The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will face off in Super Bowl 57 to determine the regular season champion of the 2022 NFL. There are plenty of storylines to follow, with Andy Reid of the Chiefs taking against the club he once coached, Travis and Jason Kelce battling against one another, and quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts both making history. (And don’t forget the ads and Rihanna’s performance at the halftime show.)
The Chiefs and Eagles will play in Super Bowl 57 on Sunday at State Farm Stadium. Here are the writers and columnists for USA TODAY Sports’ predictions:
Bell, Jarrett: Chiefs, 27–23
Andy Reid can’t possibly lose to his old squad. Yes, there is a method, and it would be similar to how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tortured Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl 55 with a tenacious defense. The Eagles defense is equipped to dominate a quarterback who is dealing with an ankle injury, starting up front with Haason Reddick.
However, Mahomes, who leads the NFL’s top offense, is back in the Super Bowl with a superior offensive line than the last time. He still possesses that magic. and Travis Kelce, a tight end prospect who likely owes his older brother (Chiefs Eagles center Jason Kelce). Jalen Hurts is a rising Eagles star, so we can’t ignore him. To outduel Mahomes, though, will provide a new kind of challenge in Super Bowl 57.
Super Bowl Central offers odds for Super Bowl 57, data, and games between the Eagles and Chiefs.
Chris Bumbaca: Chiefs win, 27-24
Mahomes’ health will be a deciding factor. He is the finest player in football, even with one leg. The Kansas City front, which had the greatest pass block win percentage during the regular season, will have a different kind of task when going up against the Eagles pass rush. The Eagles have been the top team in the NFL from start to finish, but the Chiefs are battle-tested. The Eagles have participated in two consecutive postseason thrashings. It will have been more than five weeks since their last close game when the big game finally rolls around. Reid will have plenty of time to plan his strategy against his former squad with two weeks to prepare for them.
Isiah Pacheco, a rookie running back, is reaching his potential right now and could have some freedom to maneuver against the Eagles’ rush defense. Although Travis Kelce will be closely watched, the best tight end in the competition generally finds a way to deliver. Hurts is coping with his own shoulder ailment. The Chiefs must take action to stop the run and force Hurts to out-arm them.
Nate Davis: Chiefs win 27–23
I have to admit that I’m having a little bit of the hater sensation. Actually, I’m impressed by how strong Philadelphia has been for almost the whole season. But in the playoffs, the Eagles have not faced any challenges. They rolled through an underdog team and over another that had its quarterback shackled for much the entire NFC championship game, so give them credit for their supremacy. What happens when Philadelphia engages in a scrap with a team that can go toe-to-toe and has an excellent quarterback in Patrick Mahomes—the kind the Eagles haven’t really faced this season, aside from Aaron Rodgers in a below-average year?
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Despite having a rusty wheel, Mahomes is still a more well-known player than his Philadelphia rival Jalen Hurts, whose health is still somewhat mysterious given how the postseason has mainly protected him. Give me the well-known good.
Safid Deen: Chiefs win 30–24.
The Eagles have been the most reliable team throughout the whole season, taking advantage of their relatively simple path to the Super Bowl, but they haven’t played against a club like the Chiefs all year. With two weeks to recover from injury, Mahomes, Reid, and the Chiefs will win their second Super Bowl championship to cemented their place in NFL history as the great Chiefs dynasty.
Tyler Dragon: Chiefs win, 28–26
The Eagles were the most complete and reliable squad all season. On both sides of the ball, Philadelphia controls the line of scrimmage. The Chiefs will have issues as a result of the Eagles’ pass pressure and running game. However, Chris Jones and the defensive line are equally disruptive, and the Chiefs had the top offensive line in the AFC the whole season. Patrick Mahomes is the key difference between the two clubs. The best player on the field is playing the most important position for the Chiefs.
I believe Kansas City will win its second Super Bowl championship in four seasons if Mahomes’ ankle keeps getting better and the Chiefs wide outs become healthier. Although it’s a huge if, Mahomes’ performance in the AFC championship game with a sore ankle was comparable to Michael Jordan’s flu-game performance in the NBA Finals. With the Lombardi Trophy on the line, it’s difficult to write out Mahomes and the Chiefs.
Reyes, Lorenzo: Eagles, 23-21
Philadelphia can defeat opponents in a variety of ways and is designed to play grueling playoff games. The offensive line, in the front, is where it all begins. With the emergence of Kenneth Gainwell, the Eagles have the most complete unit in the NFL with four guys who can find wide space in the ground game. And while though the playoffs have been relatively quiet for standout receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, they are both capable of making explosive plays against the Kansas City defense, which occasionally results in big plays in the passing game.
The Eagles are most vulnerable at linebacker in the middle of the field, where Travis Kelce can take advantage of coverage lapses. But generally speaking, Philadelphia’s secondary ought to be able to contain Kansas City’s receivers for a sufficient amount of time to allow Reddick and the Eagles’ pass rush to pressure Mahomes. The condition of those Kansas City wide receivers will be a worry, but the break should help make up for the Chiefs’ lack of depth in the final minutes of the AFC championship game.