Eagles just better than Chiefs
There are those who think the Philadelphia Eagles should’ve already beaten the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
But Feb. 13, 2023, wound up being unlucky for the Eagles when a controversial pass interference penalty called against Philadelphia’s James Bradberry on JuJu Smith-Schuster helped set up Harrison Butker’s game-winning 27-yard field goal with eight seconds left, out in Arizona.
Chiefs 38, Eagles 35, as Patrick Mahomes secured Super Bowl MVP trophy No. 2.
Don’t worry Philly fans. Things are going to be a lot different this time around in New Orleans.
Kansas City was made an early 1 to 1 ½-point favorite and that line has held for the most part with the over/under right around 49.
And why not? Kansas City is the two-time defending Super Bowl champion and sports a 15-2 regular-season record and is now 17-2 counting two playoff wins over the Texans and those poor Buffalo Bills who seem to only be able to beat KC in the regular season (4-0 since 2021 but 0-3 since then in the postseason).
Mahomes’ stats are lacking far behind his usual numbers but he still manages to win games at the end and that’s what counts.
The Eagles are no slouch, though, at 14-3, with Jalen Hurts at quarterback and former Penn State star Saquon Barkley at running back. It’s hard to believe Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni was on the hot seat early in the season when his team was 2-2. He’s pretty much shut up his critics with a 12-1 mark since then, 15-1 when you lump in playoff wins over the Packers, Rams and Commanders.
The key here is will the most talented team win – that’s the Eagles – or the team that has Mahomes and knows how to pull out seemingly every game at crunch time?
I’ve watched both teams a lot this year and to me the key is the talent gap between the two is wider than most think.
Almost everyone is calling for a tight battle but I see it differently. The Eagles, with their solid offensive line, are going to run Barkley plenty of course, but Hurts is going to take off and make some big plays, a la Mahomes, with his feet also. Philly has far better wide receivers led by AJ Brown and DaVonta Smith, and tight end Dallas Goedert, who is overshadowed by KC’s Travis Kelce, is very underrated.
The stellar Philadelphia defense is going to get after Mahomes, too.
If the game does come down to the wire, I think Mahomes will come up short this time. He’s not perfect, he can’t deliver every single time and I feel the Eagles defense can hang on if asked to protect a late lead.
I really don’t anticipate this game getting to that point, though, not unless Hurts, Barkley or one of their teammates uncharacteristically coughs up a turnover or two, but neither offense does that much. Each team has turned the ball over only 15 times in the regular season and postseason combined.
I see this game playing out similarly to Kansas City’s embarrassing 31-9 loss to Tom Brady’s Buccaneers in 2021’s Super Bowl LV than any of their three recent Super Bowl victories.
Those who have seen enough of Mahomes and Kelce/Taylor Swift and those State Farm commercials (I actually like the “fumblerooski” spot, and Mahomes’ Head & Shoulders ad with Troy Polamula, too) will be happy to know the Chiefs’ quest for a first ever Super Bowl “threepeat” is going to come to a crashing halt.
The Eagles are just that much better.
Eagles 34, Chiefs 17