Chiefs and Eagles Face Off in Super Bowl LVII

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“The trophy of the Super Bowl champion, Lombardi Trophy” by Tom Wolf, from Wikimedia Commons, License.

Sean Martino, Assistant Sports Editor

Every year, America celebrates the unofficial holiday of Super Bowl Sunday. Tens of millions of people tune in to see who will take home the Lombardi Trophy. 1.42 billion chicken wings and 12.5 million pizzas are ordered annually to entertain Americans while they watch the highest viewed television event of the year in the United States: The Super Bowl.

This year’s game will feature the NFC Champions, Philadelphia Eagles, taking on the AFC Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. Both teams are flying high coming into the big game.

The Philadelphia Eagles are led by MVP frontrunner quarterback, Jalen Hurts. The product of Oklahoma has taken the league by storm in his third season. He is backed by an elite defense that ranked sixth in the NFL this season. They were the number one seed in the NFC and dominated the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers en route to clinching a Super Bowl berth.

Junior Caden Culp watched the Eagles game on Sunday and was impressed with the offense.

“The Eagles will overpower the Chiefs with their offense,” said Culp.

The Kansas City Chiefs are familiar faces in the Super Bowl. This is their third appearance in the last five seasons. They are led by the dynamic duo of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce. Additionally, they have a very strong supporting cast led by all-pro defensive end Frank Clark who leads a defense that is known to step up in big games. They were the number one seed in the AFC and held off the Jacksonville Jaguars before having a dramatic win over the Cincinnati Bengals in order to reach the Super Bowl.

The health of both teams is a key storyline heading into the game. Jalen Hurts has reportedly been playing with an injured shoulder since Week 18. Left tackle Landon Dickerson is also playing through a hyperextended elbow. He is a key part of the Eagle’s offensive game plan as he is one of the best pass protectors in the league.

The Chiefs are also dealing with notable injuries. Patrick Mahomes is playing through a high ankle sprain that he suffered in the divisional round matchup. He was having mobility issues in the AFC title game as a result of his injury. Linebacker Willie Gay also suffered a sprained shoulder against the Bengals and is questionable to play.

The biggest factor in predicting a winner of this heavyweight matchup will come down to the health of both teams. Both teams have key playmakers that are battling injury. These players could make all the difference in bringing home a Super Bowl.

Senior Blair Scott shared his opinion on the game.

“The Eagles will win because the Chiefs’ defense is very vulnerable,” said Scott.

This will be the first Super Bowl that features two brothers. Eagles center Jason Kelce and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce are brothers who have been playing football their whole life.

This year’s big game will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. This will be the second Super Bowl in the stadium’s history, with the first being Super Bowl XLII featuring former New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree’s iconic catch to upset the New England Patriots. The stadium has also hosted other memorable sporting events, such as the 2017 Final Four where the North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs. State Farm Stadium is no stranger to hosting the highest level of sporting events.

Make sure to tune into Fox on Feb. 12 at 6:30 to watch Super Bowl LVII featuring the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.