Our Super Bowl LVII matchup is formally set, because the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will face off on Feb. 12 with NFL glory on the road. Both of those groups have separated themselves as the most effective within the league, and there are many attention-grabbing subplots that include this matchup.
This would be the first Super Bowl the place two brothers will face one another, with Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce and Eagles heart Jason Kelce. This can also be the primary Super Bowl matchup that options two Black beginning quarterbacks. Andy Reid will turn into the fifth head coach to educate in opposition to his former crew within the Super Bowl, which hasn’t occurred since 2014.
What will this matchup come all the way down to? Will the season finish with extra Patrick Mahomes heroics, or will the Eagles’ dashing assault rule the day? Below, we are going to break down 5 early daring predictions for Super Bowl LVII.
Mahomes sacked a postseason-high 5 instances
The Eagles and Chiefs ranked 1-2 in sacks through the common season, with Philly recording 70 quarterback takedowns, and Kansas City registering 55. This is the third Super Bowl matchup between the highest two groups in sacks, and the primary Super Bowl matchup between groups that recorded not less than 55 sacks through the common season. Our daring prediction is that Mahomes is sacked 5 instances — which might be a profession postseason excessive for him.
Mahomes has been sacked 5 instances simply as soon as, again in 2018 in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals. In his first Super Bowl look in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers, Mahomes was sacked 4 instances. Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV — the place he had a banged-up offensive line — Mahomes was sacked 3 times.
Teams have taken completely different approaches to defending Mahomes. Some have tried to blitz him, whereas others sit again with two excessive safeties. Mahomes has had success in opposition to each. Either approach, the Eagles have been No. 1 in pass-rush grade this season, per PFF. Philadelphia will depend on its strengths within the greatest recreation of the 12 months.
Travis Kelce throws a landing
The Chiefs star tight finish was definitely on one after the AFC Championship win over the Cincinnati Bengals. “Burrowhead, my ass!” Our prediction is that Kelce will throw a landing to Kadarius Toney within the crimson zone — just a little “particular” in opposition to Philly, if you’ll. Kelce is a flexible crimson zone risk that may each discover the gaps in zone protection or take a shovel cross proper up the center for the rating. Expect one thing inventive from Coach Reid within the crimson zone in Super Bowl LVII.
Kelce has tried only one profession cross within the playoffs. That try went for a 2-yard landing in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Jalen Hurts units Super Bowl document
This could also be our least daring take, as a result of Hurts appears poised to interrupt one Super Bowl document specifically. The nice Steve McNair owns the Super Bowl document for many dashing yards by a quarterback, as he rushed for 64 yards in Super Bowl XXXIV. Hurts hasn’t hit 64 dashing yards since Week 14, however we are saying he will get to 65 dashing yards in Super Bowl LVII.
Hurts averaged 50.7 dashing yards per recreation this season, which was only a tad beneath the 52.3 dashing yards he averaged in 2021. His 760 dashing yards within the common season rank second-most amongst quarterbacks to succeed in the Super Bowl behind Russell Wilson in 2014.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson makes case for Super Bowl MVP
The versatile defensive again goes to play a big function within the Super Bowl. Ceedy Duce ought to have a hand in serving to to defend Kelce within the passing recreation, and likewise as a blitzer. The former Saint has recorded simply 4 profession sacks, however he is the form of participant who forces turnovers a technique or one other. We noticed that in opposition to the New York Giants within the divisional spherical, as his stress on Daniel Jones compelled the quarterback to throw an interception to James Bradberry. In the Super Bowl, Gardner-Johnson will document 1.5 sacks and an interception that may put him within the dialog for Super Bowl MVP.
The Under hits regardless of the sport going to extra time
The Chiefs led the AFC in factors scored per recreation this season with 29.2, whereas the Eagles led the NFC in factors scored per recreation with 28.1. This is the seventh Super Bowl matchup between the highest scoring offenses from every convention. Interestingly sufficient, each groups scored precisely 546 factors this 12 months, together with playoffs. Our daring prediction is that the Chiefs and Eagles will rating the identical quantity of factors in regulation on Feb. 12, forcing the sport to extra time.
This would be the second Super Bowl to go to extra time — the primary, after all, being Super Bowl LI, which featured the Atlanta Falcons blowing a 28-3 lead. While Philly and Kansas City could have further time to attain extra factors, it will not assist these holding tickets for the Over. The Under will hit on this recreation, with the ultimate rating being 23-20, Eagles.
