Flash forward to the year 2025 in New Orleans, where Super Bowl LIX will be held at the Superdome. Brady will be attending, providing color commentary for Fox. Attending, too, is the current face of the AFC, quarterback Patrick Mahomes. On Super Bowl Sunday, Mahomes attempts to lead Kansas City to a third straight title (and fourth in the last six seasons).
Either Mahomes or Brady, and on one occasion both of them at the same time, appeared in 14 Super Bowl games dating back to Brady's first appearance. What does it all mean?
Nothing at all, except for AFC fatigue, specifically Brady and Mahomes, is very real for this NFL fan. And countless others, too, but I have no scientific data to back that up except for infographics and memes popping up on social media.
This year's meeting between Kansas City and the Philadelphia Eagles is a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, where Kansas City won 38-35. In that game, Mahomes was a cool 21 of 27 for 182 yards and three touchdowns and Travis Kelce had six catches for 81 yards and a score.
Philly's quarterback Jalen Hurts put on a show, completing 27 of 38 for 304 yards and one touchdown, with the big three receivers for the Eagles (A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert) combining for 19 catches, 256 yards, and one touchdown.
Hurts also ran for 70 yards and three touchdowns.
I imagine anyone outside of Kansas City or Philadelphia fans hoped for any other matchup besides this one. I know I did. But here we are, raring to go and ready to see who takes home the trophy when the teams meet up on February 9 at 6:30 p.m. (ET) on Fox.
AFC Champion: Kansas City
Despite their obituary written multiple times throughout the regular season, Kansas City posted a 15-2 record and earned the top seed in the AFC. Attributed partially to a regular season loss to Buffalo and winning five regular season games by three points or less (with five other wins between four and seven points), many thought this season was where the Kansas City reign ended.
Mahomes and teammates had other ideas.
In reaching the Super Bowl, Kansas City defeated the Houston Texans, 23-14, and the Bills, 32-29. Even in these victories, the offense has not been off the charts in productions. Instead, the unit has found timely success when needed, whether it be on a long or short field.
Kansas City also protected the ball, with a fumble by Mahomes their only turnover in two games.
The offense dealt with injuries at wide receiver and running back all season and is probably at its healthiest entering the Super Bowl. In this year's playoffs, Mahomes is completing 66.7 percent of his pass attempts, with 422 yards and two touchdowns.
Mahomes was sacked five times in these two games.
The Kansas City running game has only 185 yards in the playoffs, averaging 3.2 yards per carry. Kareem Hunt leads the way with 108 yards and two scores.
The receiving corps could be coming into their own, despite pedestrian numbers. DeAndre Hopkins, who handled a lot of the regular season load (56 rec, 610 yds, 5 tds) has had a quiet playoffs with only one reception (three targets) for 11 yards.
Xavier Worthy stepped up, with 11 catches for 130 yards and one touchdown. The go-to threat of tight end Travis Kelse has nine catches for 136 yards and one score.
On the defensive side of things, Kansas City has not forced a turnover in the playoffs. They do have 10 sacks, with George Karlaftis collecting three.
Safety Chamarri Conner and linebacker Drue Tranquill each have 14 tackles.
NFC Champion: Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are riding quite the wave of momentum heading into the Super Bowl. After a 2-2 start to the season, the Eagles have only lost once in their last 16 games (regular season + playoffs). Two of their three losses this season were by a combined four points.
Things did not look rosy with that start, but the vibe is much better here in February. In these playoffs, Philadelphia defeated Green Bay, the Los Angeles Rams, and atoned for one of their losses in defeating Washington, 55-23.
A gigantic reason the Eagles are in the Super Bowl is MVP candidate Saquon Barkley. All Barkley did in his first year in Philly was nearly set the single season rushing record. A mark he fell short in since he did not play in the regular season finale.
Barkley was supreme, rushing for 2,005 yards (5.8 yards per carry) and 13 touchdowns, adding another two scores on receptions. In the playoffs, he was just as good, rushing for 442 yards (6.7 ypc) and five touchdowns.
Hobbled to start the playoffs, Hurts has been consistent in three playoff games, throwing for 505 yards and three touchdowns while completing 69.6 percent of pass attempts. Though sacked 11 times, Hurts also has 122 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
As a team, Philadelphia rushed for 683 yards in the playoffs, averaging 6.6 yards per carry.
Those three big receivers who impacted the last Super Bowl for the Eagles continue to do so. Goedert (15 receptions, 188 yards, 1 td), Smith (12 receptions, 121 yards), and Brown (9 receptions, 120 yards, 1 td) accounted for 36 of Hurts' 48 completions. The three also accounted for 77.4 percent of the targets in this year's playoffs.
On the other side of the ball, Philly's defense has 10 sacks, 4 interceptions, and 6 fumble recoveries.
Linebackers Zack Baun and Nolan Smith Jr. are wreaking havoc. Baun has 26 tackles and two fumble recoveries while Smith has 16 tackles and four sacks.
The back end of the defense is doing their part, with safety Reed Blankenship making 24 tackles and cornerback Quinyon Mitchell snagging two interceptions.
Super Bowl LIX prediction
Straight out of the gate, I will say I missed on two of the last three Super Bowl predictions. The sole game in which I predicted the winner? That was the last time these two teams met, where I predicted a two-point Kansas City victory.
This time I around, I am going the opposite direction. The game will be close, where Barkley and Philadelphia's defense provide the difference in sending the City of Brotherly Love into a frenzy.
Philadelphia 27 Kansas City 24
image credit: Flickr
Previous Super Bowl predictions & more:
Comments