When confronted with such a query, there actually isn’t any mistaken reply.
Trying on the 4 potential Tremendous Bowl matchups, there is no scarcity of tales to return. No matter how this weekend goes, the Tremendous Bowl will supply unbelievable matchups, dynamic gamers and an excellent teaching workers. In every of those 4 matches, soccer followers will show to be the largest winners of all.
That is all there’s to say … attempting to rank them was a troublesome job.
However that is what we did right here, voting for 4 potential Tremendous Bowl matchups. Listed here are the outcomes, with the 4 potential Tremendous Bowl matchups, ranked.
1. Chiefs vs. Eagles
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports activities
Who would not be curious about a duel between the statistically greatest two groups from each conferences? The popcorn draw matchup can be Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offensive towards this loaded Eagles protection. Edge rushers Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat pose an issue for the Chiefs’ offensive assaults with their velocity across the nook, however the inside battles between Javon Hargrave, Fletcher Cox and a bunch of Eagles inside forwards vs. Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith can be money. Mahomes is in his personal stratosphere as QB this yr. Whereas his common throw depth has declined since his stellar 2018, he’s close to profession highs. The Eagles will attempt to problem him with their proficient sidekick and it is going to be money.
Turning it over to the river, Jalen Hurts turned an MVP contender, enjoying probably the most versatile and explosive tackles within the league. Wish to sit in 2-height shells and restrict explosive passes? Then the Eagles can get explosives in a operating recreation with Hurts, a steady of dynamic RBs and the perfect offensive line in soccer. As quickly as you get too far into the operating recreation, growth – AJ Brown or Devonta Smith on the high, who win in several methods. The chess match between Eagles OC Shane Steichen and Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo can be enjoyable to look at.
— JP Acosta
2. Bengals vs Eagles
Most sports activities carry out at their greatest when elite athletes enjoying in area excel. Tremendous Bowl Bengals-Eagles can be filled with such issues. Each groups are geared up with a variety of excellent wide-angle receivers that may flip a routine catch right into a game-changing recreation. Ja’Marr Chase from Cincinnati and AJ Brown from Philly are All-Professional skills who’re among the many greatest within the league at their place. DeVonta Smith and Tee Higgins are adequate to be the #1 possibility on many different groups. Philadelphia’s Dallas Goedert is a productive, passing-catching guard, and Cincy’s Tyler Boyd has many 1,000-yard seasons on his resume.
The blokes throwing the ball to them are rattling good too. Jalen Hurts’ third-year breakaway made him the MVP chief, with an growing capacity to stretch the court docket with a handcrafted much more harmful by his dynamism as a runner. Joe Burrow proved himself on the largest levels final season, main the Bengals to the Tremendous Bowl, and he’s simply nearly as good this yr. I might anticipate numerous vital performs within the Bengals-Eagles recreation, and which means a very good Tremendous Bowl.
— Ricky O’Donnell
3. Bengals vs. 49ers
This conflict could have sentiment for the undersigned writer, however extra on that in a second.
A part of the attraction, nevertheless, comes from the battle of wits this potential Tremendous Bowl provides. When the 49ers have the ball, the ideas of Kyle Shanahan and firm intertwine with Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator Lou Anuramo, who our personal JP Acosta has argued is the unsung hero of the whole NFL Playoffs.
Then, when the Bengals have the ball, Zac Taylor and Brian Callahan – who’ve attracted the eye of the pinnacle coach – will tackle DeMeco Ryans, who additionally appears to be headed for the pinnacle coach position after this season ends.
As for the gamers on the pitch, this potential recreation is stuffed with must-watch matchups. Pack of 21 San Francisco personnel towards Mike Hilton, Jesse Bates III and the protection of the Bengals. Deebo Samuel vs. Eli Apple in males’s protection. Fred Warner prowling midfield towards Joe Burrow and a fast cross in Cincinnati.
And now the sentimental half. A rematch of two totally different Tremendous Bowls from my childhood, evoking photographs of Ken Anderson, Joe Montana, Boomer Esiason and John Taylor. And a fairly good duel in uniforms.
— Mark Schofield
4. Bosses vs. 49ers
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Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports activities
Sure, there is a good probability we may replay this recreation and remake Tremendous Bowl LIV – which was one of the crucial anticipated Offensive vs. Protection video games on paper that become an all-out nap. That stated, this yr might be fully totally different.
Tremendous Bowl LIV’s greatest indictment was that whereas Kansas Metropolis actually deserved to win, nobody on both facet of the ball lived as much as their potential. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Jimmy Garoppolo’s play was mediocre, the offensive place gamers (besides Tyreek Hill) had been uninspiring and neither crew was notably good defensively.
We got here out with a recreation that felt like two younger groups that weren’t ready for the second and had been doing their greatest to patch the sport collectively.
Three years make a giant distinction. Each the Chiefs and 49ers are older, wiser and higher. Brock Purdy remains to be on his ft as a quarterback, however he is undoubtedly a extra thrilling participant to look at than Jimmy G. Mahomes, in the meantime, could not have the weapons he had in 2020, however that additionally made him a way more full quarterback. It was arguably Mahomes’ greatest season as he was pressured to develop his recreation additional – one thing that appeared not possible for somebody of his talent.
The 49ers’ protection, in the meantime, has extra expertise below its belt. He is now higher geared up to accommodate a playmaker like Mahomes, and with Christian McCaffrey in assault, they’re extra various in assault than they had been three years in the past.
A second Tremendous Bowl recreation between the Chiefs and the 49ers can be hell.
— James Laptop