I’ve gone back and forth on Super Bowl 57, but the decisive matchup for me is the Philadelphia defense against Kansas City’s receivers.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are an unstoppable combination, good for seven receptions and 75 yards against any defense. But the Chiefs are trying to go deep by committee, and they haven’t found a chairman to replace Tyreek Hill. In their Super Bowl victory over the 49ers, Hill caught nine passes for 105 yards, including a 44-yarder on third-and-15 with the Chiefs trailing by 10 in the fourth quarter. Super Bowls frequently come down to big plays late in the game.
Injuries compound the uncertainties about the Chiefs’ wide receivers. Mecole Hardman has been declared out while JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kadarius Toney are questionable.
Making Mahomes’ day even more difficult will be the Eagles’ defensive front, the deepest in the NFL. When you threaten the 1984 Chicago Bears D for most sacks in a season, you are bringing the heat, and this group dominated the NFC Championship Game.