Super Bowl LVII 🏈

Photo credit: Sporting News

Kansas City Chiefs v Philadelphia Eagles (-1.5)

Alex - Better late than never they say. It's taken me some time to process it all and look back at what each team has accomplished throughout the season. Arguably, the most consistent team all year has been the Philadelphia Eagles. Oz told me last week to put away my pom poms when I picked KC over Cincinnati despite the Bengals coming in with a chip on their shoulder and fresh off the dismantling of the Bills. Lo and behold, the Chiefs did what they do at home and came out on top. 

I've been going back and forth, trying to convince myself to finally give credit to the Eagles. They've done everything they needed to and then some, taken care of business leaving no doubts whenever doubt crept in. They control the game like no other team has done in recent memory. Their ability to run the ball effectively, control the clock, control the line of scrimmage, keep their QB clean, play with a lead, and then hit you with that elite defense! It's proven to be too much to overcome for virtually every opponent. 

The Chiefs were banged up on Championship Sunday, but no KC player is carrying an injury designation into Super Bowl Sunday. That's great news for Mahomes & Co. Kelce is healthy, JuJu, Toney, all his weapons are back and he didn't have that luxury two weeks ago. Patrick Mahomes does things in and out of the pocket with his arm that most of us have never seen or only seen it playing Madden. Travis Kelce is in the conversation for the greatest tight end to ever play the game. This is an experienced group, with an experienced coaching staff, and a very resilient team. 

Jalen Hurts made astronomical leaps this season and silenced a lot of critics, including me, but he's no Patrick Mahomes and Hurts will be forced by this KC defense to use his arm more than his legs and in that scenario, I give the edge to Mahomes. Despite both defenses playing really well in their respective Championship games I'm taking the over 50.5 (which just moved today) and the Chiefs +1.5. Chiefs prevail 30-24 in Glendale. If my son's elementary school picked the Chiefs, I must too! 

Oz, you're up! 

Oz - Wow! I gotta say, that's some pretty fine analysis from Alex. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Except for one thing: The Chiefs got a pass. Everyone knows it. You know it, I know it, Alex knows it. Hell even my little kitty that my beloved wife forced upon me knows it. 

The Chiefs got not one, not two, but maybe three do-overs to get them to the Super Bowl. There was nothing to get in the way of the Bengals but a few zebra-striped humans to stop them from a championship. I'd say that I refuse to accept the result of the AFC Championship, but I'm afraid I'd be accused of being a Republican conspiracy theorist (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Lets face it, the Chiefs got lucky and for this week, put away your pom poms America (and Alex), Kansas City's luck runs out.

Philly on the other hand may have been just as lucky. They got to face an up-and-coming third-string QB in Brock Purdy, then a fourth-stringer that got concussed, then back to a lame Purdy en route to a never in doubt 31-7 win over San Francisco.

To be fully transparent; I hate the Eagles. If that is not understood, there will be no good understanding of what's upcoming. As a fan, the only thing I hate more than seeing the Cowboys lose, is seeing the Eagles win.

That being said, the Eagles win this. You have the number one offense (KC) facing the number one defense (Philadelphia). Conversely, you have the number two offense (Philly) facing the number NINE defense (KC). Defense wins championships, and the Eagles from top to bottom are better on defense.

Jalen Hurts has won me over as well. All he does is win and he's proven it time and time again. I'm clearly in the minority when I say that Hurts should have won the MVP.

With the above being noted, Maholmes was the First Team All Pro at QB, while Hurts was the Second Team All Pro QB. This is the seventh time in the Super Bowl era that the number one faced the number two in the championship. The second-teamer has prevailed every time. That trend doesn't change in Super Bowl LVII.

As much as it pains me, the Eagles win 26-23. Eagles cover, win and take the UNDER

To recap how we've done so far:

Wild Card 

ATS:

Alex - 3-3

Oz - 3-4 (won bonus UNDER Dal/TB)

Straight:

Alex - 5-1

Oz - 5-1

Divisional 

ATS:

Alex - 3-1

Oz - 1-3

Straight:

Alex - 3-1

Oz - 2-2

Conference

ATS:

Alex - 2-1 (bonus UNDER Phi/SF)

Oz - 1-2 (lost UNDER Phi/SF)

Straight:

Alex - 1-1

Oz - 1-1

Totals:

Alex: 8-5 ATS, 9-3 Straight

Oz: 5-9 ATS, 8-4 Straight