The NFL’s version of the Mega Powers is set to explode in Super Bowl 57 when the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Philadelphia Eagles. In a Super Bowl featuring the No. 1 seeds from both conferences, we know that we are getting the two absolute best teams in the NFL squaring off in the big game.
When it comes to the Super Bowl, two of my favorite parts about the game are the matchups, the games within the game so to speak, and the storylines. This year’s top storylines include brother versus brother with Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce as well as the fact that Andy Reid has been the head coach for both sides.
Let the Andy Reid Bowl commence.
This article will focus on the top three Kansas City vs Philadelphia matchups to watch in Super Bowl 57.
All Super Bowl odds used are current as of Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 11 a.m. ET.
Super Bowl Matchup: Chiefs Pass Offense vs Eagles Pass Defense
After (or while) we make our Chiefs vs Eagles bets for Super Bowl Sunday, we will see the NFL’s No. 1 ranked passing offense led by Patrick Mahomes versus the NFL’s No. 1 defense at defending the pass led by “Big Play" Darius Slay.
When the unstoppable force meets the immovable object, something has to give. Conceding only 179.8 passing yards per game this season, the Eagles only allowed one passer to throw for more than 300 yards (Dak Prescott). In fact, 14 of the Eagles’ 17 opponents during the regular season passed for fewer than 221 team yards.
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Mahomes and the Chiefs’ passing attack, which averaged 297.8 passing yards per game, is a completely different animal than any team the Eagles have faced. This is a unit that passed for 300-plus yards in 10 regular-season games.
Mahomes also went for 326 yards in the AFC Championship Game victory over the Bengals.
This is a game where I will give the edge to Mahomes and the Chiefs. They may not have Tyreek Hill, but along with Travis Kelce, Kansas City is loaded with layers of big-play, chain-moving complementary pass-catchers.
Mahomes can also extend the play and wait for his guys to get open.
SB57 Bet: Patrick Mahomes: Super Bowl 57 MVP (+130) at Caesars Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
If Mahomes has a big game against this defense, the Chiefs will win and he will win Super Bowl MVP. You can bet on Mahomes to win Super Bowl MVP at Caesars Sportsbook today by clicking through the link below.
Super Bowl Matchup: Chiefs Offensive Line vs Eagles Pass Rush
The Chiefs and Eagles are evenly matched in a few spots. One of which is the offensive line versus the defense line.
The Eagles have the No. 1 offensive line by many metrics, while the Chiefs finished with the fifth-best unit when it comes to postseason rankings.
On the pass-rush end, the Eagles ended the regular season with a league-high 70 sacks. The Chiefs finished 15 sacks behind them in the No. 2 spot.
However, the matchup to watch in Super Bowl 57 is Philadelphia’s top-ranked pass rush against Kansas City’s fifth-rated offensive line.
We know that Mahomes can carve up anyone at any time. But to slow him down, you need to get in his face with pressure and force him to make mistakes. Mahomes may walk on water to the consensus, but he is not perfect, throwing 12 interceptions this season.
Furthermore, how healthy is Mahomes’ ankle, really? He will have an extra week to heal, but if you were paying attention in the AFC Championship Game, he was clearly affected by his high ankle sprain at times.
If the Eagles can get to him, that ankle will be tested.
SB57 Bet: Haason Reddick: Records A Sack (-112) at FanDuel Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Reddick led the Eagles in sacks, finishing the regular season with 16. If you are going to bet on any Philadelphia pass-rusher to get to Mahomes, Reddick is your guy.
Super Bowl Matchup: A.J. Brown vs Chiefs Secondary
A.J. Brown has been quiet in the postseason. But if we face the facts, the Eagles did not have to throw a lot on the Giants or 49ers to win.
Those games were blowouts, but when it comes to defeating the Chiefs, look for Jalen Hurts to throw a lot more often. And if he does, look for Brown to pop.
We already know that the Chiefs can score with the best of them, which means the Eagles will have to keep up. I like this game to go Over with a 31-24 finish favoring the Chiefs, but the Eagles will be in Super Bowl 57 until the end.
To keep up in the scoring department, Brown will have to have a big game, something he did throughout the regular season. Brown accumulated career highs in targets (145), receptions (88), and yards (1,496) while matching his career best in touchdowns (11).
SB57 Bet: A.J. Brown: Over 72.5 Receiving Yards (-114) at FanDuel Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Brown’s receiving yards prop is set at 72.5 (-114) at FanDuel Sportsbook.
He has surpassed that total nine times this season, while the Chiefs have allowed 12 different wide receivers to go Over that total on their end.
This will be the game where Brown finally shows up in the playoffs.
How To Identify Key Super Bowl Matchups
The best way to identify Super Bowl matchups is by digging into the stats. When you look inside the numbers, you can easily find the matchups that will play a big role in any game, not just the Super Bowl.
Doing so will also give you the chance to find matchups that you can exploit from a betting perspective. When you find a notable strength versus a glaring weakness, that is a bet that you want to exploit.
