Eagles, Chiefs were best teams all season, setting up an epic Super Bowl

If you need storylines — and naturally you need storylines, as a result of the Super Bowl is coming and narrative is king — they’re clearly lined up for you.

When the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles face off a few Sundays from now, there shall be tales inside the tales. Going by way of them all, devouring all the paraphernalia and plot, properly, it is the best technique to fill time till soccer’s best, grandest, loudest present.

To take one instance, there shall be a pair of siblings on opposing sides — one hailing from a staff based mostly within the City of Brotherly Love, no much less.

Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce and Eagles middle Jason Kelce will get loads of consideration and are certain to occupy well-liked podiums on media night time, although essentially the most sought-after interview is likely to be whoever can get the unique with their mother, Donna, who owns a pleasant hybrid jersey comprised of half of every of her sons’ uniforms.

There shall be a continuation of Ankle Gate, or Ankle Watch, or the Mahomes Movement Microscope, as a result of Patrick Mahomes‘ capability for footwork issues vastly in any recreation, particularly the largest one of many season.

For some time, there shall be speak of the teams that did not make it and can possibly really feel they need to. Joe Burrow thought he’d get an opportunity in additional time however did not. The San Francisco 49ers found that happening to your emergency quarterback is not a positive recipe. The Dallas Cowboys briefly flirted with a return to the golden days earlier than reverting to kind.

But there’s one storyline related above all others proper now and that is not going to shift between this very second and the opening kickoff on Feb. 12.

This is not only the Super Bowl, it is the proper Super Bowl.

There are different methods the postseason may have simply gone. Heck, if not for an outrageously ill-thought shove on Mahomes within the waning seconds on Sunday night time, the Cincinnati Bengals may properly be making ready for a second straight journey.

The seedings might need lined up in a different way or accidents may have put an alternate complexion on so many eventualities. A play right here, a play there, all that great things.

‘They deserve a visit to the Super Bowl’

Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen speak in regards to the Philadelphia Eagles defeating the San Francisco 49ers to go again to the Super Bowl.

Yet the reality holds that that is the way it needs to be, for these have proved to be the best two teams within the National Football League, based mostly off a physique of labor that stretches again to Week 1.

The Eagles and Chiefs have had their tribulations, no query about it. They did not all the time look infallible. Other teams went on phenomenal tears, particularly the pair that misplaced within the respective championship video games.

It is these two although, the primary twin No. 1 seeds to duke out a Super Bowl since Philly reserved a particular deal with for New England 5 years again. They were essentially the most constant, essentially the most proficient and finally most deserving of the possibility to shine in entrance of a monumental international viewers (Sunday, Feb. 12 on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

There is little to decide on between them as a result of there aren’t any obvious flaws in both squad.

Mahomes has been ok for lengthy sufficient that we’re simply used to it by now. He now not, frankly, will get as a lot credit score as he ought to. The Chiefs went 14-3 and misplaced that trio of video games by a mixed tally of 10 factors, two of them in opposition to nemeses within the Buffalo Bills and the Bengals. Now they’ll attempt to add to the title gained three years in the past.

“When I first obtained into the league it all occurred so quick, I gained the MVP, I gained the Super Bowl, and I assumed that was simply the way it went,” Mahomes instructed reporters. “Now that I’ve handled failure, dropping an AFC Championship and a Super Bowl, I understand how a lot onerous work and day by day grind it takes.”

The Eagles misplaced three themselves, however solely two of those were when Jalen Hurts was beneath middle. The different, the defeat to the Washington Commanders that reduce off an 8-0 begin, may simply have was a slender win if not for fumbles and poor fortune.

“We put loads of work in to have this chance,” Hurts mentioned. “It is a second we need to take pleasure in as a staff. Everything we’ve been capable of overcome, we need to make the most of it.”

They’re each very hungry; the Eagles as a result of they see an opening of a window and the Chiefs as a result of their window has been open for lengthy sufficient that the wind of expectation is beginning to get breezy.

Hurts and Mahomes have some issues in frequent. Both were excellent this season, with Mahomes the overwhelming favourite to win the MVP award on Feb. 9 and Hurts, all issues thought of, most likely most deserving of second place, with Burrow, Josh Allen and Justin Jefferson additionally on the poll.

At 24, Hurts is identical age Mahomes was when he first appeared within the large recreation, again once we thought he and his staff may show to be unstoppable within the following years.

They have not, however they’ve proved mightily tough to beat; the identical description that might be conferred upon the Eagles this season.

It could or is probably not a Super Bowl for the ages, for such issues can by no means be precisely predicted, however it’s a true mouth-watering matchup between teams of supreme high quality.

At the beginning of a fortnight stuffed with storyline after storyline — oh, brother — that is the juiciest one in all all.

Martin Rogers is a columnist for FOX Sports and the creator of the FOX Sports Insider e-newsletter. You can subscribe to the daily newsletter here.

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