There has been some angst about the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs this season.
The Eagles aren’t as dominant as last season. The Chiefs’ offense hasn’t really come along.
And yet, both teams have mastered a skill that many other teams in the NFL this season have not: They win games.
The Eagles are 8-1, the Chiefs are 7-2 and the Detroit Lions are the only other team with fewer than three losses.
It’s really not that bad in Philly or Kansas City.
Last season’s Super Bowl teams meet again Monday night in what might be the best matchup of the NFL season.
The Chiefs are 2.5-point home favorites at BetMGM.
We all remember the last time these teams met.
Jalen Hurts was amazing and was the rare player from a losing team who probably deserved Super Bowl MVP.
Patrick Mahomes did win Super Bowl MVP, rallying his team in the fourth quarter on a bad ankle.
The Chiefs won on a field goal in the final seconds.
The biggest question for the rematch could be Kansas City’s offense.
The discussion about that group is probably a little overblown.
Kansas City is still a very good offense that ranks 11th in points scored and eighth in yards.
But it does seem like a step down from the typical Chiefs offense with Mahomes.
The Chiefs have scored 20 or fewer points four times this season, including just nine points against the Broncos (Mahomes was dealing with the flu in that game).
If the Eagles can limit Travis Kelce, the Chiefs are going to have to figure out other options, and their supporting players haven’t always been reliable this season.
The question is if the Eagles have the defense to limit what the Chiefs do.
They’re 17th in points allowed, 14th in yards allowed and 19th in DVOA. It has been an average-at-best defense.
The offense has been fine, especially with A.J. Brown having an incredible season, but there’s a reason an 8-1 team has just a +57 point differential.
The Eagles have been good and keep winning games but have rarely been dominant this season.
It will be a tremendous game. Both teams have their flaws, but fewer flaws than just about everyone else in the NFL.
The winner will look like a decent bet to make it back to the Super Bowl.
While a great NFL game is the highlight of the day, don’t sleep on the college basketball schedule.
There are multiple tournaments getting started Monday, including the Maui Invitational, which has an absolutely loaded field.
Purdue vs. Gonzaga would be a title game in most early season tournaments; at the Maui it’s just a game on Monday. Purdue is a 4.5-point favorite.
That might not even be the best game in Hawaii on Monday. UCLA takes on Marquette on Monday night.
The Golden Eagles are 5.5-point favorites and they look like they could win the Big East again this season.
