Super Bowl LIX is officially set and what a surprise, the Kansas City Chiefs are playing in it.
KC has an opportunity to achieve a three-peat of Super Bowl victories, which means that they already stand alone in NFL history (obviously they want to go the final step). If they want to do something that would distinguish them in a very different kind of sports way they will have to get through the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans, something they were barely able to do when the two danced in the desert of Arizona two years ago.
The game, the big game, will mark Kansas City’s fourth appearance in six years, which is absolutely absurd. Consider that the worst season we have ever seen from Patrick Mahomes was his team losing the AFC Championship Game. It must be nice.
With one game left on this season, we here at The Skinny Post, Michael Peterson and RJ Ochoa, have some thoughts on where things stand at the moment.
Are you more impressed or annoyed by KC’s run?
RJ:
I’m not sure at what point it was, but it was during LeBron James’ run of NBA Finals appearances that I realized seeing greatness is sometimes worth it.
This is a realization that I think a lot of sports fans reach at some point. Whether it was/is with LeBron or Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes… seeing history is cool. Living through it, even.
As a Dallas Cowboys fan I have no real beef with the Chiefs (didn’t mean to rhyme) and in fact am somewhat grateful for them. To date they have stopped the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles, teams I really don’t like, from winning three total titles with another obviously now hanging in the balance.
My Cowboys failed their chance at a three-peat in the mid-90s mostly because their owner meddled and ruined everything… some things never change.
I’m good with KC and am rooting for them. The historical element is definitely a reason why.
Michael:
As a fan of a football team that plays in the AFC, I am very much annoyed by the back-to-back dynasties established first by the Patriots and then followed by the Chiefs. Let me be clear: I am a fan of watching history be made and/or built. There’s something special about saying “I was there” or something like that. But here’s the deal: When the team that has now been to five of the past six Super Bowls is sitting in the same division as your favorite team, there’s no silver lining for anything that makes it any more palatable.
It’s exhausting watching the Chiefs make their third consecutive Super Bowl. The Super Bowl hasn’t been enjoyable to watch for most of the past decade. There’s nothing fresh about watching a Super Bowl rematch from two seasons ago. I want to see more fresh-faced players win the ultimate prize. I want to see franchises with little to no Super Bowl history make it to the big game and potentially change the way their team is viewed in the national spotlight.
Literally anything is better than watching a divisional rival potentially make history as the first team to ever three-peat as Super Bowl champions.
Ironically, the other team in this game is from your division, so I completely understand why you’re rooting for KC. What a predicament we’ve both found ourselves in, huh?
Favorite head coach-team pairing from this hiring cycle?
Michael:
Okay let’s take a break from talking about the teams in the Super Bowl neither of us are a big fan of.
Of all the new head coaches thus far (I believe the Saints are the only coach-less team left?), it’s hard not to like Ben Johnson taking over a Chicago Bears team that looked to have a pretty solid offensive group around Caleb Williams. I believe I was on record in an earlier TSP saying that Matt Eberflus simply did not know how to give Williams the right guidance and I don’t see a better coach outside of Andy Reid to give to Williams now going forward.
The offense will bring back D’Andre Swift, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, and D.J. Moore. If they can use their sizable cap space this offseason to reinforce the offensive line to just a “decent” level, the Bears will be much more competitive in 2025.
RJ:
Chicago is a very fair answer, but I am quite surprised with the decision that I myself am making by choosing Aaron Glenn and the New York Jets.
Part of this is that I saw his opening presser before writing this, but I really feel like Glenn is the closest thing to a culture-builder as you can get from a Dan Campbell-led operation. Ben Johnson may wind up being a very good coach but my point is that if there is another Campbell-like person out there then it is Glenn.
If we are getting a bit more specific… Johnson is facing some pretty heavy expectations what with how full the cupboard in Chicago feels. Dare I say he is under more pressure.
So much has happened with the Jets as of late that I think people are going to be willing to be more patient with AG. He gets my vote.
Who is the most underrated player in Super Bowl LIX?
RJ:
Let me say that we reserve the right to change our minds here over the next two weeks, but I think that the answer is DeVonta Smith.
The Eagles have so many weapons and choices and things to utilize… I could totally see a world where Smith takes center stage and is a big reason for that side having success.
Very often the Super Bowl features a player come out of nowhere to capture the moment. Smith is not an unknown player, but on a team with so many known commodities… it could be his time.
Michael:
I’m going to stick with the Eagles here and highlight tight end Dallas Goedert. While Saquon Barkley gets the biggest spotlight, followed by Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and the plethora of other big names on both sides of the ball, Goedert runs a little closer to the edges of that light.
Goedert missed seven games this season which caused him to record the lowest receiving total since his rookie season. But since hitting the playoffs, he has looked like a runaway freight train the way he’s been running through and over defender seemingly every time he touches the football. It’s been a ton of fun to watch and I’d like to see him do a bunch of that against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Please and thanks!
The Senior Bowl is this week. Any player you’ll be keeping an eye on?
Michael:
Ah Senior Bowl Week. This is the good stuff. It’s like the official start of draft season every year.
There’s always going to be future NFL players in Mobile, Alabama for this event and that’s certainly the case again this year. However, there’s one player I’ll be keeping a close eye on not because I’m expecting him to be a top performer, but because of his path to the all-star showcase and that’s Laurier quarterback Taylor Elgersma.
He’s from Canada!
Color me intrigued because I don’t recall the last time an international player took part in Senior Bowl week but the fact he’s playing quarterback — a position that will obviously be front and center all week long — make it even more captivating. I mean, how awesome would it be if he goes crazy and wins game MVP at the end of it all? Tell me that wouldn’t be the coolest thing you’ve ever seen.
RJ:
There is no question that I am going to be obsessed with one player this entire draft cycle… my fellow Arizona State Sun Devil in Cam Skattebo.
Skattebo took the college football world by storm last season by helping lead the Sun Devils to our first Big 12 title… in our first season in the conference! He almost singlehandedly powered ASU to an upset victory over Texas in the Peach Bowl. Over the last few months he has drawn a lot of comparisons to Toby Gerhart, but his ASU coach in Kenny Dillingham has come up with a comp (football only here) that I really like in Ray Rice.
He is tough and stout and physical and impossible to bring down. I imagine with a great performance in Mobile he can really elevate his stock, or at least put himself in front of the right people.
