The Kansas City Chiefs finally return to Arrowhead after their AFC Championship win over the Buffalo Bills in January. After their initial loss of the season in Brazil against the Los Angeles Chargers, they have a chance to avenge their Super Bowl defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Never has Patrick Mahomes lost three consecutive NFL games. Today, he faces one of the top teams in football, the Philadelphia Eagles. The defending Super Bowl champions will head into Arrowhead with determination and passion to prevent the Chiefs from getting a win.
Though that might be their intent, it might not be as easy as they think after Kansas City lost its season opener nine days ago. With a national TV audience, playing in front of the home crowd, and desperate to get a victory to right the ship, the Chiefs definitely have an advantage Sunday.
How they use that advantage will depend on two factors. First, Patrick Mahomes must play quickly and start strong on Sunday. The defense needs to put pressure on Jalen Hurts and break up his effectiveness as a playmaker.
If the Chiefs can execute both items on the game plan, they’ll win easily. If not, it’s going to be a tough day.
The Eagles are a strong team, but like every NFL team early in the season, they have flaws. Still, Kansas City needs to show its confidence on every play. Despite all the talk they’ve heard about the end of their dynasty, it’s important to remember that this idea won’t be accurate until Mahomes retires.
Kansas City has a chance today to right the ship, and they must take advantage of it, as they cannot afford losses to snowball early in the season, given the weight they carry come playoff time.
I still believe the Chiefs will secure their tenth straight AFC West Title, but they need to show they can beat a top team. As I mentioned, the last time this team was in Kansas City, they beat the Buffalo Bills in the AFC title game. It was a back-and-forth game, and I expect today’s football match to be similar.
With the whole Fox Sports NFL team in Kansas City today, this game feels like a Championship title game.
Heading into this contest, many Chiefs players commented on the embarrassing loss they had to the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. In fact, some still carry that game with them as they head into today’s game.
I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. It can serve as motivation or as an excuse if they lose. Also, the Chiefs need to have fun today, but it’s still a workday, so they must bring their lunchbox mentality to the field and play together in harmony.
The good news is that Head Coach Andy Reid has been very spirited this past week, and he knows that despite losing Xavier Worthy to injury, his football team is better than what we all saw against the Los Angeles Chargers.
I’m sure he’s told his players to stay focused and disciplined this week. I’m sure he’s reminded them about that tough loss seven months ago. Now, he has a chance to fix his mistakes, and so do his players.
The Chiefs are underdogs today, and usually that has worked in their favor. However, as doubt has settled in the Chiefs’ Kingdom, the home crowd will do their best to make it as tough as possible for the Eagles.
Today, Mahomes has an opportunity to shift the narrative about his season. With many people already counting him out across the country, today’s nationally televised FOX game, with his mentor Tom Brady calling it, offers a perfect chance to show everyone he’s still among the best.
In the end, that’s what this game comes down to, and everyone else knows it too – including the Eagles.
Final Score Prediction:
Chiefs 27 – Eagles 24
