SUPER BOWL LIX: Chiefs Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce take on Eagles Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley

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SUPER BOWL LIX: Chiefs Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce take on Eagles Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley

The Super Bowl is arguably the biggest annual sporting event on the planet and is also a bona fide pop culture phenomenon with its legendary halftime show featuring the hottest names in the music industry.

The NFL decider has become so huge, even the commercials that play during the game make headlines, with advertisers willing to pay as much as $12 million for a 30-second spot.

With an estimated 6.6 million fans in Australia, the NFL decider attracted record viewership last year on the Seven Network’s various platforms, reaching 2.7 million people, up 43 per cent from the previous year.

And all of that hype is not even taking into account this year’s game between Kansas City and the Philadelphia Eagles also sees the return of superfan Taylor Swift, the significant other of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

With all the Kendrick Lamar, T-Swizzle and celebrity ad cameos around Super Bowl LIX, it’s easy to forget the most important thing happening on the gridiron in the New Orleans Superdome will come down to moments and inches.

Both of which will be provided by players that are household names, and maybe some who aren’t, as these teams compete on the game’s grandest stage for the sport’s ultimate prize – the Lombardi Trophy.

So, which players (and a coach) will give us these game-changing moments? Here’s five contenders from each team.

CHIEFS

1. Patrick Mahomes

Surprise, surprise, the most important player on Kansas City’s roster is No.15, who can already make a case as the greatest quarterback we’ve ever seen. He’s 3-1 in Super Bowls, and has three Super Bowl MVP trophies. All before his 30th birthday. A threepeat in New Orleans will keep him on pace to catch the GOAT, Tom Brady, who has seven rings. Don’t sleep on his running ability – Mahomes had a critical 66 yards on the ground in last year’s Super Bowl win in overtime against the 49ers.

Camera IconPatrick Mahomes is a hard man to stop. Credit: David Eulitt/Getty Images

2. Steve Spagnolo

While Spagnolo won’t actually be on the field, the veteran defensive coordinator’s presence will very much be felt. At least, that’s what Kansas City is relying on against an excellent Eagles offence. When it comes to one-off game plans, Spags could be the best in the league, and his record in the postseason speaks for itself. Note: Spags has twice previously faced a league rushing champion in the playoffs (Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey) and held them both to less than 100 yards.

3. Joe Thuney

The Chiefs finished the year as the No.1 seed in the AFC but it hasn’t been pretty, and a big part of that is the poor standard of the team’s offensive line. Left tackle in particular has been an abomination, prompting the team to kick star left guard Thuney out to the tackle position in desperation. Wherever Thuney lines up against this fearsome Philly front could be the difference between winning and losing.

4. Travis Kelce

Other than keeping Tay Tay and her famous friends invested as they watch from their private suite, Kelce has the responsibility of being Mahomes’ security blanket. This season it has often felt like the ageing superstar has lost a step, but expect the tight end to turn back the clock when it counts. Even if it’s just attracting double teams to free up the likes of speedster Xavier Worthy.

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5. Chris Jones

Jones could be the most disruptive interior defensive lineman in the NFL, and is the best in the league at getting quick pressure on the quarterback. His efforts stopping the run could also go a long way to deciding the outcome. If Jones gets a few drive-killing sacks on Eagles QB Jalen Hurts and stuffs running back Saquon Barkley, he could walk away with the Super Bowl MVP silverware, a la Von Miller in Super Bowl 50.

EAGLES

1. Saquon Barkley

The league rushing champion has been a revelation since signing with the Eagles in the offseason. Behind one of the league’s Top 3 offensive lines, Barkley has finally lived up to his immense potential, which, let’s be honest, was being wasted at the Giants. Only one other player in NFL history (Terrell Davis) has matched the 400-plus yards and five touchdowns he’s amassed this postseason. And his status as a home run hitter from anywhere on the field could be the difference.

2. Jalen Hurts

The Eagles QB hasn’t had the best year, and missed crucial games at the end of the season due to a concussion. But one thing Hurts has done is protect the football – he’s thrown just one pick in his previous 328 passes, and has an NFL record seven consecutive playoff games with at least 20 passes and no interceptions. Meanwhile, he’s finding the end zone with his legs, tying an NFL record with 18 TDs this season (including playoffs).

3. Jalen Carter

Other than Chris Jones, the most disruptive player on the gridiron might be Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter, who is much younger than his Chiefs counterpart at just 23 years old, but is already in the Top 5 at his position. Carter’s ability to crush the pocket is pivotal to defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme. Given the aforementioned concerns about the Chiefs’ O-line, this could be a major factor in keeping Mahomes in check.

4. Jordan Mailata

No list of the key players in Super Bowl LIX would be complete without Aussie Jordan Mailata, but this isn’t just parochialism. The former league convert is a behemoth at 2.03m, 165kg, but has the athleticism to protect Hurts’ blindside and open up huge running lanes for Barkley. To beat the Chiefs, the Eagles have to keep Mahomes on the sideline, which means sustaining long drives. And that’ll only be possible with Mailata anchoring one of the league’s best O-lines.

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5. Zack Baun

Baun has gone from being a rotational piece in a good Saints defence to a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year in Fangio’s defence. Not only is it another example of Philly’s canny roster decisions (See: Barkley, Saquon), it’s testament to Baun’s emergence as one of the league’s best linebackers. Selected to the All-Pro team, Baun now gets the unenviable task of stopping Kelce. It could be his last job as an Eagle before departing on a huge money deal elsewhere in the offseason. Talk about going out with a bang.

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#SUPER #BOWL #LIX #Chiefs #Patrick #Mahomes #Travis #Kelce #Eagles #Jalen #Hurts #Saquon #Barkley

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