Former NFL star Jason Bell provides his thoughts on the latest events in the National Football League ahead of this weekend's Super Bowl...
Eagles are justified favourites
The bookies have the Eagles as the favourites for the Super Bowl and I can understand why. They have a serious roster and both their offensive and defensive lines can dominate a game, so it’s not hard to see why they are fancied to win it.
They’re also taking on a Patrick Mahomes that isn’t 100 per cent and that’s even before that Philly defensive line get stuck into him, so I think it’s pretty fair the odds are the way they are.
Let’s not forget, though, this is Patrick Mahomes and he can cause chaos out of virtually nothing.
🏆 Super Bowl MVP winners by position since 2013:
— 888sport (@888sport) February 9, 2023
▪️ Quarterback: 6
▪️ Linebacker: 2
▪️ Wide receiver: 2
🏈 Who's your pick to be named #SBLVII MVP? pic.twitter.com/JIOxqnLFrv
Pacheco and Maddox tipped to star
If the Chiefs win this game, Mahomes will need to do what he does best, but I do think Isiah Pacheco will be very important.
If he’s rolling that means the Chiefs’ offence is clicking and is moving the ball, so I expect him to have a big game. They’ve got to slow down that Eagles defense and Pacheco will be key to making sure that happens.
On the other side of the ball, I like Avonte Maddox to do big things in the slot.
We know Kansas City like to attack the middle of the field with unique crossing routes and so Maddox is going to get a lot of work. If he has a good game on Sunday, I expect the Eagles to have one as well.
It’s also pretty obvious but Jalen Hurts needs to be on it. He hasn’t been great in the last three games since the shoulder injury and whether he’s still feeling the effects of that or he’s just a bit out of form it’s hard to tell, but he needs to be the Jalen Hurts we saw earlier in the season if he wants to lead his side to the Super Bowl.
Eagles a side that’s here to stay
Things change very quickly in the NFL as we all know, but I’d expect that the four teams we saw in the championship games will be the sides that dominate the league for the next few years.
The way they are built and the quality of their quarterbacks mean they will be hard to dislodge.
The Eagles have slowly built a really formidable side and this year is when it has all come together. They have a roster which will keep giving them chances.
Philly could be vulnerable
The Eagles haven’t faced anyone like Patrick Mahomes and that has to be a concern. He does things others can’t and you also have to take into account they haven’t really been at their best, nor have they needed to recently.
Players step up to the plate when needed, but the Chiefs will know that if they can make a few plays early on and get up in their faces, the pressure will ramp up considerably.
Kelce family’s special day
It will be a very special day for all of the Kelce family on Sunday. You hear about the sacrifice their mother and father made for the two brothers and the kids will be made up they can represent the family name.
Because both of them have been to a Super Bowl and won, I think the pressure of it is different and they won’t be overthinking the significance of them being brothers in this game.
I’m sure conversations will have been had between Jason and Travis, but at the end of the day they’re both out to win.
It’s a great storyline and for NFL history, but it’s the kind of characters both guys are that really makes it.
They are really great ambassadors for the game because of their personalities and the access we get to them, so the fact they let us into their lives is pretty cool.
🏈 They were 40/1 a year ago.
— 888sport (@888sport) February 8, 2023
📈 Now they're favourites.
🤔 Are you backing the Eagles to win #SBLVII? pic.twitter.com/wbquihvh1R
Chiefs for the Super Bowl
I think the Chiefs win this game. I’ve liked them from the start and they haven’t done anything to change my views – they are playing really well right now and they’ve got number 15.
The game will be tight, but the longer it stays close the more it favours Kansas City because we all know Mahomes can conjure a rabbit out of a hat when he needs to and those plays can be the difference in big, tight games.
