by
Rematch and another Super Bowl?
This NFL clash electrifies the USA
Author: Heiko Oldörp
November 19, 2023, 9:22 am
The best teams of the season will face each other in Monday’s game, which will feature the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. This is a rematch of the last final and perhaps also a preview of the next final.
Many people were eagerly waiting for this fight. Over nine months. 280 days to be exact. Monday night football. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles. The champion welcomes the runner-up. A rematch of Super Bowl LVII. There is simply nothing more that can be done in the NFL at this point. According to the “CBS” television station, this is “the most anticipated rematch in Super Bowl history.” The website “The Athletic” writes about “Super Bowl 57 ½”, and “sports.yahoo.com” simply calls this game “the best of the best”. Monday’s prestigious match will be the stage of a new edition of the last final for only the second time.
The meeting after the epic showdown on February 12 in Glendale is both a look in the rearview mirror and an announcement of a possible repeat of the final duel on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas. Because both teams are two outstanding teams so far this season. Philadelphia leads the NFC with an 8-1 record, while Kansas City leads the AFC with a 7-2 record. “Two teams that always find a way to win. Monday Night Football, the world is watching, it’s going to be great,” says Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, adding: “I’m glad we’re playing at home.”
Can Philadelphia “Slay the Dragon”?
While both teams have made some personnel changes this offseason, the heroes remain the same. There is no favorite, but according to “sports.yahoo.com”, an Eagles win away would be more important than a Chiefs win at home. Philadelphia is said to be “a well-coached, talented team that can beat any opponent.” However, after losing in the Super Bowl, Philadelphia now needs to show that it can “slay the dragon.”
Eagles flying high against Chiefs. They are the fourth team in the last 30 years to win eight of their first nine games two seasons in a row. And take note, Philadelphia fans, the other three clubs (Dallas/1995, Denver/96, and Indianapolis/06) were champions in their second year. “You are what your past says about you. And that’s why we’re in a good position,” emphasizes Eagles coach Nick Sirianni.
Ailing Hurts trains without a knee brace
He was pleased to note Thursday that Jalen Hurts was able to practice without a knee brace. The quarterback again complained of left knee pain after a 28-23 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on November 5. He’s been struggling with this problem for weeks. Therefore, Hurts said, ideally the Eagles would not play any games last weekend. The Chiefs know that Monday’s success depends primarily on not allowing Hurts, who loves to run, to develop. “If we can limit his play no matter what, we’re doing something right,” defenseman Chris Jones said.
Of course, both teams’ press conferences over the past few days have largely focused on the Super Bowl, although the questions afterward brought back very different memories for the Eagles than they did for the Chiefs. And of course, in preparation for the new edition, the Eagles had to re-watch the footage of the 35-38 defeat on February 12 to see what to definitely avoid this time. For example, the scene in the 21st minute when Jalen Hurts tried to get around Chiefs attacking defenseman Nick Bolton, but tripped and lost the ball, which allowed Bolton to easily equalize and it was 14-14. Apart from that, Hurts played an excellent final.
Excellent Hurts with one key mistake too many
He was involved in 26 of the Eagles’ 35 points, including carrying the ball into the end zone three times for a touchdown and gaining 70 yards, more space than any quarterback ever did in the Super Bowl. However, this defeat and the resulting seven points for Chiefs were one key error too many in such a close game.
Everyone carries different wounds from that game, says Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson. But the question is how to react to it. For example, defensive end Brandon Graham candidly says that “many of us still feel the pain of defeat.” However, he doesn’t want to spend too much time dwelling on the past, preferring instead to focus on the present and the immediate future.
See you again in 84 days?
“If we do what we have to do, the pain will soon go away. Then we will have the championship trophy in our hands,” Graham said. There are 84 days left until the next Super Bowl. At this point, a matchup between Kansas City and Philadelphia would not only be a possible finale, but it would undoubtedly be the best thing that could happen to the league.
But let’s get back to the current duel. Jason Kelce doesn’t believe the “post-Super Bowl revenge” rumors. Because nothing that happens on Monday “will undo anything from the final,” adds the 36-year-old Eagles center. The fact that he and Travis Kelce had a brotherly duel against the Chiefs for the first time in the Super Bowl was one of the biggest stories surrounding the finale. Even mother Donna has appeared on many television shows.
This time, however, the brothers’ meeting takes a backseat. Instead, it’s more about Taylor Swift. As is widely known, the singer has been Travis Kelce’s girlfriend since September. Whether Swift will be at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday is one of the big questions heading into the game. Because: The 33-year-old is an Eagles fan and grew up nearly 60 miles west of Philadelphia.
But since she’s now in a relationship with her opponent’s most important professional next to Patrick Mahomes, the Philadelphia radio station has learned its lesson – at least temporarily. As of Friday at 5 p.m., “Q102” stopped playing Taylor Swift songs. “We are only interested in one duet, Kelce Swift, in our city,” the station reported. This includes Jason Kelce and running back D’Andre Swift. “Q102” announced that the Swift boycott will last until Tuesday.
