CEO of the Philadelphia Eagles Howard “Howie” Roseman hammered out a player trade during last May’s draft that changed the balance of power in the NFL.
Winger AJ Brown was a second-round draft pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2019. He quickly became one of the franchise’s best receivers in Tennessee, but Titans GM Jon Robinson could not reach an agreement with Brown on the extension contract.
Robinson sent Brown to Philadelphia in exchange for first- and third-round picks. Brown immediately signed a four-year, $100 million contract with the Eagles.
As a result of the trade, the Titans completely collapsed and were left out of the playoffs. Brown, on the other hand, had the best regular season of his career and caught 1,496 yards, ranking fourth in the entire series in receiving yards.
Brown’s move also elevated the Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts to a new level. Plus another star striker Devonta Smith was more often free from defenders after Brown came. Smith threw for 1,196 yards and was ninth in the entire series.
Afterwards, it has been speculated that the Titans would have opened their purse to the tune of one hundred million dollars and could have kept Brown in Tennessee. A clear proof of the organization’s regret was that GM Robinson was fired in the fall. In Philadelphia, the move is hardly regretted one bit.
The Eagles won the NFC conference championship and will face the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl the night before Monday. The match starts around 01:30 Finnish time.
Star glory
The quarterbacks facing off in the Super Bowl — the Chiefs’ 27-year-old Patrick Mahomes and the Eagles’ 24-year-old Hurts — are the youngest quarterback duo to meet in the Finals in terms of combined age.
Hurts has at his disposal a star duo formed by Brown and Smith, which can solve the game very well. Opposite the Chiefs’ backfield is a slew of inexperienced rookie defenders who must be able to slow down these elite forwards.
Mahomes is the single biggest name in the game. However, the quarterback, who was chosen as the league’s most valuable player for the second time, is half fit. He suffered an ankle injury in the Chiefs’ first playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mahomes played the entire game against the Cincinnati Bengals and has been out for two weeks now, but he won’t be back to full fitness.
In addition, Mahomes’ wing department has been plagued by injuries. Mahomes, who plays with a contract of half a billion dollars, will rely a lot on his trusted man in the finals To Travis Kelce, who is the best inside linebacker in the NFL. However, Kelcek has also suffered from back problems.
Kelce Bowl
This final is the first Super Bowl in history where the brothers play against each other. The Chiefs’ Kelce carried the ball an extraordinary amount for his position in the regular season: 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns were enough to rank first in the yardage statistic by more than 400 yards compared to the Minnesota Vikings to TJ Hockenson.
Playing for the Eagles Jason Kelce clearly plays in a more invisible place than his brother. The Eagles’ 35-year-old Kelce is two years older than his brother and handles the duties of a center on the offensive line. Among other things, his job description includes blocking opposing defenders with his 133-kilogram body.
The Eagles offensive line led by Kelce has been the best in the entire league. It provides opportunities for the Eagles’ running game and gives quarterback Hurts more throwing time and room to process play events. Hurts himself goes running diligently when the place is blessed.
The Philadelphians are also strong on defense. The line of defense has also been the best in the series. Mahomes will face pressure as the league’s leading sack defense runs through the Chiefs’ offensive line.
Will the cover last?
Players can take turns in a high-stakes match. Temperance is a trump card, and also by Carl Cheffers the presided over jury must be up to the task. NFL officiating has come under heavy criticism during the playoffs. For example, the Eagles scored a touchdown in the conference finals that was preceded by a tackle by Smith that, based on the video, should not have been allowed.
In a game of hard contact, even the slightest provocation can lead to stupid mistakes. The pass breakup king of the Eagles backfield CJ Gardner-Johnson known as a snarky mouth. In critical places, unsportsmanlike behavior can be seen on both sides, which the judges flag as mistakes.
The Eagles offensive line is elite, but the Chiefs are stout Chris Jones and Frank Clark are a strict test. The Eagles’ defense is causing a headache for the Chiefs, among others Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat. Can teams contain these defensive giants within the limits allowed by the rules?
The return of Rihanna
For many, the Super Bowl is the only game of the season that is watched. The NFL finals are a big spectacle with commercials and musical performances.
This year, the Super Bowl halftime show is sponsored by Apple Music for the first time, while in previous years the show has gone by the name of Pepsi. The Super Bowl will be heard and seen now Rihanna’s comeback show.
Rihanna has been on hiatus for over six years and released her previous album Anti in 2016. The Super Bowl is the start of the artist’s gigantic comeback tour.
The 34-year-old Barbados-born performer has previously turned down Super Bowl performances to support the ex-quarterback Colin Kaepernickwho knelt during the US national anthem in 2016 to criticize US politics.
Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since. Rihanna has criticized the NFL for discriminating against black people and, for example, has demanded better opportunities for black coaches in the league. Now, however, the artist and the behind-the-scenes forces have come to an agreement on a halftime show with the NFL.
Kansas City Chiefs
Philadelphia Eagles