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Super Bowl LIX Special
29 Plays4 months ago
The Goal Post is back with a special episode previewing Super Bowl LIX!
Damien and Patrick start off the show by discussing the Super Bowl media day and all that it entails before jumping right in — First, they each highlight a few storylines that they are most excited to follow: Saquon Barkley’s quest for the best single-season in NFL history, the impact of the Tush Push, and even Nick Sirianni’s legacy.
Next, the Boys get into an in-depth game preview comparing both offences and defences, the keys for each team to win, and the biggest X-Factors in the big game. This is followed by both Damien and Patrick each giving one bold prediction for the game, as well as a final score prediction.
To finish is the culmination of the Goal Post Playoff Picks battle - Damien and Patrick give out five picks each for the Super Bowl, including loads of player props: Tied at 3-3, the Super Bowl will settle who becomes the Playoff Picks champion (including a coin-toss bet as an ultimate tie-breaker).
Enjoy!
Intro / SB Media Day: 0:00 - 10:07
Super Bowl Storylines: 10:08 - 30:03
Team Offence/Defence Comparisons: 30:04 - 45:55
Keys to the Game: 45:56 - 53:28
X-Factors and Bold Predictions : 53:29 - 1:04:49
Score Prediction: 1:04:50 - 1:06:34
Goal Post Playoff Picks Finale: 1:06:35 - 1:22:47
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Transcript
Super Bowl Excitement and Mixed Emotions
00:00:27
Speaker
preview. The big game is here. Super Bowl L-I-X in New Orleans, Patrick. We made it. We are all the way here. It's Super Bowl week.
00:00:38
Speaker
Super Bowl licks if you want to dumb it down. It's a credit to Gronk for that one. But yeah, this is kind of a bittersweet episode in a sense because the one hand, you know, the big game is on the horizon. The Super Bowl iss is kind of what you do it all for. the The NFL season leads up to the biggest moment of the year. And the Super Bowl is just so fun to discuss. I think I kind of had a similar reaction to you after the championship games that, you know, this wasn't the greatest ah possible matchup, but as the, you know, two weeks have gone, you know, we survived the pro bowl and I'm starting to get a lot more excited as the time goes and we get closer to the big game where there's storylines galore. I think when you kind of dive into the two teams,
00:01:23
Speaker
Uh, the coaching staff, just kind of everything at stake here, but on the other hand, Damien, it's the last NFL game of the season. And you know, it's just, it's going to be months, months and months without football. Thankfully we'll have the CFL returning first. We'll get back into that. So.
00:01:38
Speaker
You know, once this game ends, the focus does kind of go to the NFL draft and everything will have some stuff for you there. But this is kind of a bittersweet moment. But, you know, I'm going to I'm going to savor and bask in the in the glory of the big game. Couldn't have put it any better myself. I i have also found myself getting way more amped up for this game, even doing the research into it.
00:01:57
Speaker
You're right, there is so much at play in this game. And I feel like that always happens with the Super Bowl. The more you get into it, the better it seems. And I think we are we got a great game on
Chaos and Narratives of Media Day
00:02:08
Speaker
our hands. like I am very, very excited to see the outcome of this one, like you said, long offseason in the NFL. like it is It is just a vast pit after the NFL Draft.
00:02:21
Speaker
you know You're waiting months and months just for teams to get back into summer camps. um But for right now, there's no point to think about that, to dwell on it. um The only thing we can do is focus and get ready for a huge game. This is the eighth game played in New Orleans, the first since 2013. They had the big media day to start it off. I think it was the first time in like 20 or 30 years that they did both teams at the same media day. Everyone was mixing it up.
00:02:50
Speaker
uh crazy atmosphere in there i can't imagine how overwhelming that is to be a player and just be in an arena with like 6 000 journalists and media members just huck and shit at you the entire time some people have great questions other people there seem to like sneak through eight layers of security and ask troll questions that to me i don't get how that happens yeah I guess it's easier than we think to you know fake a media credential and get it laminated and get the whole you just need a lanyard and a photo and some just get it laminated and you're in you're in pretty much I feel like like you said though with the amount of people there some some people are gonna slip through the cracks and
00:03:34
Speaker
Like you said, like the media day is just such a a mess. I can only imagine the energy levels from the players from the first question asked all the way to the last one is just like, get me out of here. And and I mean, I can only imagine how many questions are repeated from the different journalists you go to and you' you're trying not to, you know.
00:03:53
Speaker
show the the journalist, the reporter, whoever's asking that, you know, i've I've answered this five times already and I'm tired and you put on a brave face and it's all part of the experience of the Super Bowl. So, but I feel like for the Chiefs, when you're doing this five out of the last six years, you you can do without the media day. You know what I mean? I feel like they're pretty over the whole media day, but it's part of the deal. And it's just just another game on the calendar for the Chiefs and that you can schedule the media day, it seems like for them, too.
00:04:22
Speaker
Yeah, I I've always wondered, like, how do these guys stay focused? Like it is this week couldn't be further removed from a regular game week in the NFL. But then I thought, yeah, when you've been there in five of the past six years, that's like weirdly an edge for the Chiefs. Like, obviously, there's the big game pressure when you're actually playing the game. Experience is a huge thing. But even leading up to it like this is probably a completely new thing for a lot of these Eagles those who weren't on the team two years ago but for the Chiefs like this is business as usual for a lot of these guys and the the two teams are answering two very different questions you know what I mean you got the three Pete storyline kind of with the Chiefs that they're kind of
00:05:10
Speaker
Over in a sense where it's like alright man enough about that. we're We're focused on the opponent We're not thinking about the three Pete and then on the other hand you got the Eagles They're talking about the revenge factor half the team wasn't even there in that last game Jill and Hertz probably has to relive some not so nice memories that he had from that game so so I feel like both teams are kind of sick and tired of the questions, the narratives going in, and they're just so ready to step on that field on Sunday at 6 30 p.m. Eastern and just kind of strap it on and just settle it on the field. Yeah, I agree. I'm sure by the end of it, you are just dying to play football as a player.
00:05:45
Speaker
ah There were some ridiculous highlights, I would say, from the media day. James Winston, i would I would file under that category of guys who somehow snuck in there, even though I'm sure he had the proper credentials. He was acting a fool once again.
00:06:00
Speaker
like he i'm um I'm getting real close with Jamis Winston. We've talked about this a few years and or a few weeks in a row this season. it is It's reached a bit of a fever pitch. Yeah, and Saquon always gets a shot in on the Giants whenever he can. It's that whole thing. and then what He just kept asking people is their favorite colors. right It was kind of a weird. and it's you know If a kid's in there doing it, asking the questions, I got no problem. Jamis Winston,
00:06:28
Speaker
i guess you could say as a kid at heart but you know sometimes it's just like alright jamis we kinda we we get the bit like we get it you know i think time away from jamis is important to kind of refresh the uh you know i guess i don't even know how to describe jamis he's a very candid person i guess you could say and you never really know what you're gonna get and it's A lot of people are on the edge of their seat when he's talking. But I think for you and I, it's kind of like, all right, James, we get it. I'd like to see you perform on the field a little bit better. But, yeah, he's going to be looking for a new home. Maybe he will be the quarterback of the Giants come the 2026 season. and It's very, very possible. There's a couple other highlights from the media day. Like I thought it was interesting. Like Goodell came out and said the idea that the refs favor the Chiefs is ridiculous. Obviously, the commissioner is going to come out and say that. But what I found interesting
00:07:19
Speaker
was when they turned it on Kelsey and they go, Kelsey, do you have any questions for us? And he goes, what? Why do you guys as the media lean into the ref stuff? And to me, that was like a little little moment where it's like maybe this is kind of getting to them. That to me showed that it was it was kind of getting under their skin a bit.
00:07:38
Speaker
it's It's definitely been a storyline probably going back to last year. there There's been examples of it. And then I feel like it's really been under a spotlight in these playoffs. Uh, it's specifically in that Houston Texans divisional game where, you know, they had the two controversial calls, then them homes like flop that, you know, the reps did not call. And then, you know, you had the.
00:07:58
Speaker
the AFC championship game was a different kind of missed calls and controversial calls. So yeah, it's definitely been a part of the Chiefs journey up until the Super Bowl here. So I understand why the questions are being asked by the reporters. I can also understand why like a guy like Travis Kelsey, who has is going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer,
00:08:19
Speaker
is like, hey, can we just get some credit for winning some games? So we see both sides of it. But like I said, media day comes with the territory, man. Like you're going to get asked a million questions. You're not going to like them all, but you have to answer. My favorite media day thing was I think it's Trash Talk. Dallas Goddard was ah asked, do you know any Taylor Swift songs? And then he starts off by saying, it does she sing Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls by TLC? And then the reporter answers, no, that's TLC. And then he goes, no, I don't know any Taylor Swift songs, which I think is a bold face lie. So to me, that was the one that stuck out. I couldn't garner if it was like, is that Trash Talk? Is he that you know out of touch with pop culture? like
00:09:04
Speaker
I just kept going back and forth, but I think if Travis gets a hold of that clip, he's not going to like it. I did not see
Game Breakdown: Matchups and Strategies
00:09:11
Speaker
that. That's hilarious from Goddard. I love that. Yeah, there's there's just a 0% chance that's true. I think it would be borderline impossible. My favorite thing from media day before we move into the game preview here is this is just one of the funniest headlines and sub headlines I've ever seen. Chiefs kicker Harrison Booker, who has been outspoken on the subject of of his Christian faith, went silent when asked, what do you think about gays?
00:09:37
Speaker
its It's incredible for Super Bowl week. He pled the fifth, I guess, on that one. He just said, you know what, I think, you know, but I'm not going to repeat it. And I think that's the right move from Bucker, not creating more headlines going into the biggest game of, you know, their their season. So smart move Harrison Bucker, maybe finally got a PR person helping him out a little bit because honestly showed some growth in that not answer. Yeah, I agree. ah God, I just love that headline. um But we'll move here.
00:10:08
Speaker
We're going to break this game down in a bunch of different ways. We're going to start with our storylines, some of our more enticing storylines that we're personally looking forward to. Then we're going to go into our game preview, breaking down the offenses and the defenses, the keys for the Eagles and Chiefs both to win, and then some X factors and a bold prediction for the game that I'm sure will age great for me and Patrick. um But we'll start out with storylines. I'll get like,
00:10:37
Speaker
probably my more like overt and obvious one out of the way here. And it's the Chiefs dynasty rivalry rivaling the Patriots dynasty. This is the first team ever to win back to back Super Bowls to get back to another Super Bowl teams have won back to back before a couple times. um But they are the first team to actually have a chance at the third one. No team has made it back.
00:11:01
Speaker
ah the last team across the major four to win three straight was the Lakers from 2000 to 02 before that it was the Yankees from 98 to 2000 and then it was the Islanders who won four straight ah Stanley cups from 80 to 83 so they're in very very prestigious territory here um This is the Chiefs for it would be the Chiefs fourth Super Bowl in six years They've been to five ah the Patriots started dares with three and four years then they lose back to back to the Giants not in back-to-back years but you know back-to-back Super Bowl appearances to the Giants and and then they won those three more like that was the Patriots dynasty got really broken up into two different eras um but the thing to me is like if the Chiefs win this Super Bowl their
00:11:50
Speaker
if anything, going to get they're better in the offseason. Like, I think that you could very positively say that they'll get better in the offseason. And the big thing to me is that there is no signs of the Chiefs slowing down anytime soon. Yeah, no. And, you know, they don't have their number one receiver, Rishi Rice, who's going to be back on their team next year. Andy Reid already said, like, I will not be retiring at the end of this year. So it seems like they're going to run the whole thing back. And like you said, with some more experience,
00:12:20
Speaker
And yeah, like you, like you said, the the Patriots was kind of split up into two dynasties, like 10 years in between their, their three out of four Superbowl runs. And yeah it does beg the question where it's like, if the chiefs pull this off the three Pete, that is a dynasty. And I do think that is the best dynasty where like I said, the Patriots had two and they just kind of own like an entire era of the NFL. And I got a fun little tidbit about the three Pete Pat Riley.
00:12:50
Speaker
the The NBA, when he was with the Lakers and he led them to back-to-back NBA championships in 1987 and 88 and 89, the genius that Pat Riley is filed a trademark for the term three-peat.
00:13:05
Speaker
So now the NFL has already made an agreement with Pat Riley. They have to go through him for all the three Pete merch that they potentially will put out. And he's just, he set up to make millions of dollars if the chiefs win this game. So I think he should hedge with an Eagles Moneyline bet just in case it goes wrong because he's in for a massive payday because he already had to settle with the NFL. Um, when the bulls did it back in 93 Riley reportedly made $300,000.
00:13:32
Speaker
Um, you know, adjusted for inflation, that's probably close to a million dollars. And then when they did it again in 1998, he made $600,000. So adjust that for inflation. Again, it's just a genius move, like something that you'd never expect. And like, once again, it might pay off. It's crazy to me because it feels like a chicken in the egg thing where it's like feels like Kleenex and tissue. Like it's like a, like a name brand thing that.
00:13:57
Speaker
It's so part of the lexicon in sports that you don't even think that somebody could possibly open that or own that. it It sounded like a fake story to me when I first read it. Like, there's no way that could possibly be true. I know now I have the same reaction. Then I was like, I'm diving into it. And and then I saw, like I said, it was I think it was right as Super Bowl Week started. That story came out and then a handful of days ago.
00:14:20
Speaker
came out that they agreed with the NFL so it is true they have to go through Pat Riley if you want any sort of three-peat merch otherwise he's coming for you and see you in court. um My storyline it's Saquon Barkley. The little man that could coming over from the New York Giants over to the Philadelphia Eagles having Arguably one of the greatest NFL rushing seasons we've ever seen. He's coming into the the Super Bowl with 2447 rushing yards including regular and postseason. Terrell Davis holds the record at 2476 rushing yards. So Saquon just needs 29 rushing yards in the big game to set the all-time um postseason and regular season rushing record and just a guy who has overcome
00:15:11
Speaker
Just a tumultuous first tenure in the NFL after his rookie contract expired with the New York Giants. It's kind of great to see like those stories where a talent was kind of being wasted behind a not only a great not great organization ah below average offensive line.
00:15:28
Speaker
They chose a bad quarterback over Saquon to build the rebuild around. And it's just the the Chiefs and like the Eagles. Those are two teams where it's like they are in the 49ers, I guess, is the other team in the NFC. Like these are the teams that are kind of repeatedly getting to the Super Bowl. The Eagles saw that we need to improve from DeAndre Swift. say They took a shot on Saquon Barkley, and it is just paying off tremendously for them. ah You got to think barring an injury, he's going to set that record with 29 rushing yards.
00:15:56
Speaker
ah So to me that's the storyline and I'm sure if somehow he wins Super Bowl and MVP He's gonna somehow find a way to include the Giants in that speech because he has been finding a way to take jabs at them all season long And you know what? I can't blame the pettiness of them because when you just get kicked to the curb like that for daniel jones and now you're just your your true talent is being on display for everyone to see it's got to be a great feeling for him yeah this was one of mine too i just had sak one dream season ah terrell davis had twenty four touchdowns in that season se onen's at eighteen right now i think It sucks how many he's probably been stolen from the touch push. Like a lot of those probably should be Saquon touchdowns. ah There are only four. but There are only two players to have four 100 yard games in the playoffs. That's 82 John Riggins and 97 Terrell Davis. Saquon has a chance to join that club if he gets over 100 in the Super Bowl. But yeah, he is in serious territory to have one of the best seasons of all time, like add in.
00:17:01
Speaker
the seven rushing touchdowns of over 60 yards. That's an NFL record, adding the fact that it's on his birthday. The Super Bowl is taking place on his birthday. The Giants fiasco. It just has the makings for an all time story. Saquon himself said the only thing that makes it special is winning a Super Bowl. And I think that is really the last step. Davis won the Super Bowl and won Super Bowl MVP in that season.
00:17:29
Speaker
if Saquon wins a Super Bowl, wins Super Bowl MVP, breaks the yards record, like there is a serious, serious argument that it's the best season of any NFL player ever. I'm with you and I gotta think he he sets the rushing record um and you know, the touchdowns, like you said, Jalen Hurts.
00:17:51
Speaker
There's no actual number to know how many he stole, but I got to think it's six at least to put Saquon in position to tie or pass Terrell Davis's touchdowns in that season. And you know what? This is kind of a nuanced, maybe it's not nuanced, but it's just kind of an interesting storyline for me in this game. And you mentioned it, it is the tush push, very controversial in the NFC championship. I think it showed a lot of people that it's kind of frustrating to watch.
00:18:18
Speaker
But yeah, I, so like I mentioned last week, or you can kind of see it both ways where if you can't run it, then find a way to stop it. Or like everyone has an opportunity to run this play, but the Eagles do it the best. Well, the chiefs made the Buffalo bills work for every inch when they did their tush push. And Josh Allen is a bigger quarterback than a Jalen hurts. I don't think they run it the same way, but I think the chiefs off defensive front is strong enough and tough enough that they're going to make the Eagles work for it. And I think you're going to see a lot of fourth and ones, fourth and twos in this game that are going to be at pivotal moments. And that push push is going to come out and it's going to be mono mono. And, you know, if the, it's going to be literally, we could see another controversial call because it's going to be inches. I think the chiefs and Spagnolo.
00:19:08
Speaker
have figured out a way to just make it so difficult to earn that one yard or yard and a half, however many of the Eagles will need to get it. So I said, I mentioned it, the Eagles are probably gonna have to get a little more creative with this push push if they can't get it early. And I think if the Chiefs keep getting them into these fourth and twos fourth and ones, they're that's where they want them. And I think eventually they'll find a way to get these stops when they need, give Patrick Mahomes shorter fields, keep points off the board. So I think the Tush Push is going to be a huge storyline in this game. And you're going to see it at the most pivotal moments in the Super Bowl. That's interesting. I keep going back and forth because they did such a good job of stopping the bills on that.
00:19:48
Speaker
But then you think it's like, okay, the bills aren't nearly as good at running this play as the Eagles are. I think we're going to know so early, like it whether it's going to be that kind of game or not. Like really in the first half, I'm sure there's going to be a couple of situations where it comes out, whether that's on the goal line, ah whether that's for a big first down on fourth. And you're right. Like they have managed to really neutralize it, but.
00:20:12
Speaker
when you got Saquon Barkley pushing when you got Jalen Hurts you know squatting 600 pounds and being able to go into the pile like that like you you're so right where this will really tell kind of the the pace and and where the game is at like if the Eagles are getting those first downs easily then you start to to think that the the momentum shifts back to Philly a bit where in their heads they can get a yard whenever they want it like that is going to be not only a big thing in terms of game flow and who gets the first down, but like a mentality thing for the E or the Eagles on offense is if we can make the Chiefs feel like they can't get any stops, we're in a position or of leverage in this game. Yeah. You heard Jordan, my Lotta kind of track using that in trash talk a lot against the commanders, a couple of Bain quotes in there. Uh, I'm paraphrasing here. It's something about like, we're going to break your will. Like you can't stop us. Something along those lines.
00:21:08
Speaker
Uh, so yeah, it's clearly in the mindset of the Philadelphia Eagles that they are bigger, tougher, stronger than basically any
Coaching Legacies and Player Stakes
00:21:16
Speaker
team. And if they need a yard, they can get it. I think you're going to see it be more of like a focal point when it's, you know, a fourth and two, a fourth and one and a half. I think yeah like you said, the Eagles should always be able to get a yard in that situation. Unlike the bills, you know, we're in some instances, uh, two weeks ago.
00:21:34
Speaker
But yeah, I think the Eagles in fourth and twos at pivotal moments in the game, they're going to break out the Tush push and the chiefs are going to be looking their chops to kind of get an opportunity to just break their will in a sense and say, Hey, we're bigger, faster, stronger, tougher than you. And you're going to have to work for everything to get this yard and then give them a home's shorter fields and key points off the board.
00:21:55
Speaker
Yeah, it really goes both ways you're right like if if the Chiefs are able to stop it that is like a huge mental mind game on the opposite end of the spectrum where it's if the Eagles can't get those yards then it's like shit like we are kind of in uncharted waters here ah where we've been doing this all year and it's been working all year if we can't do it in the biggest game.
00:22:16
Speaker
You're kind of scrambling a bit ah totally agree. That's going to be a huge storyline. um One of my favorite storylines in this game a little bit off the beaten path is Nick Sirianni's legacy like that to me is so interesting in this game. He's got 48 regular season wins in his first four seasons that is tied for the second most in NFL history.
00:22:39
Speaker
ah The first one I can't remember his name, but it was the guy who took over one of the Super Bowl teams in ah San Francisco like he took over Montana and rice So it was like he took a great team and kept winning with them Nick Sirianni took over a four win team and he's got 53 wins if you include the playoffs He's finished over 500 and every season in Philadelphia He's won two NFC championships led them to two Super Bowls with two different coordinators Will he do something stupid like it is? Seemingly turned around since we talked about him trash talking Eagles fans in that like
00:23:18
Speaker
was a week four game against the Browns somewhere around that territory and something something changed after that he he shaved his head in the bye week like I am very interested to see how Syriani reacts and coaches in this game is there's no secret that the Chiefs have the edge in coaching with Reid and Spagnuolo but is that what we're gonna see in this game Yeah. And will he cry during the national anthem again like he did in the last Super Bowl that he was coaching in? Um, I don't think Chris Stapleton singing this one, so he might, the the chances might be a little lower. Um, another storyline with that coaching staff is I believe Kellen Moore is going to take the saints job. The second the Super Bowl is over, he's in New Orleans. How is that going to affect their relationship and game planning? You got to think he wants to leave with the Super Bowl ring, but that can affect relationships, especially when you have two weeks to plan.
00:24:11
Speaker
And you know that this guy's, is he one foot in, one foot out? Is he all the way in? And then the second it's over with the Eagles, he goes on and is all in with the Saints. I think that's going to be an interesting dynamic. ah But yeah, Sirianni has had one, is one of those coaches that he's kind of had this narrative that's like, what do you do? yeah And it's just like, you're not calling plays on either side of the ball. You're yelling at fans. You're, you're crying. You kind of, you're, You're making a fool out of yourself at times on the sideline, but he clearly knows i like he he does something. He he does something. and And I can't specifically tell you what that something is, but it's working. And he finds a way to get the best out of his team and his players. And they care about him where they show up. They're playing when he was screaming at the fans. You saw the players like pulling them away they're like, hey, man, like we can't do this. Like they're fuck it's that's their way of kind of fighting for him and and backing him up where
00:25:04
Speaker
Sirianni has got it going on. And if he wins the Super Bowl, he is in a territory of all time Eagles coaches, right? It's like Doug Peterson's won one and he read.
00:25:16
Speaker
has not won one. And it's just like, okay, is, you know, like you have to finally put respect on Syriani's name. If he, if he finds a way, and I think even if he doesn't win, he's like, but his success is so strong. absolutely And it's just like, yeah, he's just missing a Superbowl at this point. So it's still a wonderful start to Syriani's head coach and career.
00:25:37
Speaker
fantastic takes if he does win it like it if he does win the Super Bowl and that the press conferences will just be fantastic the sound bites like I I almost want the Eagles to win purely for the takeaway the Syriani take quakes Yeah, it's it's going to be baffling. I think even Eagles fans are going to be baffled. They're not going to know how to go about it where yeah he's kind of like the NFL equivalent of like Ryan Day before he got his national championship where it's like, yeah, you're getting the success, you're getting the success, but you're not winning anything big. And it felt like you had that big game let down.
00:26:12
Speaker
feel to you, and Sirianni kinda has that, the more NFC championships he gets to and wins, the less that stigma will be around him, and that's kinda happening as we're going here. But yeah, if he can get that Super Bowl, and then it's just like, I've i've accomplished it all, I can go on my career and have no questions asked, no narratives around me, ah that's gonna be huge for him, and just probably is his mental going forward. keep We'll keep him sane, you know? Let's scream it at the fans.
00:26:42
Speaker
um Yeah, but there's obviously a million storylines. Like you could literally do a list of like 10 storylines if you really wanted to. Does Travis Kelsey retire if he wins another one? Was that your next one? one Yeah, it was just like kind of a a more fun one, less kind of actual on the on the field story. He had some quotes that stuck out to me during media day. He goes, what well, when asked about possibly retiring after this game, he goes, I don't know.
00:27:08
Speaker
Hopefully still playing football. He said, I love doing this. I love coming into work every day. And I feel like I still got a lot of good football left in me. This is the part that raised some flags. He finished that sentence by saying, we'll see what happens.
00:27:24
Speaker
Should you take guys for their word? Probably, but in this day and age of sports where, and like you said, at media day, where we just talking, you're saying so many things, you're answering so many different questions. You probably don't even know what's coming out of your mouth by the end of it. I don't know, but that doesn't instill confidence in me. If I'm a chief fan, be like, yeah, he's definitely going to come back. It's Andy Reed kind of instilled that confidence. Like I'm coming back. I'm not done after this game. Travis Kelsey, Taylor Swift, it's going to be a big stage. The possible proposal I believe is going around as well. I'm not going to include that in the storyline. It's more just like if Travis Kelsey goes out there, he's 35 years old, will be 36 next year, gets a three-peat. What else does he have to do? right it's just like he He would be so more so much more accomplished than basically any more
00:28:13
Speaker
Any other player on the Chiefs where it's like Mahomes is still 28, he can still go and chase Brady as the GOAT, where Travis Kelsey, it's like, you've accomplished it all, man, you're 35, go settle down um and start your after football life with your brother, doing late night shows and your podcast. ah So yeah, the the Travis Kelsey retirement factor,
00:28:34
Speaker
Is been talked about and I believe it will continue to be talked about during the game and possibly Keep an eye out for it in the in the stage because you know, he's going to have some crazy speech if they win. I think if They lose there's no chance he retires I think that if they win that you know, you're bringing in possible retirement to that. Yeah, totally agree ah Yeah, there's there's storylines galore here like even similar in like the Nick Sirianni vein if Jalen Hurts wins the Super Bowl I think that brings on a whole new level of takes like for all the ah ire he's drawn this season and is
00:29:10
Speaker
People saying he can't pass like if he wins a Super Bowl that vaunts him into a whole nother level as a quarterback um Yeah, man, it is. This is great. Like if Mahomes wins one He's like on pace ahead of pace like it Mahomes. Let's say wins ah another Super Bowl here does a three-peat. Let's say win Super Bowl MVP He is like ahead of pace to pass Brady Well ahead and you know, like we mentioned earlier, you could argue has the greatest dynasty that's ever happened only person with a three Pete in the NFL. Uh, and like I said, only 28. So it's only like he's, he's not done. He has not shown that he's done. Uh, if you can imagine he placed a little 35, I think is a fair number to say, if not longer. Uh, yeah, you can just only imagine the, the numbers.
00:29:56
Speaker
and records and possible Super Bowls that this guy will put up by the end of his career. Absolutely. um But that'll do it for storylines here. We will move into our game preview here. This is neck and neck like it is. If you're going off a place like PFF power rank overall, the Chiefs are second.
00:30:17
Speaker
the eagles are first power rank in defense the chiefs are second the eagles are first there are a million stats that point to these two teams being extremely extremely close in stats in offense in defense There are a lot of different ways that you can look at this game. I think I want to start with the Eagles offense against the Chiefs defense. I think that is the premier match up in this game is like a immovable force against an unstoppable object like it is.
00:30:49
Speaker
two teams that those are their strengths. Like this is a strength on strength matchup, the Eagles offense, Saquon Barkley against the Chiefs defense. ah It's something that is different about this Chiefs team this year is that the defense has really led from the front um where it's been kind of the opposite this year. um But on the ground, this is going to be the toughest test that Saquon Barkley and the Eagles have faced in a run defense.
Offensive and Defensive Challenges
00:31:15
Speaker
And it's it's not particularly close.
00:31:18
Speaker
No, the Chiefs in from weeks 2 to 14 opponents have just averaged 80.3 rushing yards game in less than a rushing touchdown per game with three and a half yards per carry on average. And during that like 12 game stretch, the Chiefs ranked third in the NFL and like defensive ah rushing efficiency with the the fourth lowest rush success rate allowed.
00:31:43
Speaker
That's kind of changed, though, like that. That has changed since the last six games. ah Kansas City's run defense has allowed 146 and a half rushing yards per game allowed, um ah allowing five point zero eight yards per carry average.
00:31:57
Speaker
And at least a rushing touchdown per game. So it's kind of been the alarm bells are kind of going off a little bit for Kansas city, especially when you're going against, like we mentioned earlier, possibly the best running back. Us in that has had an NFL season. It's an alarming trend against like in the biggest matchup of the year.
00:32:17
Speaker
With the team, the Eagles offense is averaging 227 rushing yards per game with 10 rushing touchdowns and an average of 6.6 yards per carry in the playoffs. It's just like this is.
00:32:30
Speaker
kind of two trends, right? The Eagles are thriving in the running game is going through the roof. They didn't need it a ton. They're doing whatever they wanted against the commanders, but against the Rams, the rushing offense was just crucial. And it was just like, this is, you know, they look unstoppable in the chiefs on running defense. They looked unstoppable from weeks two to 14, but the last six games, there's been some weaknesses there. There's been some holes and you know, they've had to,
00:32:57
Speaker
this could be a stylistic thing where, you know, the bills, you you got to go against Josh Allen. So you probably have a spy. You're like, we'll let James Cook beat us. Well, we don't want to put the ball in Josh Allen's hands. But in this game, Spagnolo, the entire chief's defense is going to have to find a way to limit Saquon Barkley. That is, you know, obviously not ah a crazy take by any man breaking like his, his, um his line is set at 109 and a half rushing yards, the over under. So,
00:33:27
Speaker
And if they want to win, I think you got to help. That's got to go under. You got to limit jail and hurts where he can't run and do damage with his legs. So they have to find a way to limit Saquon Barkley and make jail and hurts. Throw the ball throughout this game.
00:33:40
Speaker
Yeah, you stopped Myles Sanders in the first Super Bowl against them. Get ready for Saquon Barkley, buddy. And you're right, like if you're a Chiefs fan or if you're the Chiefs, the most concerning part of that win against Buffalo was that at times Cook looked like unstoppable. Like he had 85 yards on 13 carries, two touchdowns, and their defense, run defense looked weak at times when James Cook had the ball in his hands.
00:34:09
Speaker
and they were, you know, around the top 10 run defense all season, but you're right. It has been trending the opposite way. In the last Super Bowl, Jalen Hertz had 15 carries for 70 yards and three touchdowns. Like it is, you're now fighting kind of a two front war here where You have one of the most dynamic players in football to stop. And then a quarterback who can also run at an extremely efficient rate. Side note, I think hurts three plus TDs is like plus 3,400. Very interesting to keep your eye on. That's a fun one. Yeah. Take a little shot, a little sprinkle. Very interesting. Um, but yeah, it is. That's the one thing is like them being able to slow down. Like I don't think you can really say stop Saquon Barkley. You can say slow down, say Quam Barkley.
00:34:54
Speaker
ah but the other thing for the Chiefs defense is pressuring the quarterback like that is something that is going to be essential in their game plan they finished 18th in the NFL with 39 sacks during the regular season but they had a top five pressure rate which was 26% which is a pretty crazy clip to be running at and that would push the game more into Jalen Hurts' hands to beat them through the air as opposed to on the ground. Hurts has an 118.1 passer rating when kept clean compared to a 68.3 when pressured. You don't need to sack Jalen Hurts to have success in this game, but the Chiefs have to consistently pressure Jalen Hurts if they really want to win this game.
00:35:42
Speaker
Yeah, it's not Jaden and Daniels. Jalen Hertz is probably maybe the opposite of Jaden Daniels. If you look at like a rushing quarterback against the blitz ah going off of you there, this is from Warren Sharp. ah Jalen Hertz went pressure this year. He's 37 out of 37 QBs in efficiency per attempt, 37 out of 37 QBs in success rate, 33 out of 37 QBs in s sack rate, 32 out of 37 QBs in yards per attempt under pressure.
00:36:09
Speaker
So it's basically, if he has time, Jalen hurts, looks amazing. And he was given so much time in the commander's game. I think on that first touchdown, he had like eight seconds in the pocket to just find a ah guy in the end zone. It's just like, I don't think you're going to get that against Chris Jones and, you know, Carl office and the chief's defensive line.
00:36:30
Speaker
And then if they do get pressure, which, you know, Spags is going to be looking to bring pressure in the key moments. ah We'll see. you I would assume he's going to blitz a little bit more throughout the game than he did against Buffalo, where he kind of saved his best for the biggest moments against Buffalo. I think you can kind of blitz throughout the game against the Eagles and you'll find more success. And Jalen Hurts has got to find a way.
00:36:50
Speaker
to have his best performance against the blitz because throughout this year, he has not been good and arguably one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL against the blitz. So that's going to be a huge matchup in this one. And I think if you're the chiefs and you're like the Eagles got to know what's coming and maybe Saquon's going to have to chip a little bit more. You're going to have to bring in Calcutta and got her to chip off the edge. You're just going to have to do everything in your power to help protect Jalen hurts.
00:37:16
Speaker
and give him that extra half second to get the ball off and get a clean play. Yeah, it's going to be essential. well Actually, it's a perfect kind of launching off point here to go to the Chiefs offense and the Eagles defense um because if you're the Chiefs defense, like obviously you want to be pressuring Jalen Hurts and forcing him into bad scenarios. um But if you're the Eagles defense,
00:37:38
Speaker
you're kind of leaning almost on your pass defense in this game against Patrick Mahomes. Vic Fangio has built up like a top two pass defense here ah in his first year in Philadelphia this year. um Jordan Love, Matthew Stafford, and Jayden Daniels combined to complete 60% of their passes for an average of 245 yards, but only three touchdowns and four interceptions in their first three playoff games. Like similar to Saquon going up against what will be the best run defense. Mahomes is going up against what will be the likely the best pass defense he has played
00:38:16
Speaker
this entire year. He has been good this year, but he's not been like his prolific self um in seven starts against teams ranking in the top 10 for defensive EPA per passing play. He has averaged 254 yards in those games, but recorded just six passing touchdowns across those seven games while never recording more than one game.
00:38:40
Speaker
his overall passing rate in those games was 92. So this is one where Mahomes might actually have to rely on his running game more than anything to support him. And then that kind of plays in the Eagles too. They have a great run defense and they, the chiefs haven't had a hundred plus yard rusher since that week nine game against the box that went to overtime. So that's not even a game where you can really compare it to cause you had a whole other extra overtime. This is a bit of a mismatch for the chiefs where you're going up, you have to deal with this offense and then you also have to deal with like a complete buzzsaw of a defense in the Eagles.
00:39:16
Speaker
Yeah, I think you saw the Chiefs in Mahomes kind of have a similar mindset against the Bills with Mahomes is gonna have to use some RPOs They use that really early in the game. You saw he got in the end zone on a read option ah Kelsey has a lead blocker and it made the bills go from zone coverage to play man and that's when you saw you know juju smith shooters breaking ankles out there they're taking deep shots that's where they kind of really found success in offense was they they forced the bills to make the adjustments and then it just played into the Chiefs hands
00:39:47
Speaker
given the Eagles have a much better secondary, like you said, than the Buffalo Bills. But here's kind of a, a simple, simple Pat stat. That's what I'm going to call it. Patrick Mahomes versus Vic Fangio defenses in his career. He's eight. No. So he's been the Vic Fangio boogie man. He's found a way. And it's just, you're right. Like Vic Fangio is defense. It's been humming. I would argue it's, if you give it the whole season, the best defense in the NFL.
00:40:16
Speaker
And it's the secondary is a huge part of that. And Zach bond, you got the linebackers going sideline to sideline. You got massive guys up front and achieves offensive line. That is not excellent. We'll say that. And it's just Vic Fangio is going to be very creative. He's going to have these disguised packages, but Mahomes and their offense, it's, it's quick. It's so quick that sometimes the pressure is not going to get there. You can almost eliminate the defensive line at times.
00:40:45
Speaker
So it's going to be crucial for guys like Juju, Xavier Worthy, um Hollywood Brown. DeAndre Hopkins is kind of more of like the deep kind of threat where like the guys in the slot and Travis Kelsey, again, get open quick, just look. And I think you're going to see that in the Chiefs. I think it's a more methodical.
00:41:02
Speaker
kind of offense, they lack the explosive play a little bit more than the Eagles do. So I think you're going to see, you know, a first down, second down, third down, just stay on schedule. But I think you're going to see the chiefs getting a lot of third down situations and that's when they're really going to have to convert. And then if they just keep converting the third down, third down, that Eagles defense is going to gas out and then Mahomes is just going to get you by the end of that drive. Yeah, very true. You mentioned tight ends there. That is,
00:41:27
Speaker
maybe the one real weakness that this ah Eagles defense has had since losing the Kobe Dean, ah they have struggled to cover tight ends. um As Tyler Higbee and Zach Arts combined for 18 catches, 163 yards and a touchdown in those last two playoff games. And you're now going up against Mr. Playoff Travis Kelsey. So it's if there's one thing in this game where it's like a real linchpin For the Chiefs offense it is Travis Kelsey and that is exactly where he usually comes up huge is in those third and longs third and mediums and Somehow you look up the field and Travis Kelsey has no one around him and he makes a catch for 20 yards and all of a sudden the Chiefs are in field goal territory All of a sudden they're in the red zone. So he is he is a huge huge X factor in this game and is if Travis Kelsey is torching this Eagles defense, then you kind of get them off schedule and and we've seen teams do it before where you try to plug like a million leaking holes in a ship and all of a sudden the defense is completely out of whack.
00:42:36
Speaker
Yeah, that's where the Chiefs want them. They want the Eagles to be making the adjustments. They want to stay on schedule. It's going to be, i I think it's going to be like, like I said, RPOs quick passes. No, like don't think just throw where you're going to have to eliminate a Jalen Carter who has been on a tear. This playoffs, he's got a really favorable matchup. If you go on, you know, ah ah who he's going to be going against Joe Tooney, who was their left guard is out at tackle now. And he's going up against Mike Caliendo, who's been one of the,
00:43:07
Speaker
weaker guards in the NFL. Uh, he's got a pass block grade for PFF of 43.6, which is ninth worst in the NFL. So I think you're going to have to see Creed Humphrey help out a lot on double teams chips, which can open up, you know, Zach bond, the the delayed linebacker blitz to kind of slide through that a gap and put some pressure on the homes where the chiefs, I think like they're, they're offensive line.
00:43:31
Speaker
the focal point's gonna be on jalen carter because that guy's been on an absolute tear of this playoffs and he's got a pretty favorable matchup but this so so that's kind of what i'm keeping an eye on on the the line battle for the chief's offense against the equals defense yeah the the trenches it cannot be overstated how big they are going to be in this game whether that is the Eagles creating lanes for Saquon Barkley whether that is the Chiefs offensive line giving Patrick Mahomes time the Eagles offensive line giving Jalen hurts time like a lot of the keys to this game come down to both the offensive line and the defensive line for both teams yeah it's
00:44:08
Speaker
Like you said, like the Chiefs have kind of been struggling to run the ball with sustain sustained success, especially with like explosive runs. It's usually a five-yard run, four-yard run, and they can just just stay ahead of the chains. Whereas Saquon Barkley is getting these massive holes behind this offensive line that is just, they look like juggernauts out there.
00:44:27
Speaker
And he's just breaking off 60 yard runs and 40 yard runs just kind of doing whatever he wants. And then when just when you think you can stop him, then they can bring in the RPOs, read options. And then Jalen Hurts is just as fast. He looked healthy against the commanders. You give him another two weeks, you got to think he's only healthier.
00:44:45
Speaker
and i I think Jalen Hurts legs are gonna be a part of this game because I think like we mentioned the focal point will be on doing enough to stop Saquon Barkley or doing what you can at least so I think the the trenches and protection it's gonna be huge in this one and going off that the the Eagles have been great minus the snow game i'm gonna i'm gonna call that uh awash with the turnovers they they've been really responsible with the football throughout the entire year throughout the playoffs minus that snow game which you know like i said will will will throw the tape away where the chief's like they lost the turnover battle to the bills and they just found a way and they have kind of had these
00:45:26
Speaker
these situations where like they will throw an interception like they will fumble the ball and it's like now they have to overcome their own problems I think against the Eagles if they find a way to turn it over you're going up against a different animal it's not the Houston Texans anymore this team will make you pay For turning the ball over and I think the Eagles it's the opposite like where they've just been so responsible that I don't think they're gonna give the Chiefs these Opportunities where that's why the Tush push like I mentioned is gonna play a crucial part on fourth downs Yeah, this is a perfect time to get into like our our keys for the game We've kind of been doing that already but one of my big keys for the Chiefs was winning both the turnover battle and the penalty margin like that is a
00:46:07
Speaker
two things that if you want to win this game, if you're the Chiefs, those are two things you have to dominate. like it it It makes it extremely hard for the Eagles to win if the Chiefs win on both of these margins. The Bills had obviously less turnovers than the Chiefs, but they had 27 more penalty yards than the Chiefs, which ended up costing them in some huge scenarios. Giving this Chiefs team life or air to breathe Is to killer like and add in giving them extra possessions through turnovers and you're absolutely fighting an uphill battle ah Giving Mahomes free yards is like one of the big no-gos about playing Patrick Mahomes. You cannot give him free yards
00:46:48
Speaker
And getting behind on their own offensive snaps is exactly what Kansas City wants to do to this Eagles offense. So the turnover battle is going to be massive in this game because I agree with you. If the Eagles limit their turnovers and they are turning the Chiefs over, which has kind of been a hallmark of this Eagles defense, they play really tough, they play fast and they make you turn the ball over. That's going to be an uphill battle for the Chiefs. Like if you are giving a team that loves to run the ball and ability to control the time of possession through turnovers, then it becomes like a very, very hard game to control if you're the Chiefs.
Strategies and Key Matchups
00:47:26
Speaker
ah The turnover battle for me here is huge. Yeah. And going off of just controlling the game and kind of being able to do what you want and stick to your game plan. The the start is, is more crucial to me for one team than the other. And that is the Philadelphia Eagles. I think they have to be the ones to score the first points in this game. And I say that because I don't think the chiefs are going to blink in any situation. They can go down seven, nothing, 10, nothing, 14, nothing.
00:47:55
Speaker
I think they're going to still so stick to their game plan and do what they want. Whereas if the Chiefs get out to that first lead, 7-0, 10-0, I think there there might be some panic within the the Eagles. And we kind of we didn't see it, I guess, in the last Super Bowl. But we saw that they kind of made the mistakes, like you mentioned, whether it's penalties, turnovers, whatever. They will be like just off a game plan and off schedule, where the Chiefs are just so comfortable in this game. right they're not good The moment's not going to be too big.
00:48:24
Speaker
where if they go down, they're going to stick with it. They got Patrick Mahomes. He's going to lead them to the promised land and do what he has to do. Whereas like if the Eagles just go down early, they're going to get off schedule. They're going to have to change a game plan, similar to what the Bills did on defense against the Chiefs in the AFC championship. And that's just going to lead to no good. I think both teams have to stick to their game plan, no matter how the start goes, no matter what happens in the first quarter.
00:48:48
Speaker
play the game it's four quarters long stick with it and uh i think the set the half times for adjustments like don't bail on your game plan immediately if you know the chiefs go down on the opening drive score touchdown they force a three and out or something then they go put on a field goal stick to your game plan if you're the Eagles because I know the Chiefs will do that throughout the game and if the if the Chiefs get off to the early start I worry that the Eagles will there might be a sense of panic within them totally you can't give a team that has been there a million times a chance to exercise or or show off the fact that they are comfortable in that situation
00:49:24
Speaker
You gotta to make the Chiefs uncomfortable in this game. um We already mentioned slowing Saquon Barkley down. That's a huge key for the Chiefs. We already mentioned beating the Blitz for the Eagles. That's another huge key for the Eagles. But one of my other big keys for the Eagles is leaning on your receivers. Like this is a game where Both A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith are going to see a lot of man coverage considering the run game. And this key kind of goes hand in hand with beating the blitz because and I thought they did this really well versus Washington. I thought that kind of showed in that game was how good these receivers are. And we saw how well that worked out for them.
00:50:05
Speaker
But using quick throws and using those receivers to force the Chiefs back into zone is going to be huge for Philly. Brown is like one of the biggest and strongest number one receivers in the NFL. And you got to use that to your advantage. like You got to get ahead of the sticks. You got to make the Chiefs kind of revert back into sending help over to the other side.
00:50:27
Speaker
Both of these top receivers have a chance and the ability to break this game open for the Eagles And I think if both of those guys or one of them really dominates Then like they can win this game because then it it creates ah a scheme and a matchup nightmare for the Chiefs Yeah, going on, I had a similar one written down. It just said, if you're the Eagles, do not be one dimensional. Like, don't fall in love with just running the football throughout the game. Keep the Chiefs honest. And another guy, Dallas Goddard, who's been exceptional in the playoffs. Jalen Hurts and him have really seemed to have a bit of a connection going throughout the playoffs. He's kind of been a safety net to check it down to. And Jalen, or sorry, Dallas Goddard is
00:51:09
Speaker
athletic he's making these plays with yards after the catch he had the stiff arm touchdown against the Rams get off me he's just me he's just extending plays and getting to the yard markers to to you know turn the chains over and get these first downs so I think third downs third and mediums Dallas Goddard's going to be the guy that they look to get the ball to. But yeah, you got to get to the guys on the outside with Brown and Smith, because if you do just kind like just fall in love with the run game, whether it's working or not, I don't think it's going to be, you know, unsuccessful throughout the entire game. So you should look to run the ball, but don't fall in love with it. Keep them honest, get the play action going, because that's kind of where Jalen Hurts gets at his best. That's where you see the deep balls to Smith and Brown. So, yeah, if you're the Eagles,
00:51:52
Speaker
Use your receivers and don't be one dimensional. Absolutely. um There's a ton of other keys here, like for this game, like i I keep going back to like that comfortability factor for the Chiefs. Like you you really can't let the Chiefs get comfortable in this game because they've just been there so often and they know how to win big games like it is. Maybe the Chiefs biggest biggest plus is that they know how to win big games, tight games, close games coming down to the fourth quarter.
00:52:22
Speaker
Uh, yeah, the first half is going to be massive for the Eagles. Uh, did you have any other ah keys here? Those were kind of it for me. Nothing crazy, but I guess just kind of going off of, like you said, the chiefs have been there so much.
00:52:35
Speaker
I think the revenge factor, which is like a storyline of the Eagles, because this is a rematch of what, two, three years ago, however long it is, it could not, you know, it could be a down, like, I just don't think it it might benefit them. I think they could change the game plan a little bit. They could get too aggressive. They just might go out of themselves a bit where, you know, they got to go, we got to Avenged that loss where she's like no like you can you can be in the Super Bowl next year Like don't don't make this the end all be all stick to the game plan kind of going off what I was saying before But yeah, I just I think the Chiefs have been here a million times and the Eagles are excited to you know put an end to this three repeat get their vengeance, but I also think that could kind of be a
00:53:17
Speaker
not not so beneficial to them in ah in a sense where they might put too much pressure on themselves, go away from the game plan, and just not play though the same way that has gotten them to this point. Yeah, very true. It leads us in in a perfect kind of segue here into our X-factors and our bold prediction here. um Following my last key for the Eagles, they're leaning on receivers.
00:53:40
Speaker
Big X factors in this game is the AJ Brown and Trent McDuffie matchup. I think that Brown is going to see a lot of Trent McDuffie here in man coverage, like I mentioned, and that could be the biggest, most defining matchup in this game.
00:53:55
Speaker
McDuffie is gonna be asked to deal with a lot like Brown is a receiver who is very very hard to cover just because of how big and how physical he is whoever wins this matchup opens up a lot for either team if Brown is dominating this matchup I think it opens everything up for the Eagles you got to bring more help over to McDuffie and That opens up the run game, it forces them back into zone, and then it gives Saekwon an even better look to kind of slash the Chiefs on the ground.
00:54:26
Speaker
If McDuffie is dominating this matchup, it forces the Eagles to either be one more predictable, more one-dimensional, and therefore easier to stop, um or two, lean more on Devontae Smith, who is great and obviously Dallas Goddard, but he's not the receiver AJ Brown is, and it also forces Hertz into harder reads, into longer reads, I think, and that will eventually take him longer to get the ball out, which I think plays right into the Chiefs hand on defense.
00:54:55
Speaker
Yeah, and like I think the Eagles really got a look. So I don't I don't believe McDuffie shadows receivers. I think he kind of plays his side of the field. And it when you get that matchup on A.J. Brown against like ah a Watson or or whoever else, they should look to expose it where, you know, Trent McDuffie is definitely their number one corner. And that will be an amazing matchup to watch. But when the the Chiefs kind of leave McDuffie on the other side of the field, just get those slants to A.J. Brown, let them get some yards up to the catch, just stay ahead of the chains and just kind of make things happen.
00:55:26
Speaker
Keep him engaged. I think that's that's crucial. Don't let him be reading the books on the sideline. like They want him getting to catch almost every drive, a catch a quarter even. ah So yeah, get look to get AJ Brown involved and keep him engaged in the game. For my X Factor, I'm not overthinking this one. It's Patrick Mahomes. It is Patrick Mahomes.
00:55:44
Speaker
you can go up and down the rosters. The Eagles probably have a better position group in just about every single factor, maybe kickers one that they don't have the edge, tight end is kind of like a 50-50 toss up, but then you look at the quarterback.
00:56:00
Speaker
And you go, Jalen Hurts, he was great running the ball in the last Super Bowl matchup they had. But the arm talent and the the Hail Mary that fell about 20 yards short, it was just not a great look in his quarterback play. And that's when the running back accusations kind of came up for him. he's I think he's put those to bed, especially against the game and against the commanders. He was lethal. But Patrick Mahomes is the guy. He's the boogeyman. He's been here so many times, fifth year in the last six seasons.
00:56:30
Speaker
And you just know that when the ball is in his hands, you're hopeless, especially if you're on that eagle sideline, he's going to be methodical. He's going to be smart and he's going to make these decisions that just are going to be so frustrating for the Eagles. He's going to keep turning the the chains over. And I think his legs are going to be an X factor where we saw it against the bills. It's these scrambles. They, they snuck in a read option that no one was expecting led to a touchdown. Patrick Mahomes is the X factor in this game. because I think the Eagles overall roster is more talented than the Chiefs. And they've looked kind of like a better team all year. And the the storyline about the Chiefs is they just, they barely win. They're finding ways to just win.
00:57:11
Speaker
Well that they're winning these one score games because of Andy Reed and Patrick Mahomes and more specifically Mahomes is just getting those touchdowns and getting those first downs when he has to. And I don't see any reason for that to change in this game. And I think he's the biggest X factor on both sides of the ball because I think, you know, the Eagles, they got sick one and Hertz that can run the ball. They got two amazing receivers. They're just stacked all over the place. Whereas the chiefs, the ball is going to be in Mahomes' hands and he's the one that's going to be making the plays. Yeah, there's nothing scarier.
00:57:41
Speaker
than Mahomes having the ball in his hand in a crucial moment in a fourth quarter here, whether you're down, whether you're up, like it is just something that you can almost not game plan for. Like he, to me, has to be one of the hardest players I can imagine to game plan for in the entirety of the NFL. Even if you were to look back on the to on the Super Bowls or the games that he lost to Tom Brady,
00:58:06
Speaker
like a hard matchup to even use as as a predictor for this game because it was fucking Tom Brady like it is not even somebody that you can really compare to Jalen hurts and use as a you know a launching off point that bucks defense was fantastic too so like there is a glimmer there like there is some sort of recipe there that I'm sure the Eagle staff is pouring over but you're right like to to boil it down to the biggest X factor is always going to be patrick mahomes in this game and there's really no other way of looking at it um and it's why he is who he is like this is it goes back to the legacy thing like it is an impossible player to game plan for and If he has his way in this game i just don't see the chiefs losing it like it it is that simple yeah it's it's a boring X factor, I'm aware of that. But sometimes it's just don't overthink it. It's like he, if the Chiefs win, he has to have a good game. If he isn't at his best, I believe the Eagles will win this game. And, you know, I think Mahomes will be at worst, have his B plus game. And sometimes his B plus game is better than, I think his B plus game is better than Jalen Hurts' A minus A game. So I think, I think Mahomes is just,
00:59:22
Speaker
He's the X factor. He, everyone's going to look at him to make the plays when it's necessary. Uh, and he's probably going to look to Travis Kelsey a lot in those situations. So I thought about making Kelsey an X factor, but I just think that it's going to be my homes because my homes has just been disparate, like spreading the ball around very well throughout this playoffs. You never know who's going to be the lead receiver worthy kind of took over that Bill's game, but he's found a way to get Kelsey involved against the Texans. It's just kind of been a different receiver every game. So I i you know i didn't want to go receiver and just look like an idiot. So I'm just going to go with the quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Very, very good decision by you, I think. Bold prediction time. This is ah is a fun one. You actually kind of mentioned mine earlier.
01:00:03
Speaker
um But my bold prediction for this game is that Dallas Goddard ends up being the Chiefs or sorry and Dallas Goddard ends up being the Eagles best offensive player in this game He's had a pretty monster playoffs so far. He's averaging over 60 yards a game He's only got the one touchdown But with the amount of attention that other Eagles are going to get in this game I think that he could break free We saw Brock Bowers rack up 140 yards on 10 receptions with a touchdown back in November that Las Vegas almost won. The Chiefs have also been terrible against tight ends this season. They're allowing just under six receptions and an average of 67 yards per game to opposing tight ends that ranks them in the bottom three areas in both ah in both of those metrics on defense.
01:00:54
Speaker
ah and they have it over the entirety of the 2024 season, the Chiefs defense has allowed the most receiving yards to tight ends. This is a game where I think that Dallas Goddard could have an insane impact. And when it's all said and done, if the Eagles win, he could and have ended up being their best player on offense and having the biggest impact. A hundred to one Super Bowl MVP.
01:01:22
Speaker
something to look at for you there. If you're if you're in, that's you just need a dollar. You just got to put a dollar on that one and you can get a hell of a return. um I guess my bull prediction will probably give away one of my picks that I will be taking in the next segment or whenever we get there.
01:01:41
Speaker
The Chiefs win by double digits. The Chiefs win by double digits, whether it's 10, whether it's 11, 12, 14, whether it's 60. I think this is just setting up for destiny for the Chiefs. And a lot of people kind of want to go against it. And like you said, the refs have been a storyline and people have just been complaining.
01:01:59
Speaker
I've been along for the ride with this Chiefs Super Bowl that and the Super Bowl run. Sorry, I bet on them the first year of this the second year and I'm not going to not bet on them on the third time. And I think I think it's going to be a back and forth game. I think it's going to be a one score game at half. And then I just think you're going to see the Chiefs make the right halftime adjustments. I think you're going to see Sirianni give a raw raw speech that isn't going to land as well as whatever the the Chiefs are going to do in their locker room.
01:02:27
Speaker
and Mahomes is going to come out of that second half and the defense is going to make the correct adjustments and they're going to win this game by double digits whether it's 10 whether it like I said I don't know how many they're going to win by but I feel very confident in the Chiefs because I just think the Eagles are going to fall in love with this run game so much and i the Chiefs have the guys to shut it down as as much as possible I think Saquon is going to you know rip off enough yards where it's going to be like, OK, he was an impact player in this game. But then I think you're going to make Jalen Hurts throw. We mentioned Jalen Hurts against the Blitz, not a very good quarterback. And I think you actually might see him throw a duck that might lead to a an interception, which he hasn't been turned the ball over. And that's kind of when the Chiefs are going to take advantage of it. You're going to give him a home short field possible pick six here.
01:03:12
Speaker
i just The issue with these bold predictions is yeah there's a solid chance it comes back and you look like an idiot, but i I'm going to go off on on a feel.
Predictions and Betting Insights
01:03:24
Speaker
<unk>ve been I felt it the second the Super Bowl matchup happened. I said, I'm betting the Chiefs. I did it against the Bills. I said, I'm not going to overthink this. I'm betting the Chiefs and I'm doing it again here.
01:03:35
Speaker
Yeah, i'm goingnna I think the Chiefs win by double digits. That is the bowl prediction from Patrick Hannon. I like that. I like that a lot. it It is this weird thing now that we've had the Chiefs in so many Super Bowls where it's like.
01:03:47
Speaker
the most like tantalizing thing to bet on the underdog in this game like something just screams at you that you want to be you want to be right you want to go against the grain here but if you were to do that in the last you know five years here you'd be down a lot of money like it is it is seriously something that you can't overthink Yeah, it's just I'm I'm going to accept greatness like I it's it's done me a favor. So like the Steelers have been stopped by the the Chiefs in the AFC Championship, similar to like the Bills and the Bengals and the Ravens. Like if you're those teams, I genuinely understand the Chiefs detest and even a Patriots fan is probably hating on the Chiefs big time.
01:04:25
Speaker
But for a guy like me, who's just you know a casual viewer, the Steelers aren't even sniffing Super Bowls, so I don't mind Patrick Mahomes. I think he's somewhat likable. A little too many commercials these days, if we're being honest. ah But yeah, I'm going to go with the Chiefs. And I think they can win this game by double digits, maybe more.
01:04:42
Speaker
I'm not going to say like three scores or anything. I think it's seemed like a two score game. But I think the final score will be a double digit separation. Very interesting because we can go to our score prediction now because I had something a bit different here. I i was kind of racking my brain here.
01:04:57
Speaker
ah to get down to a score prediction. I had Chiefs 28, Eagles 27. I think it plays into the Chiefs doing enough, but not getting over that 30 point mark. We've seen them struggle to do that this year. And then the Eagles getting right there, but missing a two point conversion along the way, missing one of those extra points along the way, something like that.
01:05:23
Speaker
Yeah, i had I had similar. I had the the Chiefs with the same amount of points. I had 28-17 for the Chiefs winning by 11 points. I like that prediction because Jake Elliott will probably miss an extra point in this game given the opportunity. So maybe put down 28-16. 28-16 with a missed extra point ah somewhere in there from Jake Elliott. Yeah, i just I think the Eagles are going to be the ones that make the mistake in this game. And then the Chiefs are just going to take advantage of it and just not look back.
01:05:52
Speaker
And like I said, yeah, 30 points might be a bit aggressive. I think at 31 to start then kind of thought about it and said they've only had 30 once this season, but it was in the playoffs. So who knows what we're going to get. But I, I like the chiefs in this one. Yeah. It's a, it's interesting total for this one, 48 and a half. Mine would, would be over that yours would be under that.
01:06:12
Speaker
Yeah, and it it did soar over in their first matchup, which we had a similar total, I believe. I don't think it was very similar total. It soared over. So, yeah, I don't know what kind of game we're going to get into here. But I think if the Eagles can't convert these fourth downs, you're going to see some points kind of come off the board on their side. That's kind of why I have them at 16 points or 17. So 20. Interesting, interesting. That can lead us here into our final segment, which is the picks battle.
01:06:41
Speaker
Me and Patrick are tied at a deadlock here. I think, what were we, three and three? We're a three and three headed and you won the regular season and then now we got everything on the line for the postseason crown. This is a lot, man. As everybody knows, the regular season means nothing here. You got to show up when it's playoff time. I'm nervous. I'm nervous. We've been doing sides. We've been doing totals all year. Now that we're dipping into props, this is like a this is a different territory here for props.
01:07:10
Speaker
Yeah, and the issue with the Super Bowl ah is there's too many options. There's too many things to look at, right? So your eyes just get, you know, your eyes go here one way, then you turn the page and your eyes go there and you forgot what you were just looking at. So it's kind of tough to kind of weed through all the, all the crap and you got to find the ones that really jumped out at you. That's what I kind of went off of.
01:07:30
Speaker
The ones that i saw in the gut reaction was like i like that so that's kind of what i'm basing my i wrote down 12 options here ranked i i ordered them but like just in case you somehow take five i need to have some backup plans and not scramble so i wrote down 12 i like some a lot more than others and yeah you i think we'll We'll see because I think we're I don't know I'm interested to see how this goes But if we somehow end up tied at the end of five, then it was just destiny, you know It was just destiny. We'll do like a like an old BCS system. We'll split the we'll split the banner Okay, I believe that I Lead off here the regular season crown and you're we're tied. So you the the pleasure is all yours.
01:08:16
Speaker
lot to look at here i man okay i'm gonna start off with one that i like and i it's gone down since i wrote it down here which i actually like better it is patrick mohomes over 28 and a half rushing yards that is a minus 110 pick i like mohomes to use his feet in this game like we mentioned I think that this is, it gets into danger tour territory with Neil Oates. If I do think that the chiefs are going to win here, which playing with fire a bit here, but I do think that 28 and a half is a good enough number where. Oh God, I'm going to just doubt myself this entire segment, but yeah, yeah Patrick Mahomes over 28 and a half rushing yards. Yeah. the
01:09:02
Speaker
The Neil is in play for both quarterbacks here. ah But yeah, I mean, he soared over that number in the Bills game. And I think you're going to kind of see a similar mindset with the Chiefs. It was definitely it was on my 12, if that makes you feel any better. It does. um um I'm just going to grab the Chiefs here just so you can't have them just in case. Minus one and a half. ah it's It's not a prop bet or anything, but it's a side in this one. And minus one time, I'll just take the Chiefs minus one and a half and hopefully they can fulfill the prophecy of winning by double digits.
01:09:31
Speaker
all right fair i thought we were doing just props and' scrap it but i was just thinking anything minus 110 or along those lines fair that's fair um okay second i i mentioned him dallas got hurt over 50 and a half receiving yards that's at minus 110 as well i mentioned that i think he's kind of primed for a big game he's averaging over sixty yards in the playoffs i think against this chief's defense if they do kind of find a bit of a you know ah head- on head in the running game that i think he is going to eat up some of the those yards Yeah, it's we're going off our bull predictions. You got to take your bull prediction, right? I think that's the only way to to show that you truly mean it. um This one I love. I think aside from just ben this, my favorite prop of the Super Bowl. And that's Isaiah Pacheco under 21 and a half rushing yards. His last three games, he's had 12, he's had 18, he's had 18. He has lost the starting running back job to Kareem Hunt. And ah he's just been giving. He's been given five carries, five carries, six carries.
01:10:36
Speaker
And they're basically going for two yards, three yards. ah So i the only way this does lose, I guess, is if they somehow go up two, three scores late in the game and they just want to get both running backs in the game. But I think you're going to see Kareem Hunt take on the majority of the load in this one. And i like you said, I do agree with you. I think Mahomes is going to use his legs a good amount in this game. So give me Isaiah Pacheco under 21 and a half rushing yards. I like that. I like that a lot. um I have a question here. I have one. I thought the odds were better on this. It's minus 128. Is that a little bit too much? I know exactly what you're going to take. So yeah, it's good. We agreed on minus 130 and I think I have the same one written down here. It's Isaiah Pacheco under eight and a half yards, longest rush. I had that written down, but I forgot what the odds were. But yeah, okay. We got a different one. But yes, that's great. Absolutely. You can take that one. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I liked that one a lot. I think that
01:11:30
Speaker
You're right, like he's lost the number one job, and he he just hasn't broken that long run in a really long time. I don't see that changing against this Eagles defense. No, that's I think it's it's a tip to the Eagles defense kind of thing, where like their defensive line is so strong, and the Chiefs offensive line isn't amazing. So I just don't think a guy like Isaiah Pacheco is going to create the holes, whereas Cream Hunt could kind of bowl over some guys, maybe break a tackle. He just looks a little bit more explosive right now. The one I thought you were about to take,
01:11:59
Speaker
ah Same odds minus 128 is juju Smith Schuster over one and a half receptions I that. For my boy Juju, ah ah he looked great against the Bills. I know the the ankle breaker he had, he was wide open, didn't get the reception, but he's making plays. I think he's a guy that Mahomes can trust in a situation he's been with the Chiefs for a handful of years where I think there's a sense, you know, like I can go to Juju and Juju's going to make the plays. He just needs two catches for me. I don't expect him to, you know, go, you know,
01:12:32
Speaker
be a Super Bowl MVP candidate, but I can see Juju Smith-Shuster playing a role in the Super Bowl. I like that a lot. I like that pick a lot. um I am going to go with another longest one here. It is Travis Kelsey under 19 and a half longest reception This one's playing with fire a bit because Kelsey is known to get those kind of big chunk plays But like I mentioned like this is this Eagles pass defense is not is not like any other team in this game in a season where Kelsey has kind of been up and down and back and forth here and
01:13:07
Speaker
You never know how he's going to really play in one of these big games. And that's a lot of yards. Like that is a long reception for a tight end. The guy's got no wheels, man. It's up to the catch. Don't look pretty. And I think it's he's going to struggle to create separation past 10 yards. So I think, yeah, like you said, it's going to be a lot of safety net plays, five to eight yard range. And he's just going to be a safety blanket for my homes. This is like, I guess, in a way, a hedge against your Goddard to kind of see if we can like You know, I can create some separation, maybe get a ah pick up on you. Uh, but I think we mentioned the AJ Brown McDuffie matchup. I think McDuffie is going to shadow him pretty well. So I'm going to go to the number two receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles. Devontae Smith over 49 and a half receiving yards. Uh, I think we're going to see a Devontae Smith game in this one, but it both can definitely hit with the Goddard and Smith, but in my mind, it's a little bit of a hedge against your pick.
01:14:02
Speaker
I like that. I like that. And I actually, I liked the Devontae Smith prop, but I didn't end up taking it because I kind of went with Goddard here. It's Devontae Smith over four and a half receptions, but I think that's plus money actually. So maybe something for you people at home to to look at there. it's there's There's a couple of plus money props that I have my eye on. I, you know, I didn't want to throw them out on the air here, but, uh, yeah, I've, there's so much, like I said, it's the problem with this year, but there's too many things to bet. That's the problem. And I actually don't love, like, ah you know, our listeners obviously probably use a bunch of different services here, but I don't love how FanDuel has kind of laid out their Super Bowl props. I found it really hard to find a lot of the regular props that you would place in a game.
01:14:47
Speaker
Yeah, you go into Super Bowl props thinking you're going to get the rushing, the receiving, the passing yards, whatever. And it's just like, oh, ah team to score this due to do that at certain time. And it's just like, OK, like just give me the give me the staples here. Let me let me build a parlay of just the same game. You know, players to do this, player to do that. ah Yeah. And then, you know, there's obviously the novelty bats. We should we got to give out the honorary heads or tails at the end of this. Just and um off the record. Off the record doesn't count. But just for fun.
01:15:16
Speaker
That would be hilarious. That's the tiebreaker? We did a tiebreaker because you know one of us is going to win and one of us is going to lose. um See, even right now, like I'm trying to find the hurts prop that I'm looking for. and i We have four picks each. This is yeah this our last one. I can't find the odds for it right now, but it's Jalen hurts over 211.
01:15:41
Speaker
and 211 and a half passing yards. I missed one time. I got it here. Perfect. So, yeah, I think that, you know, if this game does go sideways in the running game for the Eagles, he's going to be forced to pass. That's a really low total. Like I know that he's not one to really sling the ball. But I think that if they especially if they're down in this game, I think that's something that can hit even if the Eagles don't win.
01:16:05
Speaker
Yeah, I don't disagree. i kind of I don't mind either overs for for the passing yards. I'm not going to take my homes, but I definitely don't don't hate it. yeah I got a couple. Like I said, I probably wrote down too many. And you only stole two from me, which could be a bad or a good thing. But I definitely have too many things to look at right now. It's um between two Eagles profs. um One is involved. Well, I guess I have the last pick, so I can talk it out. One is Jake Elliott under 6 and 1.5 kicking points.
01:16:35
Speaker
And the other one, which I think I am going to bet, I think this is going to be the pick team to score the longest touchdown, Philadelphia Eagles minus one 18. I think they're more explosive team. I think the chiefs are more methodical. They're going to kind of drive down the field. I mentioned before, I think they lack the explosive play, but it's not going to bite. It's not like a detriment to them.
01:16:55
Speaker
They're more methodical team. Whereas we saw the bills kind of hit the chiefs over the top. A couple of times they got A.J. Brown as a deep turn at Devontae Smith. It's a nice compliment to that. Saquon can kind of break one at any time. ah So I'm going to take team to score the longest touchdown, Philadelphia Eagles minus 118. I like that a lot.
01:17:13
Speaker
i There's a lot of juice on the board here. It's one of those nights where you have a zillion bets on the go. like interest It's dangerous. respect we We promote responsible gambling on this podcast. so no That means no unit shaming. And ah if you want to sit one out, feel free. There's no pressure to take any of these, but these are what we're this is what we are giving out. And I will be betting all five of my picks.
01:17:38
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, so will I maybe I'll even parlay them who knows um and I you know Gatorade colors interesting this year purple is the leader plus 195 What what was it when the like of the Chiefs had a trend in these past two? I haven't done my research on the Gatorade neither of I were we're lacking a bit there I think it's been two different ones the past two years though. I think clear was in there one year That's what I was gonna say clears at plus a thousand.
01:18:02
Speaker
and i I kind of love that. it's It's worth taking big time juice on a Gatorade prop. What's the intel on the favorite there, right? like you You don't see them dump the Gatorade. I think Yellow's always a good one. I think Yellow is one of the better tasting Gatorades. I think the boys love that one. um But yeah, I don't know if I'm going to bet Gatorade this. year we yeah we have ah We have a group prop Uh, that we do for $5, everyone gets a color, but I'm not going to actually probably put one in on fan dual this year. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's a good point. I remember during that, during that Rams, Bengals, Superbowls, like one of the hottest betting nights of my life. Like I hit, I think every bet that I placed, including the Gatorade. Like it was just, I was unstoppable that night. Yeah. When you're hitting the Gatorade, it's say you're, you're having fun. You're, you're, you're making money. That's for sure.
01:18:49
Speaker
It was nuts. um So yeah, tiebreaker. I like that though. The heads are too. Who picks first? That I don't know. Flip a coin? Yeah, literally. You got a coin around you? I do not. um I got one. I got one.
01:19:02
Speaker
Perfect. This this guy's this cash isn't dead with Damien. That's for sure. He's he's sticking with it. The cash survives. He's got a call. What kind of coin do we have here? We have a Canadian quarter classic headflipping coin. The perfect I would argue the best one. So what do you you you can call it in the air because you've ah you've had the edge in the in the regular season. All right. I'll go heads. Oh, here we go. It is tails.
01:19:30
Speaker
and you get fire I'm taking tails in the coin toss who knows it this may not even matter at all But you know if it rhymes, it sounds good with me and tails never fail. So that's what we're going with I knew you were gonna take tails. I was gonna take heads anyways, so that's very go i worked out for both of us Yeah, it's who knows it's literally who who the hell knows it's not even a head or a tails when they flip the coin it's like this one's the super bowl logo and the other sides the mercedes-benz super dome or the caesar sportsbook super dome sorry that they've changed the name too uh so and they should ah offer it as you know super bowl logo or super dome logo you know it should it shouldn't be heads or tails
01:20:10
Speaker
I hope we get like in the gray cup where the the guy who flipped it forgot to let the refs even let the teams know and he just like threw it on the field. yeah We have to do a reflip like they go with tails they go nope you gotta do it again and then it goes heads and then it's just like there's there's betters freaking out they're looking to get avoided around the world ah but yeah I mean Hopefully we don't have to use it as a tiebreaker, but I mean the way this kind of postseason has been going between you and I, it feels like we're we're headed to the coin toss. ah And the best part is you're going to know it before the game. So it's like, okay, I got the edge in the tiebreaker. I can accept the tie in our in our picks here. yeah
01:20:46
Speaker
Yeah, no, it's it's something to keep an eye on from home. we'll We'll make sure to put out a graphic so that everybody can follow along with us, have a little bit of stake in it. um But I think that does it for our Super Bowl preview episode. All that's left is to watch the actual game, and I'm excited to do that.
01:21:04
Speaker
Don't forget, eat. Don't do not forget about eating because it is one of the best eating and drinking events of the year. ah I kind of I prefer watching in the hospitality of a home, whether it's mine or someone else's ah just having like a ah real bathroom
Super Bowl Viewing Preferences and Wrap-up
01:21:20
Speaker
you can go to. There's no other people. You don't have to worry about anything. You're comfortable. I'm ah i'm a homebody for the Super Bowl personally. But if you like to go to the bar and celebrate, that's OK with me, too. Yeah, I am, too. that The problem with the bar is you can't hear the broadcast. They've got to pipe in the noise for the signal. You'd expect, I've never actually been to a bar. It's so loud. like I think they even did that when I went to a bar in university for it, but it's so loud that you can't hear what they're saying, really. Yeah, it's just kind of a mess. like You could have like a crucial fourth down and then like your waiter comes up to you and is like, what are you looking to about? shut up You know what I mean? It's just like just just keep me and at home comfortable You get you get more banter I think that way of like a guy's been on the Eagles guys been on the Chiefs between friends ah Whereas like, you know, you might actually have to run into serious Eagles fans in the bar Which are known to cause cause some problems at times. So I think it's just safer to watch at home agreed But yeah, that'll do it. We will come back to you next week breaking everything down from the big game and
01:22:22
Speaker
ah But until then enjoy the Super Bowl and I'll talk to you next week Patrick. See you Damien. See