Chiefs vs. Eagles Super Bowl LVII: Bet On This Cross-Sport Parlay (+264):
Best Bet: Parlay Chiefs +1.5 at -110 & Fighting Irish +4.5 at -110 at +264 odds with BetOnline
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, February 12, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona
Philadelphia's Overrated Defense
The favored Eagles are attracting bettors' interest largely as a result of the hype surrounding their defense.
Their defense did perform well against some good teams.
But consideration of those good performances should be guided by some other crucial considerations.
For example, the Eagles did stymy Minnesota with its high-scoring office, but that game took place on Monday Night Football, and Viking quarterback Kirk Cousins struggles historically on Monday Night Football.
Likewise, the Eagles held Jacksonville to 21 points, but Jaguar quarterback Trevor Lawrence gets a bit overrated in the sense that he regularly struggles against higher-level pass defenses.
When Philadelphia did play a combination of strong quarterback play and strong running back play, opposing offenses could thrive.
So, for example, when its starting quarterback was healthy, Dallas scored 34 on Philly.
Green Bay also scored 33 points against the Eagles, and Detroit scored 35 against them.
This tendency to struggle against the NFL's better offenses must be concerning in view of Kansas City's top-level combo at quarterback and running back.
Chief Pass Attack
One might try to insist that Philadelphia has excellent outside cornerbacks who are sure to succeed.
Even if we grant this point, one must still wonder about the middle of the field.
Perhaps most crucially, Eagle backers lack an explanation for how their team will stop Chief star tight end Travis Kelce.
Philadelphia ranks mediocre in defending tight ends, yet Kelce, based on his number of receptions and receiving yards, is one of the NFL's top pass-catchers.
Also, Patrick Mahomes as grown into a quarterback who comfortably checks it down.
Chief running back Jerick McKinnon leads NFL running backs in receiving touchdowns.
Mahomes' ability to get rid of the ball quickly to a running back -- or to Kelce -- will help his offense offset the threat posed by Philadelphia's pass rush -- and Philly's pass rush, based on its disparity between sack total and pressure rate and based on its tendency to stat-pad against inferior offenses -- is quite overrated.
Chief Run Game
Even more so than its pass defense, Philadelphia's run defense is vulnerable.
The Eagles rank 23rd in rush success rate.
This year's Chief squad possesses an excellent running back in Isiah Pacheco, who averaged 4.9 YPC in the regular season.
His mixture of physicality and top-end speed will make the Chief offense all the more difficult to stop.
Jalen Hurts
In terms of injuries, people focus on Mahomes, whose ankle is getting extra time to recover.
The key injury is rather that to Jalen Hurts' throwing arm.
As evident in his last game against the 49ers, he lacks the inclination or the ability to throw deep balls.
This injury-induced disinclination and inability makes star wide receiver AJ Brown and the whole Philly offense easier to defend.
Plus, based on his sack per pass attempt ratio, is vulnerable to being sacked, and the Chief pass rush actually ranks right around Philly's in terms of pressure rate.
Supported by surprisingly good cornerback play from youngsters, veteran safeties who know how to disguise coverages, and the general cleverness of their defensive coordinator, Kansas City's pass rushers -- Frank Clark and Chris Jones, especially -- will bother Hurts.
The higher-ranked Chief run defense will also help take away Hurts' support.
Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Saturday, February 11, 2023 at 2 p.m. ET at Joyce Center in South Bend
Hokie Road Woes
Home underdogs automatically have value against Virginia Tech because the Hokies have yet to win a road game.
Virginia Tech even lost at Charleston and by 10 at Syracuse.
Lack of Bigs
Notre Dame's interior defense ranks so poorly because it has an obvious disadvantage: its starting center is a thin three-point shooter, a 230-pounder who lacks the physical toolkit to handle strong centers.
Virginia Tech lacks the personnel to take advantage.
The Hokies' center is about the same size as Notre Dame's.
Three-Point Shooting
Notre Dame's defense will have the edge as a result of its attentiveness to limiting opposing three-point attempts, which is typical under its current coaching staff.
But the Hokie perimeter defense has been vulnerable especially on the road, allowing offenses like Syracuse to be efficient from behind the arc.
The Fighting Irish love to attempt threes, and have the careful patience to protect the ball and hunt for the right shot.
Led by shooting guard Marcus Hammond, Notre Dame boasts three different players who convert over 39 percent of their three-point attempts.
Best Bet: Parlay Chiefs +1.5 at -110 & Fighting Irish +4.5 at -110 at +264 odds with BetOnline
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, February 12, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona
Philadelphia's Overrated Defense
The favored Eagles are attracting bettors' interest largely as a result of the hype surrounding their defense.
Their defense did perform well against some good teams.
But consideration of those good performances should be guided by some other crucial considerations.
For example, the Eagles did stymy Minnesota with its high-scoring office, but that game took place on Monday Night Football, and Viking quarterback Kirk Cousins struggles historically on Monday Night Football.
Likewise, the Eagles held Jacksonville to 21 points, but Jaguar quarterback Trevor Lawrence gets a bit overrated in the sense that he regularly struggles against higher-level pass defenses.
When Philadelphia did play a combination of strong quarterback play and strong running back play, opposing offenses could thrive.
So, for example, when its starting quarterback was healthy, Dallas scored 34 on Philly.
Green Bay also scored 33 points against the Eagles, and Detroit scored 35 against them.
This tendency to struggle against the NFL's better offenses must be concerning in view of Kansas City's top-level combo at quarterback and running back.
Chief Pass Attack
One might try to insist that Philadelphia has excellent outside cornerbacks who are sure to succeed.
Even if we grant this point, one must still wonder about the middle of the field.
Perhaps most crucially, Eagle backers lack an explanation for how their team will stop Chief star tight end Travis Kelce.
Philadelphia ranks mediocre in defending tight ends, yet Kelce, based on his number of receptions and receiving yards, is one of the NFL's top pass-catchers.
Also, Patrick Mahomes as grown into a quarterback who comfortably checks it down.
Chief running back Jerick McKinnon leads NFL running backs in receiving touchdowns.
Mahomes' ability to get rid of the ball quickly to a running back -- or to Kelce -- will help his offense offset the threat posed by Philadelphia's pass rush -- and Philly's pass rush, based on its disparity between sack total and pressure rate and based on its tendency to stat-pad against inferior offenses -- is quite overrated.
Chief Run Game
Even more so than its pass defense, Philadelphia's run defense is vulnerable.
The Eagles rank 23rd in rush success rate.
This year's Chief squad possesses an excellent running back in Isiah Pacheco, who averaged 4.9 YPC in the regular season.
His mixture of physicality and top-end speed will make the Chief offense all the more difficult to stop.
Jalen Hurts
In terms of injuries, people focus on Mahomes, whose ankle is getting extra time to recover.
The key injury is rather that to Jalen Hurts' throwing arm.
As evident in his last game against the 49ers, he lacks the inclination or the ability to throw deep balls.
This injury-induced disinclination and inability makes star wide receiver AJ Brown and the whole Philly offense easier to defend.
Plus, based on his sack per pass attempt ratio, is vulnerable to being sacked, and the Chief pass rush actually ranks right around Philly's in terms of pressure rate.
Supported by surprisingly good cornerback play from youngsters, veteran safeties who know how to disguise coverages, and the general cleverness of their defensive coordinator, Kansas City's pass rushers -- Frank Clark and Chris Jones, especially -- will bother Hurts.
The higher-ranked Chief run defense will also help take away Hurts' support.
Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Saturday, February 11, 2023 at 2 p.m. ET at Joyce Center in South Bend
Hokie Road Woes
Home underdogs automatically have value against Virginia Tech because the Hokies have yet to win a road game.
Virginia Tech even lost at Charleston and by 10 at Syracuse.
Lack of Bigs
Notre Dame's interior defense ranks so poorly because it has an obvious disadvantage: its starting center is a thin three-point shooter, a 230-pounder who lacks the physical toolkit to handle strong centers.
Virginia Tech lacks the personnel to take advantage.
The Hokies' center is about the same size as Notre Dame's.
Three-Point Shooting
Notre Dame's defense will have the edge as a result of its attentiveness to limiting opposing three-point attempts, which is typical under its current coaching staff.
But the Hokie perimeter defense has been vulnerable especially on the road, allowing offenses like Syracuse to be efficient from behind the arc.
The Fighting Irish love to attempt threes, and have the careful patience to protect the ball and hunt for the right shot.
Led by shooting guard Marcus Hammond, Notre Dame boasts three different players who convert over 39 percent of their three-point attempts.
