Ahead of Super Bowl LIX, 888sport ambassador Jason Bell gives his thoughts on what the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs need to do to land the Vince Lombardi Trophy and offers his predictions.
Establish the run and handle the blitz
As far as the Philadelphia Eagles are concerned on offense, it’s all about establishing the run early and getting Saquon Barkley in the game so he can explode late in the game – they’ve done that well this season.
At the start of the season, everyone was talking about their offensive line, and ultimately, that’s what got them to the Super Bowl. It comes down to their ability to establish a run and handle the Chiefs’ blitz defense.
BetBuilder - Player stats - S. Barkley 75+ Rushing yds (Game) And Team points - Each team Over 19.5 (Game)
They’re going to try and get after Jalen Hurts and when that happens the Eagles need to find a way to stop that blitz. If they can do that then they might be able to make some explosive passing plays, which will make the Chiefs think.
Establish the run, handle the blitz, and put pressure on the Kansas City Chiefs.
Communication the key to stopping Mahomes and co
Communication is going to be a key factor of the Eagles’ defensive effort. Jason Kelce is not there to lead them anymore and I think you notice the difference there, although that’s not to say Landon Dickerson hasn’t played well.
At the line of scrimmage you need to make sure you’re all seeing things the right way, but sometimes you just guess right!
You have all the information and in the flow of the game you have to know when to make the right NFL betting gamble on the fact that they’re going to call a play you haven’t seen yet. It all comes down to communication.
The Eagles play what we call zone match coverage. In that, they don’t like to spy and have a defender just looking at the quarterback to see whether he scrambles.
They need to have their eyes on Patrick Mahomes because he’ll want to get the ball out quick. If he can’t then he’ll take off and get those big first downs, which he does three or four times a game – that can be a back-breaker for any defense.
They have to hold up on third down and in the red zone, and communication will be key to that.
Worthy can star alongside Mahomes and Kelce
The Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce linkup we all know so well is going to be all-important again here. This game will come down to a handful of plays.
Even if Kelce is quiet all game, you can bank on him making a crucial third-down play. He may not have been at his most explosive all season, but he’s more than capable of making a game-changing play.
BetBuilder - Player stats - Xavier Worthy over 49.5 Receiving yds (Game) And Player TDs - Xavier Worthy Score anytime (Game)
With the Eagles having to give Kelce the respect and attention he deserves, other players can benefit from that. Xavier Worthy has a huge part in this game.
He’ll have a good number of plays designed for him and they love to use his speed on crossing routes. He’s come up with big catches and he’s now one of the go-to guys on this Chiefs offense.
They’ll need his speed to create space on offense – he’s got to have a big game.
Applying pressure at the right time important for Chiefs defense
We know the Kansas City Chiefs are going to play man coverage. In that, Trent McDuffie is going to have to do a really good job of covering A. J. Brown. That’s going to be a key matchup to watch.
Applying pressure at the right moments will be crucial for the Chiefs' defense. One thing the Chiefs do have is Steve Spagnuolo. It could all come down to the final drive of the game and he can dial up a big-time play.
That said, the defensive coordinator can only line the players up in the right situations, then it’s down to the players to execute.
They can’t afford to let Saquon Barkley hit them for 40 or 50 yards at a time, they need to get him on the ground. The Chiefs’ safeties are going to have to prove their worth as open field tacklers.
Don’t overlook Chiefs’ special
We can’t forget about the Chiefs’ special teams either. They’ve come through for them in the past couple of weeks with two big returns – that’s going to be a component for them again this week.
They need to find explosiveness outside of their offense and if they can get a nice kick return and some positive yards then that could go a long way.
Chiefs three-peat to put Mahomes in GOAT debate
Now for the all-important Super Bowl prediction. I think this is going to be a very tightly contested game, but I just can’t go against the team that always finds a way to win in the biggest moment.
The Eagles are talented and physical, but the Chiefs have the experience and adaptability to adjust to any situation.
Super Bowl Mvp - Patrick Mahomes
That’s what Championship football is all about and in a game that will likely come down to a couple of key moments, I just can’t go against Patrick Mahomes. He’s the best player in the NFL and has been the best in the play-offs for the last few years.
When we look back on the game we’ll likely just be looking at a couple of key plays and I think Chiefs will be the team to win those moments.
If the Chiefs can pull off the three-peat, the GOAT debate between Mahomes and Tom Brady will be more alive than ever. Obviously Brady has won more and we celebrate the Patriots’ dynasty, but three-in-a-row is so hard to do.
The three-peat would not only prove Mahomes as the best player in the league, but it would also cement the Chiefs as the best team with the best coach and they’ll be chasing down Bill Belichick and Tom Brady’s totals.
