The sports desk’s Super Bowl picks

Luke Lazarczyk: The Eagles hold a major talent advantage over the Chiefs at most positions. The Chiefs’ few advantages lie with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, each possibly the best among their peers and quite more experienced than Jalen Hurts and Nick Siriani. Mahomes and Reid need to outperform the youngsters to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Kansas City. Their own young defense must repeat their performance in the AFC Championship, holding the Bengals to 20 points. With Mahomes and Reid excelling and the defense holding up, the Kansas City Chiefs should win their second Super Bowl in four years to further their efforts in becoming a dynasty.

Chiefs 26-22

 

Toby Hammes: It’s no secret the Chiefs’ offense is the primary path to victory. The real test comes in their defense’s ability to stop Jalen Hurts and the Eagles. The former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback, who has a 0-1 record in Manhattan, possesses dual-threat capabilities the Chiefs have rarely seen this season. On paper, the Eagles’ star-filled defense is more likely to find success. However, in a game where one late stop can be the difference, I expect the Chiefs to stop Hurts and for Mahomes to do Mahomes-like things on offense.

Chiefs 27-23

 

Kier Bishop: The game will inevitably come down to who will make the right moves at the right time. Andy Reid has been to three Super Bowls and won one. His and the rest of the coaching staff’s experience will be a decisive factor in the Chiefs’ path to victory, but the Eagles’ defensive line stands as a formidable unit that has put up historic sack numbers. Despite this, I’ll take Patrick Mahomes when the game is on the line. The Eagles may seem to have a more talented team, but this game feels oddly reminiscent of the Chiefs-49ers Super Bowl where San Francisco boasted the best defense in the league and Patrick Mahomes found a way to win.

Chiefs 30-27

AJ Shaw: Throughout the regular season, the Eagles were the one team to consistently prove doubters wrong, which is eerily similar to their 2017 Super Bowl championship team. Excluding the two games that Jalen Hurts missed due to injury, the team is 16-1 this season including the playoffs. With elite weapons on the outside along with a strong running game — plus an elite offensive line that includes the future Hall of Famer Jason Kelce — the Eagles have the Chiefs beat in all three areas for offensive success. In no way am I doubting Mahomes’ capabilities, as I think he’s a better quarterback than Hurts. The issues Kansas City has in the running game, on their offensive line and in the secondary make me nervous about their chances entering this game. I’m going with the smart pick and taking the Eagles to win their second Super Bowl title in the last five years.

Eagles 37-27

 

Chase Hagemann: It may be ironic for someone so critical of the Kansas City Chiefs this season to pick the AFC Champions to win in the last game of the season. However, with Patrick Mahomes battling through banged-up limbs in early postseason games, it seems only fitting for the Red Kingdom to celebrate victoriously Sunday evening. The aggressive offense looks to play with authority, setting the pace by slicing through Philadelphia’s defense in the air, as the Eagles will struggle to match KC in a shootout.

Chiefs 34-21

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