Dueling Views on This Year's Super Bowl

By: Billy Cannon ‘24 Editor

On Sunday, February 12th, the Philadelphia Eagles will beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.

The Eagles boast perhaps the most complete roster in the NFL, aided by the breakout of Jalen Hurts this season after the addition of star wide receiver AJ Brown. Brown’s arrival in Philadelphia has sparked a transformation that saw a 9-8 team last year that was ousted in the first round of the playoffs improve to a 14-3 record, best in the NFC. Even with a subpar running back in Miles Sanders, their elite offensive line led Philadelphia to the fifth-best rushing attack in the league.

Aside from their explosive offensive attack, the Philly defense is best described as flawless. Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, and Haason Reddick are far and away the best passrushing trio in the league, as all three players were rated as top 20 edge rushers this season by PFF. Darius Slay, arguably the best cornerback in the league, paired with James Bradberry at cornerback form a lockdown corner duo, and CJ GardnerJohnson along with underrated rookie Reed Blankenship complete a superb secondary. TJ Edwards mans the middle, and the Eagles defense proves almost impossible to penetrate.

Pair this with the fact that Patrick Mahomes won’t be 100% because of his ankle, as well as a banged-up Chiefs receiving corps, and an Eagles victory seems almost inevitable.

Expect Jalen Hurts to run all over the Chiefs defense, a unit

By: Jackson Baldrate '23 Editor-in-Chief

Get ready for a Chiefs victory in Super Bowl LVII.

First, the Kansas City offense remains electric. With two great offensive minds in head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy, you can be sure that have the benefit of having the most talented quarterback of this generation in Patrick Mahomes. With two weeks to heal after the AFC Championship, Mahomes’ ankle will be in better shape, and he will be ready to have another incredible performance. that aside from defensive tackle Chris Jones isn’t anything special. Brown and DeVonta Smith ought to have huge games, and even Mahomes won’t be able to get anything going against the Eagles’ stout defense. the Chiefs will have a solid offensive gameplan going into the game. The receiving core of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kadarious Toney, and rookie Skyy Moore has been putting up excellent production all year, and there’s no reason to expect that to change in the Super Bowl.

While the Eagles have a stellar offensive line, a Chiefs defensive front headed by Chris Jones and Frank Clark will still get pressure on Jalen Hurts. The Chiefs defense hasn’t been perfect this year, but it’s still a top defensive unit in the league. All it needs to do is give Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense a chance, which it is more than capable of doing.

Besides, the Chiefs offensive line didn’t release a 7-song Christmas album, did they?

And, of course, the Chiefs

One area the Chiefs have a major advantage is in Super Bowl experience. Andy Reid has been to three Super Bowls, and Nick Sirianni has never been to a Super Bowl before, even as an assistant coach. As any former coach or player will tell you, experience in championship games is extremely important. Young quarterback Jalen Hurts will struggle against an experienced Kansas City defense, and the Eagles won’t be able to contain an elite quarterback, just like when they faced Taylor Heinicke in Week 10. When it’s all said and done, expect to see the Chiefs hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.