Two of the NFL’s best signal callers are set to go face to face in Super Bowl LVII, with Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs taking on Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles.
The importance of quarterbacks will never be understated in the NFL, and both of these players have played integral roles in getting their respective teams to the big game.
In saying that, does one side have the edge over the over? Let’s discuss the two signal callers’ strengths and weaknesses.
Patrick Mahomes, QB – Kansas City Chiefs
If you wanted to call Patrick Mahomes the best quarterback in the NFL, no one would put up many arguments against that sentiment. The Chiefs signal-caller has already captured the first MVP award in team history and has been to a pair of Super Bowls, with one victory coming in 2020 against the San Francisco 49ers. Mahomes took home Super Bowl MVP in that matchup and has continued to be a threat to take home more accolades.
Coming out of Texas Tech, Mahomes has already thrown for over 24,000 yards, in addition to 192 passing touchdowns and a quarterback rating of 105.7. The arm strength has always stood out for Mahomes, along with his addition to throw on the run. We can give some credit to that from his baseball background, but Mahomes often finds himself creating plays out of nothing, and it’s rare for him to make poor decisions through the air.
His ankle injury might make you pause here heading into the Super Bowl, but if Mahomes gets protection from the offensive line, he shouldn’t have a problem staying at least semi-mobile in the pocket. Mahomes rushing ability might be hindered because of that, but adrenaline is one helluva of a drug, so don’t be surprised if he still tries to use his legs on Sunday.
Jalen Hurts, QB – Philadelphia Eagles
There have been constant question marks about whether Jalen Hurts was “the guy” for the Philadelphia Eagles. There’s little to no doubt about that notion after the season he just put together, and it’s evident the Eagles have found their franchise quarterback. Sure, having an elite offensive line and protection helps, but Hurts does so many good things for this offense. It doesn’t operate the same without him. Look no further than the time Hurts missed down the stretch. There are still some concerns about his decision-making, but his legs allow him to get out of a lot of tricky situations instead of making lousy throws downfield.
Hurts started 15 games for the Eagles in 2022, throwing for 3,701 yards and 22 passing touchdowns. His impact was also felt on the ground, where he rushed for 760 yards and 13 touchdowns. The one area where Hurts certainly has the edge over Mahomes is with his legs, especially when you factor in the Chiefs quarterback’s injury situation.
At the end of the day, these are two very different quarterbacks. Mahomes limping into this contest tightens the gap between the pair, but it would still be tough to give a definitive edge to the healthier Hurts. If you posed the question of which signal caller you’d rather have in this matchup, you wouldn’t find many people who don’t side with Mahomes.
Super Bowl LVII Passing Props
FanDuel Sportsbook has plenty of player props you can roll with involving Mahomes and/or Hurts, but passing yards is probably the most popular. The number is 292.5 yards through the air for KC’s pivot, with the over and under at -114. Hurts will be tasked with 240.5 pass yards in this prop and is also -114 on both the over and under.
