A Super Bowl LVII matchup is officially set as the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles go head-to-head for NFL glory on February 12. Both of these teams separate as the best teams in the league, and there are plenty of interesting subplots in this matchup.
This will be the first Super Bowl between two brothers, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelsey and Eagles center Jason Kelsey. This is also the first Super Bowl matchup to feature two black starting his quarterbacks. Andy Reid will become the fifth head coach to coach his former team in the Super Bowl since 2014.
what about this matchup? Will the season end with a heroic performance from Patrick Mahomes, or will the Eagles’ onslaught dominate? Below, we break down five bold early predictions for Super Bowl LVII.
Mahomes has five postseason-best sacks
The Eagles and Chiefs were ranked 1-2 in sacks during the regular season, with Philly recording 70 quarterback takedowns and Kansas City 55. A team with which he recorded 55 or more sacks during the regular season. Our bold prediction is that Mahomes has been sacked for his fifth time.
Mahomes has been sacked five times, once against the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. Mahomes was waived four times in his Super Bowl debut against the San Francisco 49ers. Mahomes was sacked three times in Super Bowl LV against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The team has taken a variety of approaches to defending Mahomes. Some tried to blitz him, others sat in two high safety. Either way, according to the PFF, the Eagles ranked him #1 in the pass rushing grade this season. Philadelphia will show its strengths in the biggest game of the year.
Travis Kelce throws a touchdown
Chiefs’ star tight end to one for sure After the AFC Championship win over the Cincinnati Bengals. “Barrowhead, ass!” Our prediction is that Kelce will throw a touchdown to Red Kadarius his Tony in his zone. If so, it’s a little “special” for Philadelphia. Kelce is a versatile red zone threat, able to find gaps in zone her coverage or get shovel her pass in the middle of the score. Expect something creative from Coach Reid in the Red Zone at Super Bowl LVII.
Kelce has only attempted one career pass in the playoffs. That try was his 2-yard touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Jalen Hurts sets Super Bowl record
This may be our boldest take, especially since Hearts look poised to break one Super Bowl record. He holds the Super Bowl record for most rushing yards by a quarterback. Hearts hasn’t hit 64 rushing yards since Week 14, but in Super Bowl LVII he hit 65 rushing yards, we say.
The Hearts are averaging 50.7 rushing yards this season, just below their 52.3 rushing average in 2021. His 760 rushing yards in the regular season is the second-most of any quarterback to reach a Super Bowl in 2014 behind Russell Wilson.
CJ Gardner-Johnson Claims Super Bowl MVP
The versatile defensive back plays a big role in the Super Bowl. Ceedy Duce said that in his game he should not only help defend Kelce, but also as a blitzer. The former Saints only recorded four sacks, but he’s the type of player who somehow forces turnovers. Divisional New York in his round against the Giants, his pressure on Daniel Jones forced quarterback James Bradbury to intercept. In the Super Bowl, Gardner-Johnson recorded his 1.5 sacks and interceptions and is on the talk of Super Bowl MVP.
Under-hit despite extra time
The Chiefs led the AFC in points per game this season with 29.2, while the Eagles led the NFC in points per game with 28.1. This is the seventh Super Bowl matchup between the top offenses in each conference. Interestingly, both teams have scored exactly 546 points this year, including the playoffs. Our bold prediction is that the Chiefs and Eagles will score an equal amount of points in regulation on February 12, sending the game into overtime.
This is the second time the Super Bowl has gone into overtime. The first is Super Bowl LI, where the Atlanta Falcons led him 28-3. Philadelphia and Kansas City go into overtime for more points, but to no avail for those with overs tickets. Under hit in this game and the final score is him 23-20, the Eagles.
