Are you ready for Super Bowl LVII, Chiefs Kingdom?
The Kansas City Chiefs are back in the big game after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game. They’ll face the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. ET for their Super Bowl matchup.
Just as we have all season long, the Chiefs Wire staff will share predictions for the game down below:
Charles Goldman's prediction:
Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback this Eagles’ defense will have faced all season by a longshot, even if he’s less than 100% due to the high ankle sprain. The NFC East was perhaps the toughest division in football this season, but Philly didn’t have to go through a grinder of explosive offenses led by some of the brightest young quarterbacks in the game to get to this point.
I expect the Eagles’ defense to struggle a bit, even with all the good things they have going for them — a vaunted pass rush and a No. 1 ranked passing defense. We’ve seen Mahomes tear apart No. 1 ranked defenses before and we know that Andy Reid will scheme to attack some key weaknesses (the slot, linebackers in coverage). He’ll also surely have some creative plays up his sleeve for this game.
As for the Kansas City defense, I think they’ll struggle at times with the RPO game and Jalen Hurts scrambling. They’re going to give up a few long receptions or defensive pass interference penalties to A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith and Quez Watkins. However, I think the pass rush will be able to get home at times with the four-man rush and the blitz game.
In my eyes, this game is more likely to be a high-scoring barnburner than a low-scoring test of defenses. This Chiefs team is battle-tested, calm, and collected. It features a whopping 30 players with Super Bowl experience. Not to mention, most of the coaching staff also have Super Bowl experience.
This team seems to be coming into this game with a bit of a chip on their shoulder. They’re betting underdogs in the game, for whatever reason and no one gave them a chance in the AFC title game. They now have a chance to prove to the NFL world that despite all the offseason turnover in 2022, they’re not going anywhere. They have an opportunity to establish themselves as the new NFL dynasty. It’s something that I suspect they’re not taking lightly.
Chiefs 40, Eagles 31
Ed Easton Jr.'s prediction:
Each of the Chiefs and Eagles still has veterans from previous championship runs, so the expectations are high on both sides, with the expectation of a close game.
Patrick Mahomes is officially the league MVP for the second time in his career and will have a giant target on him heading into Sunday. The Eagles’ defense is known for its record-breaking pass rush and will be challenging for the Chiefs’ offensive line. Mahomes needs a better layer of protection than he did two years ago in the Super Bowl to succeed on a still-recovering ankle. There are several Pro Bowlers on each side of the line, so the battle will be fun to watch and critical toward the end of the game.
Playmakers like Travis Kelce and JuJu Smith-Schuster will thrive on the big stage and light a fire under the team. Isiah Pacheco will provide steady production mixed with Jerick McKinnon being used often in the passing game, especially in the red zone. Mahomes will still scramble to extend plays, but the less he needs to use his legs, the better, so his skill-player teammates need to win their one-on-one battles.
The Chiefs’ defense will force Jalen Hurts into tough throws down the field by applying pressure from the defensive line. Jason Kelce battling in the trenches with likely Chris Jones in the middle of the field will determine early how effective the defense can be throughout the game. The rookies in the secondary have the perfect moment to prove they are no longer rookies and make names for themselves that can be immortalized forever because of this game.
Special teams will need to be mistake-free for the Chiefs to hold an advantage, including consistency from kicker Harrison Butker. The Chiefs will be in for a battle but should pull out the victory and once again become Super Bowl champions.
Chiefs 27, Eagles 21
Nick Roesch's prediction:
I think the biggest factor in this game is the Eagles’ defense. On paper, it’s a great unit. Perhaps too great to be true. The criticism that the Eagles’ defense has not played many good quarterbacks or offenses, in general, is real. Patrick Mahomes and the K.C. offense will by far be Philly’s biggest challenge of the season.
The Chiefs are loose and confident and don’t play scared. I believe Andy Reid and his coaching staff have a significant advantage in planning over the young Nick Sirianni and his staff. The Chiefs’ offense will have a great game plan and execute at a high level with a “been there, done that” confidence.
The Chiefs’ defense will need to play its most physical game of the season. Fundamentally tackling the Eagles’ ball carries, including Jalen Hurts, will be crucial. If Hurts and the Philly running backs consistently run over Chiefs’ defenders and impose their will, it’s going to be a long night.
Chiefs’ defensive backs will need to get physical against the Eagles’ receivers as well, not giving free releases off the line of scrimmage. This will go a long way to taking away Hurts’ first read, which will give the K.C. pass rush a chance to get home. Forcing Hurts to go through his progressions while under pressure will be a winning formula for the Chiefs.
Ultimately, I think both teams will be explosive but also make mistakes at times. This game will come down to the fourth quarter and which quarterback will have one more big moment than the other. In that case, I’ll take the now two-time NFL MVP Mahomes.
Chiefs 27, Eagles 24
Wesley Roesch's prediction:
So much has been said about this game and these teams that I’m not sure it’s possible to add much more to the discourse. The only thing I can say is that this has the potential to be one of the best Super Bowls in recent memory based on how talented and evenly matched these squads are.
The Chiefs and Eagles run very different offenses but they’re both efficient and entertaining. Despite the Eagles having a great pass defense, I think Patrick Mahomes sees plenty of success throwing to Travis Kelce across the middle where the Eagles are weak on defense. And the Eagles should be able to pick up plenty of rushing yards against a Chiefs defense that has allowed the league’s third-most rushing yards against opposing quarterbacks (500).
Ultimately, this game comes down to who plays the most mistake-free football. The Eagles don’t give the ball away much, but the Chiefs have done a good job of flustering opposing QBs with pressure and disguised coverages. I see them doing the same against Jalen Hurts who can get mixed up and take sacks when pressured. Mahomes, meanwhile, is poised under pressure more often than not. Since Mahomes has been here before, I think his experience helps him win his second ring.
Chiefs 30, Eagles 27
