Eagles’ talent over Chiefs’ experience

PHOENIX » The Eagles left their dog masks at home. Back in the Super Bowl five years after winning their first Lombardi Trophy, the Eagles took a different path to reach this one. They’re 1½-point favorites against the Chiefs, per FanDuel Sportsbook, after outscoring the Giants and 49ers 69-14 in the playoffs.

In their previous appearance, the Eagles became the first No. 1 seed to enter the playoffs as a home underdog. During that run, players embraced their underdog status, brought dog masks to the games and wore them around Minnesota for Super Bowl week. No need for any extra motivation this time around.

The Eagles (16-3) are getting much of the hype, even against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs (16-3). With Jalen Hurts leading a highpowered offense and Haason Reddick headlining a stingy defense, the Eagles have been dominant throughout much of the season.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs had a tougher path to this point. They beat the Jaguars 27-20 and edged the Bengals 23-20 in the final seconds. Mahomes played with a badly sprained ankle against Cincinnati. An extra week off has helped but he’ll face a ferocious pass rush.

“They’re one of the top defenses in the league for a reason,” Mahomes said. “They get after the quarterback, so it’ll be a great challenge for us to go out there and try to have some success.”

The Eagles realize playing against Mahomes is a tougher challenge than Daniel Jones and the Giants, and Brock Purdy/Josh Johnson and the 49ers.

“Mahomes is a tremendous talent,” Reddick said. “I don’t know if you can contain him. He’s that good.”

Both teams have scored 546 points this season. It’s the first time two No. 1 seeds are playing in the Super Bowl since the EaglesPatriots met after the 2017 season.

The Chiefs have a significant edge in experience as they make their third appearance in this game in four years. Coach Andy Reid is 1-2 in Super Bowls, including a loss with the Eagles 18 years ago.

Pro Picks likes talent over experience. The Eagles are stacked, they’re healthy and they’ve been the more impressive team since Week 1.