Two years can be a lifetime when you’re dealing with a haunting memory. 

For the Kansas City Chiefs, Feb. 7, 2021, is a day that lives in ignomy. They were riding high at the time and primed to win a second consecutive Super Bowl, but they ran into a buzzsaw in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Patrick Mahomes was chased around all day, threw two interceptions and the Chiefs stumbled to an embarrassing 31-9 loss. 

And since then, the echo of that humiliation has been ringing in their ears. But credit to them, they didn’t panic and radically reform their roster. Sure, they traded Tyreek Hill, but their cast of characters is largely intact. And after an AFC Championship Game loss to the Bengals last season, they got the AFC’s top seed and got their revenge against those same Bengals a couple weeks ago to get back to the big game. 

This is their chance to vanquish their demons. Mahomes can feel it. Head coach Andy Reid is chomping at the bit. Even Chiefs superfan Paul Rudd must be flashing his trademark smile, knowing that redemption is nigh. 

Now here comes the bad news.  

Remember how the Buccaneers pass rush gave Mahomes fits? Now he gets to face the Eagles, a team that racked up a league-leading 70 sacks, just two off the all-time record set by the 1984 Bears. Everywhere you look in Philly’s defensive front, you can find people that are hard to block.  

Haason Reddick had 16 sacks. Javon Hargrave had 11. When you add Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham, those four players combined for 49 sacks, which was more than 28 other NFL teams. Oh, and don’t forget about Fletcher Cox. If you don’t know, he’s quite good. 

And I haven’t even mentioned that the Eagles offense features a strong running game, reliable targets in the passing game and a quarterback in Jalen Hurts who was en route to an MVP year had it not been for a late-season injury that kept him out for enough time to cost him the award. 

All of this is to say that retribution isn’t guaranteed. If you remember, the Buffalo Bills had a run in the 1990s that saw them lose four consecutive Super Bowls. I can guarantee that every year, those teams felt they were primed to redeem themselves only to see their best-laid plans get stomped out yet again. 

So, as we say goodnight to the 2022 NFL season on Sunday, that could be the start of yet another nightmare for the Chiefs. Not saying that I want that to happen, but don’t be surprised if it does. 

OK, let’s have some fun. 

NAMES TO WATCH 

Chiefs rookies 

Kansas City General Manager Brett Veach should pat himself vigorously on the back after his 2022 draft haul has made considerable contributions in the playoffs. Running back Isiah Pacheco has carried the load while Clyde Edwards-Helaire (who is returning for this game) has been out the past two months with an injury. But it’s in the secondary where the kids have stepped up. Cornerbacks Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams and Trent McDuffie have all had impressive postseason moments. Let’s see if they can handle the spotlight of the Super Bowl. 

Eric Bienemy 

For some reason, he hasn’t landed a head coaching gig despite being a high profile offensive coordinator in Kansas City. If his squad puts up points and moves the ball well against a potent Philly defense, there’s no excuse for him to not get a big job somewhere. Even if it isn’t this offseason. 

Donna Kelce 

Talk about a tough gig. This poor woman has one son on each Super Bowl team. Travis is the star tight end for Kansas City and Jason is the Eagles’ anchor for the best offensive line in the game. Who do you root for? Both of them already have a championship ring, so this game will be the rubber match. One of Donna’s boys is going to be upset at every Thanksgiving going forward. Ouch. 

Dallas Goedert 

The Eagles have weapons all over their offense. A.J. Brown can get deep. So can DeVonta Smith. But it’ll be the sure-handed Goedert who will need to make some clutches from his tight end spot. He finished the season with 55 receptions for 702 yards and 3 touchdowns. If he can get 5 or 6 grabs on Sunday, Philly will be in great shape.  

PROP BETS 

First of all, betting on what color the Gatorade bath is going to be is played out. I’m convinced that it’s rigged anyway. How hard would it be to see what the odds are, and then plan accordingly?  

But here are some interesting ones. 

Jalen Hurts or Patrick Mahomes to record 50+ rushing yards at -150 (Fanduel) 

This is interesting because it’s an either/or play. We know that Mahomes has been dealing with a high ankle sprain, so most people would think that he’s not going to get there. To that I say, not so fast. The Eagles will be very much aware that Mahomes has a bad wheel, so they might not have a defender spying him to make sure he doesn’t scramble. That might leave some big gaps for him to gain 15 yards before sliding safely. 

And if you watched the NFC Championship Game, you might have noticed that Hurts wasn’t anxious to move out of the pocket that much. Maybe he was worried that he would take an unnecessary shot on the shoulder that he hurt a month or so ago. But with two weeks off since his last game, maybe he won’t feel as reticent. 

I think it’s safe to take this bet. Both quarterbacks are known for their mobility and I don’t see that changing all that much. 

Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell to combine for 40+ rushing yards (Fanduel) 

Miles Sanders is the guy who carries the load in the Philly running game, and we’ve seen what Scott can do when given his chances. But Gainwell has stepped up in the playoffs, rushing for 112 yards and a touchdown against the Giants in the divisional round, then adding another 16 touches for 74 total yards in the NFC title game. 

I like this bet. Shutup and take my money so I can take yours. 

Will there be a Scorigami? (Fanduel) 

For those of you looking at the monitor and wondering what the hell I’m talking about, let me explain. The esteemed Jon Bois of SB Nation coined the term to describe a final score that has never happened in NFL history. 

There were three Scorigami games during the 2022 season. The first came in Week 4 when the Seahawks beat the Lions 48-45, then the Cowboys’ 54-19 win over the Colts in Week 13 and finally, the Bengals’ 22-18 triumph over the Patriots in Week 16. 

A yes bet on a Super Bowl Scorigami comes in at +1800. A no bet is -8000. Hell, if you’ve got $100 burning a hole in your pocket, why not throw it down on this? The payoff is worth it. 

By the way, through my Scorigami research, I’ve discovered that a 6-1 final score is possible in the NFL. It’s a really complicated process to get there, but worth Googling. Enjoy. 

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH 

So, who do I have on Sunday? My intro gave it away. It pains me to say this, because I respect Patrick Mahomes and I’m a big fan of Andy Reid. But I don’t think this game is going to go Kansas City’s way.  

I also don’t think this will be a high-scoring affair. Both teams are good at limiting explosive plays from their opponents. But ultimately, the Eagles have enough firepower to claim the Lombardi Trophy. 

Final score: Eagles 24, Chiefs 13 

What a great season! Enjoy the Super Bowl! 

Sid Saraf
Sid Saraf

NFL Analyst

Currently a Mobile Editor at Yahoo, Saraf spent 5.5 years (Oct. 2010 – Feb. 2016) working for FOX Sports as an NFL Editor and Writer. Prior to that, Saraf worked for CBS Interactive for 4.5 years (May 2006 – Oct. 2010) as a Staff Editor.

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