Everything you need to know about Super Bowl 57: What to watch for in this year’s big game

| Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of Ticketmaster

The Super Bowl has become an American cultural phenomenon, with around 100 million viewers tuning in every year to watch the NFL’s greatest show. Amidst the glitz and glamor of the festivities, it’s easy to forget there’s a football game played in between the commercials and Rihanna concert. Whether or not you believe the NFL is rigged, this year’s Super Bowl script is sure to be a fun one. The matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, the NFL’s two best teams, will pit some of the league’s biggest superstars against each other (including a pair of brothers, but more on that later). Whether you’re just excited to watch Rihanna’s return to the stage or are a diehard football fanatic, here’s everything you need to know ahead of Super Bowl 57.

What was each team’s path to the Super Bowl?

Both teams were dominant throughout the regular season, entering the playoffs with 14-3 records and the No. 1 seed in their conference. The Eagles had fans wondering if they could replicate the 1972 Miami Dolphins’ perfect season after a 8-0 start to their campaign. However, following a shock loss to the Washington Commanders, they rebounded to win five games in a row. After the Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts suffered a shoulder injury during week fifteen at Chicago, the Eagles dropped two contests to the Saints and the Cowboys. They ended the regular season with a victory, however, to lock up the NFC’s top spot. The Chiefs also jumped out to a hot start, winning four of their first five games. Despite some midseason hiccups, the Chiefs won their last five games to win a contested race for the AFC’s first seed.

While the Eagles have cruised through the NFC playoffs, the Chiefs have endured some drama along the way. Following a bye, the Eagles manhandled their divisional rival, the New York Giants, in a 38-7 beatdown. Against the San Francisco 49ers, the NFC’s second seed, the Eagles benefited from injuries to the visitors’ third and fourth-string quarterbacks and held them to just seven points. While critics say the win demonstrated nothing about the Eagles’ worth, their ability to score 31 points against one of the best defenses in the league was impressive. The Chiefs entered the divisional round ready to cruise through a matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but a high-ankle sprain suffered by their quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the second quarter complicated the contest. The star returned after the break, playing through the pain en route to a 27-20 victory. In a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship game, Mahomes went head-to-head with quarterback Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals once again. In a back-and-forth contest, the Chiefs avenged last year’s loss, eking out a 23-20 win with a field goal by kicker Harrison Butker as time expired.

How will the Eagles try to slow down Patrick Mahomes?

The headlines surrounding this game center mostly around one man: Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs quarterback is arguably the best of the modern generation and looks likely to win MVP for the second time in his career. Though fans were worried that his performance would suffer following the departure of star wide receiver Tyreek Hill in free agency, he has been dominant as ever, leading the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl for the third time in four years. However, the ankle injury will likely still limit his mobility, a fact that the Eagles pass rush will look to exploit.

Philadelphia will look to put Mahomes under pressure, just as Tampa Bay did when they held the Chiefs to nine points in Kansas City’s last Super Bowl appearance two years ago. The Eagles’ impressive crew in the trenches includes four players boasting double-digit sacks, the most in NFL history. League leader Haason Reddick (19.5 sacks), Josh Sweat (12.5), Javon Hargrave (12), and Super Bowl 52 legend Brandon Graham (12) will look to raise those numbers Sunday.

The Chiefs also have injury issues in their receiver corps. Wide receivers Juju Smith-Schuster and Kadarius Toney both appear on track to play Sunday, but fellow wide receiver Mecole Hardman is not expected to suit up. Luckily for Mahomes, he’ll be able to rely on his top weapon, Travis Kelce, who has established himself as one of the greatest tight ends of all time and was unanimously selected as a first team All-Pro again this year.

Unfortunately for the Chiefs, the Eagles secondary is one of the most qualified in the league to stop the high-power passing game. Anchored by cornerbacks James Bradberry and Darius Slay, the defense allowed the fewest passing yards in the league this year. They are joined by free safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who is tied for the league lead in interceptions despite missing five games. After only allowing opponents to a combined 14 points in their two playoff matchups, the Eagles will face their toughest test yet. Philadelphia will hope that their staunch defense can hold firm once again on Sunday.

Can Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense prove their worth against the Chiefs defense?

Hurts’ ascent to stardom has been one of the biggest stories in the NFL all year. The quarterback, who made a huge leap in his third professional season, is a threat through the air and on the ground. The dual-threat QB is likely to lose the MVP race to his Super Bowl counterpart, but led an Eagles offense that averaged 28.1 points per game, third only behind Kansas City and Buffalo. One of the catalysts for Hurts’ boost in productivity was the offseason acquisition of A.J. Brown. The wide receiver, who came to Philadelphia after a trade with the Tennessee Titans, forms one of the best one-two punches in the league with second-year wideout DeVonta Smith. Behind a strong veteran offensive line led by center Jason Kelce and right tackle Lane Johnson, running back Miles Sanders had an impressive year, racking up career highs with 1,269 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. The Eagles high-flying offense scored over 30 points in both of their playoff games, but will face a tough Kansas City defense.

Defensive Player of the Year candidate Chris Jones will look to build off a two-sack performance in the AFC Championship. The pass rush, led by Jones and defensive end Frank Clark, will need a strong performance to put Hurts under serious pressure and contain his scrambling attempts. Their secondary lacks Philadelphia’s experience, especially if cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is ruled out following a concussion suffered against Cincinnati. Their three rookie cornerbacks, including first-round pick Trent McDuffie, will need to step up to limit the Eagles’ passing attack.

What fun storylines make this year’s game special?

Travis and Jason Kelce are taking sibling rivalry to new heights (yes, that’s the name of the podcast that they host together). The brothers, two of the most entertaining players to follow on and off the field, will be the first siblings to play against each other in the Super Bowl. The brothers are also well known for their dramatic victory speeches, and fans will hope that whichever brother wins the bragging rights in the Kelce Bowl will repeat their past parade antics. If you haven’t already seen Travis or Jason’s past speeches, they’re well worth the five minutes.

Finally, two more men who have some history together are the two head coaches, Andy Reid and Nick Sirianni. Sirianni’s NFL debut came as the Chiefs’ offensive quality control coach in 2009. Sirianni, however, lost his job in Kansas City after Reid took over as the head coach in Kansas City in 2013 and did not retain the young coach on his staff. Reid, like Sirianni, has some familiarity with his Super Bowl opponents. The current Chiefs coach was the head coach in Philadelphia from 1999 to 2012. Though he was fired, Reid is still a fan favorite in the City of Brotherly Love. However, Eagles fans definitely won’t be disappointed if Sirianni’s first Super Bowl win comes at the expense of the franchise’s former coach.

 

The Super Bowl will be played on Sunday, February 12 at 5:30 PM CT and can be watched on FOX.

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