:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71967503/1453643163.0.jpg)
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have opened as slight underdogs against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. While the Eagles are deeper at most positions, there is still plenty of reason to believe Kansas City will win its second Super Bowl in four years. Here is why they’re going to do just that.
The Mahomes-Kelce connection
The Eagles have the advantage over the Chiefs at just about every position group ... except quarterback and tight end. Mahomes and Kelce make up the deadliest QB-receiver combo we will see on Super Bowl Sunday, and they’ve proven good enough together that they can simply take games over. Don’t be surprised if the Eagles outplay the Chiefs but still find themselves down late if they don’t bottle Kelce up early.
Been there, done that
Many of these Chiefs have played in several AFC title games and a couple of Super Bowls. Everyone has nerves about the Super Bowl, but Andy Reid, Mahomes, Kelce and Co. have been here before. They know what to expect. The same cannot be said for second-year QB Jalen Hurts or head coach Nick Sirianni have that experience. Sometimes that naivety can prove beneficial because it allows you to play more loosely. But it seems like here, the Chiefs are not going to get rattled late in the game, giving them a slight advantage overall.
Isiah Pacheco is the X-Factor
We thought we might be talking about an offensive playmaker taken in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft in this year’s Super Bowl, but most were focused on Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy. Shift your focus from Purdy to Isiah Pacheco, perhaps the steal of last year’s draft. He has emerged as the top back for the Chiefs and he broke off several crucial runs against the Bengals in the AFC title game. He has a burst and simply bounces off would-be tacklers en route to turning the corner. If you’re looking for a dark-horse candidate for X-factor in this game, it is Pacheco who may be a household name by the end of the Super Bowl.
This article can also be found in our Ultimate Guide to Super Bowl 57, presented by Frank’s Red Hot.