Super Bowl Weekend is here! Thank God! This is definitely one of my favorite times of the year.
I love how much of an event us Americans have made this particular weekend, kicking off today on Friday and it lasts all the way until the post-game coverage that happens throughout Monday — and let’s also not forget the way-too-early predictions for the next season that take place that day, which I totally have to do.
You’ve got marathons on television all weekend (I’m personally hoping WWE Friday Night SmackDown will do something special tonight, and they most likely will with FOX carrying the game), which leads into more goodies on actual Super Bowl Sunday. You’ve got all of the pre-game coverage, the Puppy Bowl that I’m excited to watch with my kids. Then there is all the food I will be overindulging in all damn day — it’s going to be so glorious.
And then we’ll get to the actual Super Bowl LVII between the Philadelphia Eagles (-1.5) and Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs or Eagles are going to win another one of these on Sunday 👀
Take an up-close look at all 56 Super Bowl rings here 🔗 https://t.co/5KE2xx1Ltc pic.twitter.com/LN6aH9aR8y
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) February 10, 2023
“Who do you have in the big game?” I’ve been asked that for two straight weeks, and the time has now come for me to answer that question and make my prediction. Here we go:
So, the first thing that you have to bring up in this matchup is the drastic difference between the defenses of the Eagles and Chiefs. Philadelphia is an elite No. 4 in points allowed, while Kansas City is in the middle of the pack at No. 15. With this being the case, I have Philly containing Patrick Mahomes throughout the game. Now don’t get me wrong, Patty will get his numbers, but the spectacular Eagles D will show and contain him just enough.
“It sounds like you’re picking Philly.”
That’s because I am. See, not only do I see the Eagles containing Mahomes just enough, but I see Jalen Hurts & Co. having an absolute field day against an average-at-best Chiefs defense. That’s the deciding factor here with me, you know what they say: “Defense wins championships.”
Under normal circumstances, Mahomes would be fine in a shootout, but this game won’t be normal circumstances — not against an Eagles defense that is speedy as hell, which will force Mahomes into quick passes. That exact same thing happened in Super Bowl LV when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers annihilated Kansas City when the Chiefs couldn’t stop the Bucs’ pass rush, and from multiple spots at that, which led to Patty having zero effectiveness. (RELATED: Ronde Barber, Darrelle Revis, DeMarcus Ware, Zach Thomas Most Notable Announced For 2023 Pro Football Hall Of Fame)
I can see that same thing happening here, though not as embarrassing as the Super Bowl against Tampa where they lost 31-9. I see the Chiefs putting up numbers, but with the Eagles’ containment, it won’t be enough to out-fire a Hurts-led offense.
Give me the Philadelphia Eagles, ladies and gentlemen.
PREDICTION: Philadelphia Eagles 34, Kansas City Chiefs 24
NFL PLAYOFFS PREDICTIONS RECORD: 9-3