Super Bowl LVII is a dream matchup between the NFL’s prime two seeds within the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. The recreation can even characteristic a number of the NFL’s largest names, together with the league’s two All-Pro quarterbacks, first-teamer Patrick Mahomes and second-teamer Jalen Hurts. The matchup between the Chiefs and Eagles is brimming with top-flight expertise.
However, championships aren’t at all times received by the anticipated heroes.
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No one would’ve thought that it might’ve been Chiefs working again Damien Williams scoring the go-ahead and game-sealing touchdowns within the Chiefs’ Super LIV victory over the San Francisco 49ers to conclude the 2019 season. Nearly each Super Bowl highlight brings out some unsung heroes and Super Bowl LVII will seemingly present the identical varieties of surprises.
With that in thoughts, listed here are 5 Chiefs who might emerge as shock keys to victory on Super Bowl Sunday:
Some of the shock component light from the previous Green Bay Packer since he had season highs in receiving yards (116) and receptions (six) within the AFC Championship, however the first-year Chief can nonetheless be given the under-the-radar label since he now has as many receiving touchdowns within the postseason (two) as he had within the common season. If Valdes-Scantling makes an impression on Sunday, it’ll seemingly be on the receiving finish of a Patrick Mahomes deep ball since he leads the NFL in yards per catch since coming into the league in 2018 with a 17.2 yards per reception common. MVS is a big-play risk as 76.2% of his catches went for both a primary down or a landing, the third highest within the NFL behind solely Dolphins broad receiver Jaylen Waddle (80%) and Browns broad receiver Amari Cooper (78.2%).
First-Team All-Pro defensive deal with Chris Jones and defensive finish Frank Clark get the shine as the blokes racking up sacks and pressures, however this protection does not get held collectively with out Nick Bolton, whose 180 tackles this season have been the second most in your complete NFL, solely 4 off the league lead. He’s the glue of Steve Spagnuolo’s protection, having performed 98% of defensive snaps this season. His shine might include the Eagles dealing with fourth-and-short with the sport hanging within the steadiness as a result of Philadelphia, due to quarterback Jalen Hurts, is the very best quarterback sneak workforce within the NFL. They went 31/35 on QB sneaks, probably the most conversions and makes an attempt within the NFL. No different workforce tried greater than 20 or transformed greater than 17. Bolton having the ability to make a possession-ending deal with of Hurts might swing the sport.
Playing the Eagles would be the final check for the Chiefs’ defensive entrance since Philadelphia has the greatest offensive line within the NFL, a bunch Aaron Rodgers referred to as “one of the very best within the final 20 years.” In order for Kansas City to emerge victorious, the Chiefs want their line of defense to shock the world. As already addressed above, Jones and Clark are the celebrities of the Chiefs go rush, however rookie George Karlaftis, the thirtieth total choose within the 2022 NFL Draft, will seemingly must play like a Pro Bowler. He’s proven some promise of late, registering at the very least half a sack in seven of the final 9 video games, and he is solely one in all two rookies to have at the very least six sacks (6.0) and eight tackles for loss (eight) this season, becoming a member of second total choose and Detroit Lions defensive finish Aidan Hutchinson. Playing sturdy within the run recreation can even be essential because the success of Hurts and working again Miles Sanders units the desk for his or her deep passing assault. Karlaftis has additionally exhibited higher chops in that space with at the very least one deal with for loss in eight of the final 9 video games.
The often dependable Chiefs kicker has had the worst season of his profession, making underneath 88% of his subject targets for the primary time, changing 18-of-24 makes an attempt within the common season, good for a 75% fee. However, he has exhibited the flexibility to snap out of it in essential moments, connecting on all 10 of his kicks throughout the playoffs this 12 months, an ideal 5 for five on each subject targets and additional factors, together with the game-winning 45-yarder with three seconds left within the AFC Championship Game to ship Kansas City again to the Super Bowl. Due to his struggles this common season, he deserves inclusion as an under-the-radar X-factor. Both of the Chiefs’ playoff wins have been by one possession, so Butker has a really actual likelihood of being referred to as upon to be the distinction on Super Bowl Sunday.
McDuffie, the Chiefs’ twenty first total choose within the 2022 NFL Draft, had a hamstring harm that triggered him to overlook six video games this season. However, his 51% completion share allowed within the common season ranked because the fifth greatest amongst rookies with 25 or extra passes thrown their approach. He does not have an interception in his profession but, so him developing together with his first might swing the massive recreation Kansas City’s approach. The Chiefs secondary should play a near-perfect recreation to decelerate A.J. Brown, Dallas Goedert and DeVonta Smith, placing McDuffie in a pivotal function on Super Bowl Sunday.
