The Chiefs and the Eagles rematch in Super Bowl 59, two years after they faced off in Super Bowl 57. This is a breakdown of whether or not a non-quarterback will throw a pass in the big game.
Will more than two players throw a pass?
There are so many different prop bets available for Super Bowl 59. Some of the most fun special bets revolve around potential trick plays. It wasn’t that long ago that these Eagles ran the now-famous “Philly Special” where Trey Burton threw a touchdown pass to Nick Foles en route to their Super Bowl win over the Patriots. One prop bet available at DraftKings Sportsbook is on whether over or under 2.5 players will attempt a pass in Super Bowl 59.
Technically, there are three ways that this bet could win. Most people’s minds jump to a trick play like the “Philly Special” when they see this prop, where a skill-position player would take a pitch or reverse and then throw a pass. A play like that was run just last year in the Super Bowl, where Jauan Jennings threw a touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey for the first score of the game. Another way that the bet can win is on a special teams play like a fake punt or a fake field goal. In the NFC Championship Game, the Commanders successfully threw for a first down a fake punt against the Eagles. After that play, fake punts could be fresh on the minds of both coaching staffs. Finally, this bet can win if a backup quarterback is needed at some point in the game. If Carson Wentz or Kenny Pickett needs to be called upon, even for a drive, and they attempt a pass, that would also cash this bet. It does not need to be a non-quarterback that attempts the pass, just a third player on top of Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts.
Looking back at recent history, more than 2.5 players have attempted a pass in four of the past eight Super Bowls. That would mean there is great value on the o2.5 players at +180 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Check out the DK Network betting group on DraftKings Sportsbook where I logged this bet so you can easily add it to your betslip.
If you want to get more specific on who will be the recipient of the trick play passing attempt, you can do that as well with these specials. It is +1600 for a quarterback to catch a pass and also +1600 for an offensive lineman to score a touchdown, rushing or receiving. No offensive lineman has ever scored a touchdown in the Super Bowl but that doesn’t mean it will never happen. In fact, in their regular season matchup against the Bengals, the Chiefs threw a touchdown pass to offensive lineman Wanya Morris. So there are some plays in the Kansas City playbook which involve looking for a lineman in the end zone. Jalen Hurts has also thrown a touchdown pass to Lane Johnson before so it is always a possibility, but it has never been done in the Super Bowl before.
Unlike the previous bet, quarterbacks have caught passes in the Super Bowl. Most famously, Nick Foles caught a pivotal touchdown on the “Philly Special” against the Patriots. However, this bet does not require the catch to be for a touchdown, it applies to any reception by a quarterback. In that same Super Bowl, the Patriots attempted a trick play that was thrown to Tom Brady, which would not have gone for a touchdown, but the ball went through Brady’s hands. So there are examples of these plays being attempted in other parts of the field than just the goal line. Patrick Mahomes has two career receptions, with one of them coming earlier this season in the Chiefs’ season opener against the Ravens. On that play, technically Mahomes caught his own pass on a deflected pass so it was not a designed trick play. Jalen Hurts only has one career reception and it came when Hurts was the backup quarterback to Carson Wentz and both quarterbacks were on the field at the same time, with Wentz throwing to Hurts. So there isn’t much precedent for either of these quarterbacks to go out for a pass.
