We’re almost a week away from Super Bowl LVII, and the moment we’ve all been waiting for is almost here. After a roller coaster of a season full of twists and turns – the failed Russell Wilson experiment, the Aaron Rodgers saga in Green Bay, and the pre-season favorites falling short (yes, you, Buffalo).
And yet, while the Eagles are a bit of a surprise, no one can pretend to be shocked to see Mahomes back in the big game, suiting up for his third time in this year’s Super Bowl LVII. Sure, the “divorce” with Tyreek Hill may have brought some doubts, but – it’s a happy story to see a mutually beneficial “break up”. Philly, on the other hand, was a 50/50 divisional favorite who was absolutely propelled by an MVP year from Jalen Hurts.
Wow. Just, wow.
And now, for the first time ever, Super Bowl LVII features two African-American quarterbacks (suck it, stereotypers!) — a long overdue exclamation point to the doubters who thought that Black QB’s could “only run”. So this, no matter who wins, is the ultimate storyline – let’s not let that be unseen.
However, with all Super Bowl’s, there’s quite a few other potential storylines in the midst – depending on who wins. Let’s go ahead and take a look:
Super Bowl LVII Storyline 1: Patrick Mahomes Solidifies His Legacy
Fresh off of the news of the GOAT (Tom Brady) retiring this past week, Patrick Mahomes has an ironic chance ahead of him… He’s already put up Hall of Fame numbers, and is revolutionizing the way that the position is played (pass first, and pass a LOT, but don’t be afraid to use those legs!) – quite frankly, there’s never really been anyone like him before who can sling it that prolifically, while also having above average mobility.
But, as we all know too well, what separates the REALLY good ones from the GREAT ones is: the amount of rings on their fingers. And so far, even in his early career – he’s already hoisted one Lombardi trophy, and with Super Bowl LVII – he’ll have been to 3… out of the 5 years he’s been in the league. Not bad… not bad at all.
Super Bowl LVII Storyline 2: Jalen Hurts Solidifies His Stardom
As previously alluded to – Jalen Hurts kind of came out of no where this year; and sky-rocketed not only his team’s status, but his own, as well. He went from “can he be good enough” or “is he the real deal” to “is he the MVP” or “is he a top-3 QB in the league”. From losing his job to Tua Tagovailoa, to falling in the draft – Jalen Huts has always had a chip on his shoulder… and now, his hard work is coming to light.
While many skeptics could merely point at amount of talent on the Eagles roster as the reason for their success, let’s take a look at what happened in the games that Jalen Hurts missed when he was injured… 0-2. Simply that. And with Hurts as a starter? 18-2. Yeah, there’s no fluke in those statistics… just proof. Proof that Jalen Hurts is, indeed, that dude – and if the Eagles win, he’ll jump the likes of Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, etc, etc. to officially become that dude.
Super Bowl LVII Storyline 3: AJ Brown Goes The F*** Off
There’s no doubting the impact that AJ Brown had on the Eagles team this season. He brought the impact of a true WR1, and had plenty of statistically loaded games to prove it. The Eagles effectively got away with highway robbery during the draft when they swapped a first round pick (Treylon Burks) for AJ Brown – a solidified receiver on the cusp of stardom. And, well, he’s a HUGE reason as to why the Eagles are in the Super Bowl to begin with, as well as the astronomical jump in Jalen Hurts’ performance, as well. If the MVP came with a “supporting actor” role – AJ Brown would win it if Jalen Hurts wins MVP.
Now, why does any of this matter? Because while AJ Brown’s numbers exploded this year, he still isn’t in the “upper echelon” of WR’s in the NFL. Who do you think of? Justin Jefferson. Tyreek Hill. A healthy Cooper Kupp. And about 3 other names before you get to Brown. But if he is able to have a 100+ yard game, and/or a touchdown or two, it’ll be clear that AJ Brown is more than a really good wideout, he’s a true star. The good thing is, too, that he’ll have every chance – as the KC pass defense just happens to be their weakness.
Super Bowl LVII Storyline 4: Mahomes Gets Hurt, the Chiefs Still Win
Okay, I’ll admit it – this one is a little far-fetched, but hear me out. Yes, Patrick Mahomes is undoubtedly a top QB in the league, and his talent is out of this world – and to cap it all off, even when he was hobbled; he was still able to overcome the Bengals with his late-game heroics. BUT – here’s the kicker – when Mahomes has been out, the Chiefs seem to be just as good…
It’s a hypothesis that doesn’t have a WHOLE lot of testing to go along with it, but it’s happened before; in fact, earlier this playoff season. When Mahomes initially came out with an injury, the Chiefs were still able to put points up on the board. And if, to the extreme, Mahomes were to bang up his already-injured ankle to the point where he can’t return (let’s say, I don’t know, Suh demolishes it) – and the Chiefs were still to win; that’d take a whole lot away from his legacy…
We all know that Andy Reid is an absolute wizard. And Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy just might be one, too. And if this hypothetical were to actually happen – a lot of perspectives would effectively shift from “Patrick Mahomes=GOD” to “Patrick Mahomes is a product of really good coaching”. Again, I know this is the wild card of the bunch, but… what if?
Super Bowl LVII Storyline 5: The Eagles Defense Wins the Game
Again, hear me out… Because this one might actually be the craziest one to come true – as the Philly Defense is certainly a talented bunch who have played their a**es off this year. With Darius Slay, CJ Gardner-Johnson, Hasaan Reddick, and Ndamakong Suh just to name a few – they have all of the talent in the world; and the schemes to go along with their talent. So, what if Jalen Hurts, AJ Brown, and company simply aren’t playing as well as we’d think, and yet the Eagles still win?
Let’s say the game ends 6-3. Let’s just say. Does that take away from what we’re beginning to perceive Jalen Hurts as? After all, big time/MVP candidate quarterbacks are usually the ones who shine when the lights shine brightest. If Hurts/Brown can’t get it going against a sub-par KC pass defense, are they still the dynamic duo we once thought they were? Would it then discredit them, and place more emphasis on the defense?
Think back to when the Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl with Peyton Manning. Did everyone praise Peyton Manning and the offense? No, the defense got the credit. Same thing with Russell Wilson and the Seahawks- and you saw what happened this past year when he was placed in another situation. Again, just food for thought – but out of the “crazy” storylines – I think this one is the most feasible, and something that we should maybe prepare for.
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