Super Bowl LVII was an opportunity for the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles to win the franchise’s second Super Bowl, and after 30 minutes, the Eagles led the Chiefs 24-14.
However, Kansas City stormed back in the second half and ultimately defeated the Eagles 38-35.
On Monday night, the Eagles can get revenge when they travel to Kansas City to battle the Chiefs.
Obviously, the Eagles want to win, but that won’t change what happened in February, which the players discussed this week, and what Eagles coach Nick Sirianni discussed on Saturday.
“I mean, the sentiment of they’re not giving us their ring back if we beat them this week,” Sirianni said. “That’s more of like– we’re not going up there to win the Super Bowl. We’re going to play a good football team in a hostile environment and looking to get better this week to put ourselves in position to go 1-0 this week.
“Again, the message, I wouldn’t say that’s been the message. We’ve all talked about that, you know, this game is a regular season game, but every regular season game we play means a lot to us. We got to go up there with our best foot forward to play against a really good team.
“Yeah, again, it’s just that whole mentality of like make sure you’re getting yourself up for every game and doing the right things every single game because they’re all important, and this one is the most important because it’s the next one.”
All these games are important for the 8-1 Eagles, who are looking to get the number one seed in the NFC and a first-round bye, and they have a brutal five-game stretch, which includes games against the Bills, Cowboys, and 49ers, so they have to keep winning. Again, a win over the Chiefs won’t change what happened in the Super Bowl, but it will keep them on track to capture the top spot in the NFC, which would help them get back to the big game.
The last time Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 57 in Arizona, started a game against the Chiefs was October 3, 2021.
In that contest, the Eagles would fall to Kansas City 42-30 at Lincoln Financial Field.
However, Hurts had career-highs of 32 completions and 387 yards in that game. He also threw two touchdowns and no interceptions. Hurts had 434 yards of total offense (including 47 rushing yards on eight attempts). The 387 passing yards were the most by an Eagles quarterback since 2018.
That was one of Hurts’ best games of 2021, and the Eagles’ offense went toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, but they fell short.
On Tuesday, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni discussed Hurts’ performance against the Chiefs.
“I thought he played really well that game,” he said. “Actually, that was one of the things we’re doing too right now, is just rewatching some of that, just like I know they are, just watching some of the things that happened in that game. I thought Jalen played a really good game. I know everybody did, and then just to see him, how he’s continued to grow each day since then.
“That’s some of the things you see there, too, are like, man, he continues to get better. He had a great game this day, but he continues to get better. That’s the kind of guy he is. He just strives to get better each day.
“I don’t have any particular plays that stick out or anything like that from the game, again, just watching it, looking at some things from it. But just Jalen, his leadership, his ability to improve each day, you’ll definitely see that, and you’ve definitely seen him improve since that day.”
That game feels like ages ago, and a lot has changed. Last season, the Chiefs were 27th in total defense, while Philadelphia’s offense was 14th overall. However, in 2022, the Eagles were third in offense, and the Chiefs were 11th in total defense, so both units have improved, but it seems the Eagles would have the edge.
We shall see…
The New York Giants have traded their 2021 first-round draft selection wide receiver Kadarius Toney to the Kansas City Chiefs for a compensatory third-round pick and the team’s original sixth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, the team announced Thursday.
The third-rounder is a compensatory choice the Chiefs received after the Chicago Bears hired Ryan Poles as their general manager. Poles had been the Chiefs’ executive director of player personnel.
In two seasons with the Giants, the 23-year-old Toney struggled with injuries and played in only 12 of 24 games with five starts. As a rookie, he was inactive from Nov. 28-Dec. 12 and Jan. 2-9 with quad and shoulder injuries and did not play vs. Dallas (12/19) when he was on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, and this season, injuries continued to be an issue for Toney. He played in the first two games of the season but missed the last five games with hamstring injuries.
At this point of the season, Toney has two catches for zero yards.
“We just thought it was for the best of the team and wish Kadarius well,” coach Brian Daboll said.
Giants RB Saquon Barkley believes Toney is a talented player.
“It’s the NFL,” Barkley said. “Anytime there’s a trade you’re going to be shocked. KT’s a talented player, I wish him nothing but the best of luck in KC.”
Toney, who was the 21st overall in the 2021 draft after trading with the Bears to move back from No. 11, caught 41 passes for 420 yards with no touchdowns.
Toney has ability, and there is a reason why the Giants took him in the first round last season. If he wants to get his career off the ground, he’ll have an excellent opportunity to do it with a great quarterback in Patrick Mahomes.
As we approach Week14, teams are starting to clinch, while others continue to battle for one of the 14 playoff spots in the NFL. Last week, the Chiefs and Saints clinched playoff spots and can win their respective divisions this week.
The Bills, Steelers, and Packers can clinch playoff berths in Week 14, and if few things go their way, Pittsburgh and Green Bay can win division titles this weekend.
Below are the playoff scenarios for Week 14:
AFC
CLINCHED:
Kansas City Chiefs – playoff berth
BUFFALO BILLS (9-3) (vs. Pittsburgh (11-1), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)
Buffalo clinches playoff berth with:
-
BUF win + BAL loss + MIA loss + LV loss + NE loss or tie
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-1) (at Miami (8-4), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)
Kansas City clinches AFC West division title with:
-
KC win or tie OR
-
LV loss or tie
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (11-1) (at Buffalo (9-3), Sunday night, 8:20 PM ET, NBC)
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division title with:
-
PIT win + CLE loss
Pittsburgh clinches playoff berth with:
-
PIT win or tie OR
-
LV loss or tie OR
-
MIA loss or tie OR
-
TEN loss
NFC
CLINCHED:
New Orleans Saints – playoff berth
GREEN BAY PACKERS (9-3) (at Detroit (5-7), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)
Green Bay clinches NFC North division title with:
-
GB win + MIN loss or tie OR
-
GB tie + MIN loss
Green Bay clinches playoff berth with:
-
GB win + ARI loss or tie OR
-
GB win + LAR loss or tie OR
-
GB win + SEA win or tie OR
-
GB tie + ARI loss OR
-
GB tie + LAR loss + ARI tie OR
-
GB tie + SEA win or tie + ARI tie
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (10-2) (at Philadelphia (3-8-1), Sunday, 4:25 PM ET, FOX)
New Orleans clinches NFC South division title with:
-
NO win OR
-
TB loss OR
-
NO tie + TB tie
