Super Bowl could come down to trenches
The all-star cast of players in the trenches should decide the Super Bowl champion.
Sure, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts will make their share of plays. But Sunday's game will come down to which team controls the line of scrimmage.
The Philadelphia Eagles (16-3) reached this point mainly because of a dominant offensive line that allowed Hurts to thrive. He developed into an AP NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year finalist playing behind a line that features All-Pro center Jason Kelce and AllPro right tackle Lane Johnson.
Kelce, Johnson, left tackle Jordan Mailata, Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson and right guard Isaac Seumalo have excelled in the playoffs, helping the Eagles rack up 416 yards rushing in two lopsided wins. The Eagles outscored the Giants and 49ers by a combined margin of 69-14.
A defensive line featuring four players with at least 10 sacks roughed up opposing quarterbacks throughout the season. Haason Reddick was a game-wrecker against San Francisco, knocking Brock Purdy out of the game.
The Kansas City Chiefs (16-3) know what it's like to face a fearsome pass rush in the Super Bowl. Behind a banged-up offensive line, Mahomes looked ordinary in a 31-9 loss to the Buccaneers in the big game two years ago.
They're healthy this time around and have a pair of second-team All-Pros: left guard Joe Thuney and center Creed Humphrey.
On the opposite side, All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones was a nightmare for opponents this season. Jones had 15 1/2 sacks. If Philly's O-line can't slow him down, it could be a rough day for Hurts.