Our Tremendous Bowl LVII matchup is formally set, because the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will face off on Feb. 12 with NFL glory on the road. Each of those groups have separated themselves as the perfect within the league, and there are many fascinating subplots that include this matchup.
This would be the first Tremendous Bowl the place two brothers will face one another, with Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce and Eagles heart Jason Kelce. That is additionally the primary Tremendous Bowl matchup that options two Black beginning quarterbacks. Andy Reid will change into the fifth head coach to educate towards his former group within the Tremendous Bowl, which hasn’t occurred since 2014.
What is going to this matchup come right down to? Will the season finish with extra Patrick Mahomes heroics, or will the Eagles’ speeding assault rule the day? Beneath, we are going to break down 5 early daring predictions for Tremendous Bowl LVII.
Mahomes sacked a postseason-high 5 occasions
The Eagles and Chiefs ranked 1-2 in sacks in the course of the common season, with Philly recording 70 quarterback takedowns, and Kansas Metropolis registering 55. That is the third Tremendous Bowl matchup between the highest two groups in sacks, and the primary Tremendous Bowl matchup between groups that recorded no less than 55 sacks in the course of the common season. Our daring prediction is that Mahomes is sacked 5 occasions — which might be a profession postseason excessive for him.
Mahomes has been sacked 5 occasions simply as soon as, again in 2018 towards the Arizona Cardinals. In his first Tremendous Bowl look towards the San Francisco 49ers, Mahomes was sacked 4 occasions. In opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tremendous Bowl LV — the place he had a banged-up offensive line — Mahomes was sacked 3 times.
Groups have taken totally different approaches to defending Mahomes. Some have tried to blitz him, whereas others sit again with two excessive safeties. Mahomes has had success towards each. Both manner, the Eagles had been No. 1 in pass-rush grade this season, per PFF. Philadelphia will depend on its strengths within the greatest sport of the yr.
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 — a bit “particular” towards 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. Count on one thing artistic from Coach Reid within the crimson zone in Tremendous Bowl LVII.
Kelce has tried only one profession cross within the playoffs. That try went for a 2-yard landing towards the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Jalen Hurts units Tremendous Bowl document
This can be our least daring take, as a result of Hurts appears poised to interrupt one Tremendous Bowl document specifically. The good Steve McNair owns the Tremendous Bowl document for many speeding yards by a quarterback, as he rushed for 64 yards in Tremendous Bowl XXXIV. Hurts hasn’t hit 64 speeding yards since Week 14, however we are saying he will get to 65 speeding yards in Tremendous Bowl LVII.
Hurts averaged 50.7 speeding yards per sport this season, which was only a tad beneath the 52.3 speeding yards he averaged in 2021. His 760 speeding yards within the common season rank second-most amongst quarterbacks to succeed in the Tremendous Bowl behind Russell Wilson in 2014.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson makes case for Tremendous Bowl MVP
The versatile defensive again goes to play a big function within the Tremendous Bowl. Ceedy Duce ought to have a hand in serving to to defend Kelce within the passing sport, and in addition as a blitzer. The previous Saint has recorded simply 4 profession sacks, however he is the sort of participant who forces turnovers a method or one other. We noticed that towards the New York Giants within the divisional spherical, as his strain on Daniel Jones compelled the quarterback to throw an interception to James Bradberry. Within the Tremendous Bowl, Gardner-Johnson will document 1.5 sacks and an interception that can put him within the dialog for Tremendous Bowl MVP.
The Underneath hits regardless of the sport going to time beyond regulation
The Chiefs led the AFC in factors scored per sport this season with 29.2, whereas the Eagles led the NFC in factors scored per sport with 28.1. That is the seventh Tremendous Bowl matchup between the highest scoring offenses from every convention. Apparently sufficient, each groups scored precisely 546 factors this yr, 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 time beyond regulation.
This would be the second Tremendous Bowl to go to time beyond regulation — the primary, after all, being Tremendous Bowl LI, which featured the Atlanta Falcons blowing a 28-3 lead. Whereas Philly and Kansas Metropolis may have additional time to attain extra factors, it will not assist these holding tickets for the Over. The Underneath will hit on this sport, with the ultimate rating being 23-20, Eagles.