, too, with Haason Reddick (19.5 sacks, including playoffs), Josh Sweat (12.5), Javon Hargrave and Brandon Graham (12 sacks each) each topping the 12-sack mark, plus they have Fletcher Cox (eight sacks) and Robert Quinn, who had 18.5 sacks in the 2021 season. Patrick Mahomes has been sacked just 29 times in 19 games, but he did have a tough time versus pressure during the regular season, completing only 41.1% of his passes and throwing seven interceptions, according to Next Gen Stats, before turning it around in two postseason games against pressure (60.9% completions, zero picks). The biggest mismatch on paper appears to be Reddick going against Chiefs right tackle Andrew Wylie. In his past eight games counting playoffs, Reddick has 11.5 sacks, 18 QB hits, three forced fumbles and two recoveries. Wylie can struggle with speed and was flagged five times for holding this season, including once in the AFC Championship Game. Two star quarterbacks squaring off at less than full health. Jalen Hurts sat out Weeks 16 and 17 with a non-throwing shoulder injury, one that's effects have lingered into the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes gamely battled through a high ankle sprain in the AFC Championship Game that he suffered the week before against Jacksonville. Neither can be branded fully healthy. Hurts has accounted for four touchdowns and zero turnovers in Philly's two playoff wins but hasn’t operated at peak efficiency since returning from the injury, and shoulders are notoriously slow-healing and susceptible to aggravation. Mahomes’ gutsy effort playing through pain against the Bengals was noble, running for a critical late first down, but repeating the effort could be tough if the ankle flares up. Both injuries easily could be aggravated with one hit or one wrong move. And after all the Hurts-Mahomes talk leading up to the game, we have to consider the possibility of Gardner Minshew or Chad Henne (or both) seeing action Sunday. Both have played recently, with Minshew starting both games in place of Hurts and Henne leading a 98-yard TD drive against the Jaguars when Mahomes left that game temporarily. The hope is that both starting QBs make it through the game healthy, but we have to prepare for the possibility that one or both do not -- a development that could dramatically tilt the tide in one team’s favor. Eagles’ strong run game poses problems, but Chiefs’ defense deserves credit. The Eagles are a running team. That sometimes gets a bit lost, what with Hurts’ ability to sting defenses with the pass and Philly’s deadly RPO game. But the rushing attack remains the bread and butter of the offense, with Hurts, Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell and even Boston Scott all capable of grinding away at Kansas City’s defense. During the regular season, the Eagles averaged 32 rushing attempts and 147.6 yards, but with Hurts’ shoulder on the mend, they've averaged 40.7 carries and 183.7 yards in the three games since his return, along with eight rushing scores. Kansas City rated slightly above average in the regular season versus the run, led by Chris Jones and Nick Bolton, ranking eighth in rush yards allowed per game (107.2) and 15th in rushing average allowed (4.35). In the playoffs, the Jaguars and Bengals averaged nearly 6.0 yards per carry against the Chiefs yet only ran the ball a combined 36 times. Expect the Eagles to unleash the ground game early and try to stick with it. Falling behind multiple scores would be a tough blow for Philly. Two of the Chiefs’ three losses came to teams that ran the ball 30-plus times, with the Bills in Week 6 and Bengals in Week 13 committing to the run early and sticking with it in statement victories. Keep an eye on Ganwell, who has led the Eagles in rushing yards in both playoff games and totaled more yards in each of those two games than he did in any during the regular season. Can the Eagles stop Travis Kelce? Kelce is having one of the best seasons ever by a tight end, setting personal bests for receptions (110) and touchdowns (12) and logging his second-most receiving yards (1,338). He’s had four or more catches in every game this season and eight or more in six contests. In K.C.'s two playoff games, Kelce has a combined 21 catches for 176 yards and three scores. Simply put, he’s one of the greatest weapons in the game today, and there’s no one Mahomes leans on more with the game on the line. Playing in a Super Bowl against his brother, Eagles center Jason Kelce, is a fun story -- no doubt. But the Eagles’ defense will have its hands full trying to slow Travis down for 60 minutes. He’ll often be singled on the backside of the Chiefs’ three-by-one formations, tasking defenses with a tricky call: double Kelce and the trips side should see favorable matchups. In the 2021 meeting between the Eagles and Chiefs, the Eagles held Kelce to four catches for 23 yards, but Tyreek Hill diced them up for three TDs in a Chiefs win. But Hill is gone, and no other Chiefs wideout strikes fear anywhere near that same level. The Eagles led the NFL in passing yards per game and passing yards per play allowed, and they did a good job against tight ends, also containing the 49ers’ George Kittle in the NFC Championship Game (thought San Francisco's QB injuries certainly played a part). Mahomes kills man coverage traditionally, and the Eagles are not a huge man-coverage defense, so we expect plenty of zone, with cornerback James Bradberry and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson likely to see time helping on Kelce. Does Super Bowl experience matter? If so, Chiefs have the edge. Having Super Bowl experience might be nice, but it’s hardly a tried and true indicator of what will play out in the game. After all, the Patriots held a massive Super Bowl experience edge against the Eagles (including some of this year’s roster) in Super Bowl LII, but Philly got the best of Tom Brady and Co. with backup QB Nick Foles leading the way. The Chiefs do have the edge this time around, with 19 players with prior experience playing in the big game (including 10 who have played in multiple Super Bowls) to the Eagles’ nine players with Super Bowl experience (and only one, Ndamukong Suh, who has played in multiple Super Bowls). But there’s also the coaching angle, with Kansas City’s Andy Reid having coached in three previous Super Bowls and Philadelphia’s Nick Sirianni making his debut. To Sirianni’s credit, however, he’s not appeared to this point like a coach who will cower in the big moment. On the flip side, Mahomes and Reid might view this as legacy games for each, as winning Super Bowls seems to push quarterbacks and coaches into different strata on the all-time scale -- and with that comes additional pressure. NFL.com's - Eric Edholm
