Super Bowl LIX Cheat Sheet: 25 Things to Know About Chiefs Vs. Eagles | The Ringer<\/p>\n
\n3.<\/strong>The Eagles lost to the Chiefs in the\u00a0Super Bowl\u00a0two years ago for a number of reasons. Hurts had a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. And the Chiefs had a 65-yard punt return that set up a score. But the biggest reason for the loss? The Eagles defense didn\u2019t stand a chance against the Chiefs offense. Kansas City delivered a 98th-percentile performance based on expected points added per drive and a 99th-percentile performance based on offensive success rate. The Chiefs had eight possessions in that game and scored four touchdowns and a field goal. Andy Reid and Mahomes put on a clinic against then\u2013Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.<\/p>\n
4.\u00a0<\/strong>So why\u00a0might\u00a0<\/em>this time around be different? Because the Eagles are bringing a worthy adversary to the matchup in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Fangio took a defense that ranked 29th in efficiency in 2023 and turned it into arguably the best unit in the NFL.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n15. QB Patrick Mahomes<\/strong><\/p>\n
Yes, he\u2019s awesome. Obviously. But the Super Bowl r\u00e9sum\u00e9 is slightly checkered. Mahomes, 29, is about to become the first quarterback to start five times on Super Sunday before his 30th birthday. Heading into Super Bowl 59, he\u2019s already won the game three times and come away with the MVP trophy in each of those victories (only Brady has more). Yet Mahomes has also thrown five INTs (against 7 TDs), played heroically (but poorly) behind a tattered line versus Brady\u2019s Bucs in Super Bowl 55 and wasn\u2019t the best quarterback on the field in the Super Bowl 57 victory against the Eagles. His SB QB rating is an unimpressive 85.2. But he was his typically spectacular self late \u2013 meaning the fourth quarter and overtime \u2013 in last year\u2019s win over San Francisco. Mahomes threw the game-winning TD pass and nearly accounted for 400 yards of offense, his 333 passing and 66 rushing both personal bests for the Super Bowl.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nAnytime odds for Kansas City begin with veteran tight end Travis Kelce (+125). After a career-low three receiving touchdowns in the regular season, Kelce rebounded with nine catches and a touchdown across two postseason games. Even in the later stages of his storied career, Kelce remains a threat to score. The tight end corralled at least three postseason TDs in each of the last five years.<\/p>\n
Reaching four straight games with a score, Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (+145) presents another formidable option. Hunt has 25 carries this postseason compared to only 10 from backfield counterpart Isiah Pacheco (+265) \u2014 clearly establishing himself as Kansas City\u2019s lead back.<\/p>\n
Rookie standout Xavier Worthy (+165) is at the top among Chiefs wide receivers. Scoring three TDs in his last five games, Worthy has steadily grown into Mahomes\u2019 top weapon during the stretch run.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nAs of Sunday, the cheapest ticket at\u00a0Vivid Seats\u00a0for Super Bowl LIX between the\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs\u00a0and\u00a0Philadelphia Eagles\u00a0was $3,346. The median ticket price is $6,304.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s pretty much right on track for how much it cost to attend the Chiefs\u2019 38-35 victory over the Eagles at Super Bowl LVII. Six days out from the game, the average ticket fetched $6,388.<\/p>\n
The cost is lower in comparison to some other recent Super Bowls, though.<\/p>\n
Super Bowl LV, which saw Kansas City lose 31-9 to the\u00a0Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is a clear outlier. The average ticket then was $11,681, which reflected the relative scarcity of seats at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The capacity was capped at 25,000 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n6 –\u00a0Creed Humphrey<\/a><\/p>\n
Kansas City Chiefs C<\/p>\n
There is no better center in the game than Humphrey. He is good in the run game and does a great job in pass protection. How he blocks inside will be key to the Chiefs against the Eagles front.<\/p>\n
7 –Zack Baun<\/a><\/p>\n
Philadelphia Eagles MLB<\/p>\n
In his first season with the team, he\u2019s been one of the pleasant surprises. He moved from outside linebacker to off-the-ball linebacker and he\u2019s excelled in Vic Fangio\u2019s scheme and is about to get paid as a free agent.<\/p>\n
8-\u00a0Trent McDuffie<\/a><\/p>\n
Kansas City Chiefs CB<\/p>\n
He is at his best when he plays nickel corner, but he was asked to play outside more this year because of injuries. No matter where he lines up, he is a tough matchup for any receiver.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n32.\u00a0<\/strong>Kansas City Chiefs<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n
Kenneth Grant<\/strong><\/a>, DT, Michigan<\/strong><\/p>\n
Three-peat or not \u2014 and I\u2019m predicting one here \u2014 this roster has some holes and question marks moving forward. Wide receiver remains a concern. Tight end and right guard could become priority areas if\u00a0Travis Kelce\u00a0retires and\/or\u00a0Trey Smith\u00a0leaves in free agency. But the defense has long needed a running mate for\u00a0Chris Jones\u00a0at defensive tackle.<\/p>\n
Grant is a massive prospect at 342 pounds but has the athletic tools to crash gaps and penetrate the backfield. Plugging Grant between Jones and George Karlaftis would automatically divert attention and give them more room to operate. Grant\u2019s impact would also be felt immediately in the run game, where he can keep the Chiefs\u2019 linebackers much cleaner from interior blockers.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nThe last of Gronkowski\u2019s four Super Bowl titles came against the Chiefs during the 2020 season. Then, playing for the Buccanneers, his team was dominant on both sides of the ball in the Super Bowl LV victory at Raymond James Stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cMan, I remember we were so prepared for that game,\u201d Gronkowski explained. \u201cWe dotted all our I\u2019s and crossed all our T\u2019s. I could have called the play before the play was even called because we were just that prepared. We studied the set of plays we would go into the game with, and we knew them in the back of our heads like it was nothing. So, that\u2019s what really separated us in that game: just knowing what we [were] going to do and just going out there and executing what we\u2019re going to do, and that\u2019s what we did. And the game plan was nothing short of spectacular.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nBasically any AFC contender<\/strong><\/p>\n
I could easily see the\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs,\u00a0Buffalo Bills\u00a0or\u00a0Texans\u00a0taking a run at Garrett. Heck, you could throw the\u00a0Baltimore Ravens\u00a0and\u00a0Cincinnati Bengals\u00a0in here, too \u2014 but the odds of the\u00a0Browns\u00a0trading Garrett to a team in their own division feel minuscule.<\/p>\n
The reason I\u2019ve lumped the Chiefs, Bills and Texans together here? If the Browns did deal Garrett, I believe they\u2019d feel very strongly about sending him to an NFC team. That doesn\u2019t mean the Chiefs, Bills, Texans, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers or any other AFC contender couldn\u2019t get him. It just might cost that team more to do so than it would cost an NFC team, since the strong likelihood is that the Browns wouldn\u2019t want to compete against Garrett in the same conference.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n32 –\u00a0<\/strong>Kansas City Chiefs<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n