Who will win Super Bowl LVII? The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are ready for Sunday, in what could be one of the most evenly-matched games in recent Super Bowl history.
Ranking the best players in Super Bowl LVII captures the uniqueness of this matchup well. Kansas City arguably rosters the three best players taking the field on Sunday. However, a majority of the Chiefs’ starters outside of the star-studded trio likely wouldn’t crack the Eagles’ lineup.
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If the defense and winning in the trenches dictate who wins a Super Bowl, Philadelphia holds an advantage. However, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are arguably two of the all-time greats at their respective positions. In a game everyone expects to be close, the quarterback could be the ultimate difference-maker on Sunday.
Let’s dive into our final bold Super Bowl LVII predictions.
Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles net eight total sacks
Pressure is what makes quarterbacks uncomfortable, forcing them to make quick decisions under duress. While the team that generates the most pressure might win Super Bowl LVII, we’re still thinking about sacks and both teams can take the quarterback down.
We do recognize that the Eagles and Chiefs have two of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Kansas City led the NFL in ESPN’s pass block win rate (75%) and Philadelphia finished the season ranked first in Pro Football Focus’ offensive line rankings.
Yet, the Eagles’ defense became just the fourth unit in NFL history to record 70-plus sacks in a regular season and the first team to have four players record double-digit sacks. On the other side, Kansas City boasts All-Pro defender Chris Jones and Frank Clark boasts the third-most career sacks in the NFL playoffs (13.5).
With Mahomes playing on a high-ankle sprain and Jalen Hurts boasting the fourth-highest rate of pressure responsible for (29.7%), both quarterbacks could be brought down a number of times on Sunday. It will be a joint effort, we’re not predicting either team to break the Super Bowl sack record (seven).
Isiah Pacheco delivers a career-defining performance
Selected with the 251st pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco is already one of the best rookies this season. Depending on what he shows Sunday, he could be labeled as one of the biggest breakout candidates for the 2023 season.
- Isiah Pacheco stats (Weeks 10-18): 633 rushing yards, 5.02 ypc, 117 receiving yards
Kansas City grew far more confident in the 5-foot-11 running back as the season went on. After averaging 4.6 carries per game from Weeks 2-9, Pacheco became a central part of the Chiefs’ offense. If Andy Reid wants to win another Super Bowl, Pacheco must be heavily involved.
From Weeks 12-18 in the regular season, Philadelphia’s opponents averaged 120.9 rushing yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry. Furthermore, per ESPN, the Eagles defense allowed the third-highest yards per carry average on run plays against the RPO. If the Chiefs commit to a more physical style, running at the heart of Philadelphia’s defense between the tackles, Pacheco can go for 80-plus scrimmage yards and a touchdown.
Kenneth Gainwell sparks the Eagles’ offense
Miles Sanders earned the Pro Bowl selection and led the Eagles’ backfield in carries (259), rushing yards (1,269) and rushing touchdowns (11) during the regular season. However, the NFL playoffs have proven to be Kenneth Gainwell’s time to shine.
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In just two playoff games, the 5-foot-9 running back is responsible for 160 rushing yards and an absurd 6.2 yards per carry on 26 attempts. He turned 11-of-26 carries into first downs, providing all kinds of juice for Philadelphia.
If Hurts’ shoulder limits the number of deep shots the Eagles can take, Gainwell could be extremely busy on Sunday. He brings an elusiveness that makes him even more dangerous against a defense that finished with the seventh-most missed tackles (82) in the NFL during the regular season. Based on the matchup and increased workload, we’d bet on Gainwell finding the end zone and leading Eagles’ running backs in scrimmage yards and first downs.
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Harrison Butker makes Super Bowl history
Steve Christie currently holds the NFL record for the longest field goal in Super Bowl history at 54 yards. We don’t see a lot of long kicks when the Lombardi Trophy is on the line, quarterbacks want to go for it when a Super Bowl ring is at stake. However, Reid is the perfect coach who will sometimes settle for points and he certainly trusts his kicker from distance.
- Harrison Butker stats (50-plus yards): 23-of-35 in the regular season, 4-of-5 in playoffs
In a close game, Kansas City will likely have a drive stall just inside the Eagles’ territory. Harrison Butker drilled a 62-yard attempt earlier this season and has made at least one field goal from 56-plus yards in each of the last four years. We’ll roll with him drilling a 55-yarder in Super Bowl LVII.
10 longest field goals in NFL history
Patrick Mahomes win Super Bowl LVII, MVP honors
After rolling with the Eagles to win Super Bowl LVII for nearly two weeks, there’s now a change of heart. Hurts’ shoulder injury certainly doesn’t help matters, but Philadelphia does boast the talent on both sides of the ball to overcome it.
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However, the biggest games are often won by the best player. Mahomes lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because Kansas City started a backup offensive line. A few years later, the Chiefs have a much better game plan when facing great pass-rushing defenses and they feature an outstanding offensive line that often maintains a clean pocket.
This projects to be a relatively high-scoring Super Bowl and the balance between these two teams means it should come down to the final minutes. If you’re telling us the game will be on the line with one quarterback given a chance to win Super Bowl MVP and the Lombardi Trophy, the bet is on Mahomes to do it.
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