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Which NFL team has the advantage in their Super Bowl LVII matchup? Joe Nicely compares the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles at every position ahead of their matchup in Super Bowl LVII.
After 18 grueling weeks of the regular season and three hard-fought playoff rounds, just two teams remain in the quest for the NFL's ultimate prize...the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
The AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs are set to square off against the NFC-winning Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. The Super Bowl is football's biggest stage and will be played Sunday, February 12th at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
As the year's most important game draws closer, let's take a look at how these two powerhouse teams compare. In this article, we'll break down the Chiefs and Eagles at every position group in order to determine which team holds the advantage ahead of Super Bowl LVII.
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Quarterback
Kansas City Notables: Patrick Mahomes; Philadelphia Notables: Jalen Hurts
A true clash of the titans here, as - with all due respect to Josh Allen and Joe Burrow - Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts have been the NFL's two best quarterbacks this season. Mahomes is the odds-on favorite to win the NFL MVP award, while Hurts has also been named an MVP finalist.
Each quarterback has certainly been invaluable to their respective teams this year. With Mahomes at the helm, the Chiefs led the NFL in both average total yards per game (424.7), passing yards per game (297.8), and average points per game (29.2). The 27-year-old KC signal caller led the NFL in passing yards (5,250) and passing TDs (41).
Hurts' 2022 campaign has also been nothing short of spectacular. He has surpassed any and all expectations in 2022, as he's grown as a pocket passer while remaining lethal as a runner in his third NFL season. Completing passes at an impressive 66.5% clip, Hurts tallied 3,701 passing yards, as well as 22 passing TDs to just five INTs during the regular season. He was somehow even more dangerous as a runner, finishing fourth at the QB position with 760 rushing yards. His 13 rushing TDs led all QBs and were second in the entire NFL.
There is perhaps no other QB in the NFL that would outgrade Hurts in a Super Bowl matchup, but Mahomes has proven himself to be on the path to all-time greatness and is set to make his third Super Bowl start in the last four years, while Hurts will be making his debut in football's biggest pressure cooker.
Advantage: Chiefs
Running Back
Kansas City Notables: Isiah Pacheco, Jerick McKinnon; Philadelphia Notables: Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott
Two rock-solid units that both teams can enter the Super Bowl feeling confident in. Despite some fumbling issues, rookie Isiah Pacheco continued to earn a larger role in the Kansas City backfield as the season progressed and finished the year with an impressive 830 yards on an average of 4.9 yards per carry.
Veteran Jerick McKinnon served as the Chiefs' primary pass-catching back and turned in a career year through the air by reeling in 56 catches for 512 receiving yards and nine TDs. Former Kansas City starter Clyde Edwards-Helaire last suited up in Week 11 due to an ankle injury but could be activated from the team's Injured Reserve for the Super Bowl. CEH was ineffective when active and continued to see a diminished role as the season progressed.
While the Chiefs primarily use their backfield to complement the passing attack, the Philadelphia Eagles' offense starts with their ability to dominate on the ground. The Eagles led the NFL in rushing attempts per game (33.3) in 2022 and graded out first overall in Rush Offense DVOA. Philadelphia's 39 rushing TDs this season were the most in NFL history.
Primary back Miles Sanders found the paint a career-high 11 times in 2022, while also logging career-bests in rushing attempts (259) and rushing yards (1,269). Complementary backs Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott combined for seven scores during the regular season. Though he's not a running back, Philly quarterback Jalen Hurts' importance to this Eagles' ground attack can't be overstated, as his 13 rushing TDs led all quarterbacks and were the second-most in the NFL at any position.
Advantage: Eagles
Wide Receiver
Kansas City Notables: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney, Mecole Hardman; Philadelphia Notables: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins
Even if both receiver corps were fully healthy, this comparison wouldn't be very close. It really isn't a fair fight with Kansas City's unit entering Super Bowl LVII closely resembling a walking MASH unit. Chiefs coach Andy Reid has already tabbed Mecole Hardman as unlikely to play, while both JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kadarius Toney are nursing injuries and are currently listed as questionable.
While the Chiefs are banged-up at the receiver position, the Eagles are souped up and ready to soar. The draft night addition of A.J. Brown has been a boon to the Philly passing attack, as Brown logged career highs in receptions (88), receiving yards (1,496), and TDs (11) in his first campaign with the team.
As spectacular as the former Titan has been, he's been far from a one-man show. Second-year wideout DeVonta Smith has also been terrific. The former Heisman Trophy winner bettered his strong rookie campaign in 2022 with 1,196 receiving yards and seven trips to the paint, while also proving to be a consistent big-play threat down the field.
Advantage: Eagles
Tight End
Kansas City Notables: Travis Kelce; Philadelphia Notables: Dallas Goedert
Comparing most tight ends to future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce would be a very short discussion, and while Kelce would get the checkmark over anyone here, Dallas Goedert at least deserves a respectful nod of acknowledgment.
It's no surprise that Kelce has been a destroyer of souls throughout both the regular and postseason. After leading all NFL tight ends in receptions (110), receiving yards (1,338), and TDs (12) in 2022, the 33-year-old has continued to dominate in the NFL Playoffs, recording a combined 176 yards and three TDs on 21 catches across Kansas City's two postseason appearances.
Goedert's playoff numbers pale in comparison, though 10 catches for 81 yards and a score stands out as rock-solid production at the TE position across Philly's two playoff victories.
Advantage: Chiefs
Offensive Line
Kansas City Notables: Creed Humphrey, Orlando Brown, Trey Smith; Philadelphia Notables: Lane Johnson, Jason Kelce
Since we're talking about the hog mollies, there's no need to beat around the bush. This Philadelphia Eagles offensive line has flat-out mauled opponents all year. They finished the season as the top unit in PFF's overall offensive line rankings, as well as first in pass blocking and third in run blocking. Lane Johnson not only didn't allow a sack all season, but he also didn't even allow a single QB hit in 2022.
Kansas City's unit is by no means shabby and has done a tremendous job of protecting Patrick Mahomes throughout the year. The Chiefs allowed the NFL's third-fewest sacks (22) this season and finished 2022 ranked fourth in PFF's overall O-line rankings. Right Tackle Andrew Wylie has been an obvious weak link for KC and allowed nine sacks this season, which was tied for the third-most in the NFL at the position.
Advantage: Eagles
Defensive Line/Linebackers
Kansas City Notables: Chris Jones, Frank Clark; Philadelphia Notables: Javon Hargrave, T.J. Edwards, Haason Reddick
Kansas City's dynamic duo of Chris Jones and Frank Clark would be enough firepower to win this comparison in almost every case. The Chiefs were second in the NFL in both average sacks per game (3.3) and total sacks (55), with Jones sporting the highest PFF grade not just for interior defenders, but for all defensive positions in 2022.
While KC might have the game's best defensive player in Jones, there is strength in numbers - and boy oh boy - do the Eagles have numbers. The extent of Philadelphia's defensive depth is difficult to put into perspective, though the fact that they had four players with 11 or more sacks this year paints a pretty clear picture. The Eagles led the NFL with a breathtaking 70 sacks, the third-most in a season in NFL history.
Sure, Philly has had some lapses in stopping the run at various times, but the mid-season acquisition of veterans Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh has shored things up nicely in that area. Overall, the Eagles possess a defensive front with the type of depth and talent that we've rarely seen.
Advantage: Eagles
Secondary
Kansas City Notables: L'Jarius Sneed, Justin Reed; Philadelphia Notables: Darius Slay, James Bradberry
Philadelphia's impressive defense extends past their front seven. The Eagles feature a pair of shutdown corners in Darius Slay and James Bradberry that helped the squad finish the season ranked first in the NFL in Pass Defense DVOA. Slay and Bradberry have had plenty of help from slot corner Avonte Maddox, as well as dynamic safeties Marcus Epps, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Reed Blankenship. This unit allowed the fewest passing yards per game (171.0) in the NFL in 2022 and finished the season tied for the fourth-most INTs (17) in the league.
The Chiefs' secondary doesn't have the luxury of experience, as KC is routinely running out as many as four rookies in the defensive backfield. That inexperience has been a problem at times, as the unit relinquished 33 TD passes to opposing quarterbacks this season, which was the most in the NFL. Kansas City finished the year grading 20th in the league in Pass Defense DVOA and 19th in passing yards per game (221.0) allowed. They will undoubtedly have their hands full in this looming matchup against A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
Advantage: Eagles
Kicker
Kansas City Notables: Harrison Butker; Philadelphia Notables: Jake Elliott
We've seen it a million times...two offenses and defenses play their hearts out, only for the game to be decided on a last-second kick. Kansas City's Harrison Butker has been one of the best kickers in the game over the last couple of years. However, Butker has battled injuries in 2022, which resulted in some uncharacteristic misses. He was off-target on three extra-point attempts during the regular season and also missed six of 24 field goal attempts. That said, Butker has been a perfect 10 for 10 on combined FG and XP attempts in the playoffs.
Kicking for the Eagles has been a pretty easy gig this season. Philly owned the third-best red zone TD percentage in the league (68.7%), which resulted in just 23 field goal attempts for Jake Elliott during the regular season, the fewest in the league among kickers that appeared in at least 16 games. Elliott posted an 88% make rate on those attempts and was 60 for 62 on extra-point tries. No surprise that he's had just two FG attempts in the postseason, but he's made them both, along with going nine for nine on point-after tries.
Advantage: Eagles
Punter
Kansas City Notables: Tommy Townsend; Philadelphia Notables: Brett Kern, Arryn Siposs
Similarly to the kickers, the punters for these two high-octane offenses have been on cruise control for much of the year. Kansas City's Tommy Townsend did earn First Team All-Pro recognition this season thanks to his pristine 44.3% rate of kicks downed inside the 20-yard line, as well as his stout 49.6 yards per punt average.
There's been some flux at the position in Philly, with incumbent punter Arryn Siposs lost to a foot injury in November. Siposs' replacement, veteran Brett Kern, has had some shaky outings. Kern has posted just a 37.7 net average over his six games with the Eagles. There's a chance that Siposs could be activated from IR for the Super Bowl, so that's a story we'll want to keep an eye on as the week progresses.
Advantage: Chiefs
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