Who will surprise in the Super Bowl?

By: Jake Rajala

The big dance is nearly a week away. The Kansas City Chiefs want to win their third straight Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles want to win a Super Bowl after being there a few years ago. With that said, I’m going to untwine five x-factors from the Super Bowl match-up.

Xavier Worthy

2 catches. That is how many catches that Travis Kelce had last week. It’s clear that defenses are keying in on stopping Kelce. This will leave a lot of room for Xavier Worthy to shine. Worthy had 85 receiving yards and a touchdown last week. Expect Worthy to get the ball in screens and reverses.

Jordan Davis

The Chiefs offense won’t let Jalen Carter dismantle their offense. Hence, there will be a lot of double teams on Carter, which will open up room for Jordan Davis to push the pocket back, stop the run, and get in the face of Patrick Mahomes. The Eagles DL was the reason they beat Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. Perhaps the Eagles DL still has magic leftover to ruin the Chiefs party.

DeVonta Smith

DeVonta Smith is a borderline x-factor. He’s very gifted, but he doesn’t get enough touches. Jalen Hurts doesn’t throw 300+ yards a game. I believe that Smith will make a few sideline catches that will help the Philly offense.

Justin Reid

The play-action game will be lethal from the Eagles. With that said, they will surely take a few shots deep down the field. Justin Reid isn’t the Honey Badger, but he is a modest player. He can bring the boom. PFF gave him a modest grade of 76.9 for his 2024 performance.

Brandon Graham

The veteran Brandon Graham is optimistic about playing in the Super Bowl! He broke down the team in practice. He was on pace for a modest season – as he acquired 3.5 sacks, 7 QB hits, and six TFLs in 11 games a season ago.

The NFL is taken over by x-factors all the time. We can’t forget Malcom Smith, Malcolm Butler, or James White shining and helping their team get a taste of Super Bowl glory.