After the Kansas City Chiefs cashed my Super Bowl ticket on the moneyline, I immediately turned my attention to next year’s big game.
Perhaps I’m a prisoner of the moment, but I was impressed with the Philadelphia Eagles in a losing effort. Coming into the game, I thought Jalen Hurts would struggle from the pocket, and I thought the Eagles would have a tough time playing from behind on the scoreboard because of that. I didn’t believe that Hurts would be able to run the ball effectively because of the attention of Kansas City’s defensive front playing contain. As we all watched, clearly, Hurts did all that and then some.
In part because of how impressed I was with the Eagles, I bet on them to win next year’s Super Bowl at +900 available at DraftKings Sportsbook. Here are three reasons why.
THE QUARTERBACK
All regular season long, Hurts made the case that he should be strongly considered for MVP. Ultimately, a shoulder injury derailed that from coming to fruition. Although he missed two games, his statistics were still undeniable. Hurts completed nearly 67% of his passes, threw for 3,701 yards and accounted for 35 total touchdowns, in the air and on the ground. On the biggest stage of the Super Bowl, with the world watching, Hurts completed 27 of 38 passes for 304 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. He also posted 15 rushes for 70 yards and three touchdowns. Had it not been for an untimely fumble and a questionable late penalty, he would be a Super Bowl champion and MVP today.
THE CONFERENCE
The AFC is absolutely loaded with young talented QBs. The current list of Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Trevor Lawrence continues to grow every year. That isn’t the case in the NFC. Tom Brady just retired and Aaron Rodgers’ future is in question, while both Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins continue to come up short in big spots. Matthew Stafford can’t stay healthy, Jared Goff doesn’t win enough, Kyler Murray is unproven and the other young QBs in the conference haven’t been there long enough to make a case for themselves yet. Hurts has made a case for himself, and he is elite. Case closed. He now has an opportunity to dominate the NFC for a long time.
MATURITY AND PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE
Two seasons ago, I wrongly predicted the Eagles would be one of the worst teams in the NFL. They won four out of their last five games, finished with a 9-8 overall record and reached the playoffs as a wild-card team. They went on to lose to Brady, but they obviously were able to build off that experience and parlay it to a Super Bowl appearance this season. If they continue to follow the same trajectory, they will learn from coming up short in the big game, as well. There will be revenge on their minds after losing in such an agonizing fashion. Most championship teams in all sports have that proverbial chip on their shoulders. That’s why I’ll take my chances and bet on the Eagles to win the next Super Bowl at +900 on DraftKings.
