Super Bowl LVII has finally arrived. Taking place at the State Farm Arena in Glendale, Ariz., this year’s Super Bowl matchup is between two No. 1 seeds: the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. Both teams have looked dominant this year and it looks like we’re in for a good show. The DM sports desk shares their predictions for the game this Sunday.
Aidan Gallardo
Final Score Prediction: Chiefs 27, Eagles 24
Have the Eagles finally met their match? After a good old fashioned beat down on the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship, you would think that I’d be picking Philly in this game. I mean, that’s what the majority of the world is picking. But you have to think that the game would’ve been much closer if Brock Purdy didn’t get hurt. I’m not saying the Eagles would’ve lost that game but are they really as dominant as they look?
Their defense is top-notch and Jalen Hurts’ connection with A.J. Brown has emerged as one of the best quarterback-receiver combos in the NFL.
But if there’s one thing I’ve learned after watching football over these past few years, it’s to never count out Patrick Mahomes. No matter how bad the game can be going, Mahomes somehow finds a way to win. Sure, the Cincinnati Bengals could’ve easily beat them in the AFC Championship if it weren’t for some questionable calls by the officials. But in the end, the Chiefs came away with the victory.
The Super Bowl will be neck-and-neck throughout all four quarters, but in the end, I believe that it will come down to a game-winning field goal by Harrison Butker.
Owen Pustell
Final Score Prediction: Eagles 34, Chiefs 31
The dirty birds will be dancing in Philly once again! The Chiefs (really just Mahomes) have played like a team kissed by a higher power all season… but I’m not sure they will be able to pull off the same miracle on Super Bowl Sunday.
The key to beating KC is to bully Mahomes in the pocket, and the Eagles have all the tools to do just that. The Philly defensive line is one of the best in the league, with four players reaching 11+ sacks this season, and eight former pro-bowlers. I expect Mahomes to be hit all game. He may be known for his ability to create outside of the pocket, but Tampa Bay laid the blueprint to controlling KC two years ago, and Philly can do the exact same thing.
I think Philly can eat offensively as well. Hurts has been great all year, the offensive line is steller and Brown has been playing like an absolute demon. Chris Jones is the X-factor on defense, but he’s gonna need to beat the best interior offensive line in football if he wants to put a grass stain on Hurts.
Philly will control the game but Mahomes and Travis Kelce will keep KC within reach. Expect a 10-point game with four minutes left, then a late KC touchdown.
Griffin Ray
Final Score Prediction: Eagles 31, Chiefs 24
It’s no secret that Kansas City has been dominant again this year, particularly on offense, but their luck had to run out eventually. The Chiefs in recent weeks have been plagued with injuries and that hasn’t changed much in their favor ahead of this Super Bowl matchup. With multiple players from their defense’s secondary and three of their main receivers being questionable, the Chiefs will have a rough time containing the Eagles on both sides of the ball.
I expect Philadelphia, however, to come out swinging, taking full advantage of an injured Kansas City team. The Eagles have been hot recently, and I can’t see what could slow them down following a blowout win over San Francisco in the NFC Championship. Their d-line in particular has been a force to be reckoned with, tallying 70 sacks on the season. Hurts has been on fire recently and, unlike the current Chiefs, has a multitude of healthy targets to link up with on Sunday.
Even with Mahomes not being 100% healthy following an ankle injury in the Chiefs’ playoff game against Cincinnati, he and Kelce are bound to carry the team through a hard-fought battle despite the team’s injuries. Expect a shootout regardless, with the Eagles pulling away late to seal the win.
Cameron Larkin
Final Score Prediction: Chiefs 27, Eagles 20
To cut to the chase, Mahomes lost Tyreek Hill, one of the best receivers in football, and did not skip a single beat. Everyone thought the Chiefs would struggle in the AFC West, with some people even predicting them to finish last in that division, but the trio of Mahomes, Kelce and Andy Reid proved all the doubters wrong.
The Eagles were the team to beat all season long. They had the best record in football, with one of the best all-around teams in football. Their acquisition of Brown worked wonders for their offense, and adding key pieces on defense made them a force to be reckoned with. They have the best o-line in the NFL, good coaching and an MVP-caliber quarterback, which is the exact formula a lot of Super Bowl teams follow.
This Eagles team is very good, and they may be better than Kansas City, but I am going with the experience and chemistry of the Chiefs.
The Mahomes-Kelce connection is unmatched by almost any duo in football history, and the Chiefs have just enough production around the edges to finish the job against Philly.
