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For the third time in four seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs are AFC champions and will play in the Super Bowl. The Chiefs overcame great adversity to get to this point, including a Patrick Mahomes ankle injury in the playoffs, but, as they have many times before, they overcame it. Now, they have a chance to win another ring and add to their legacy.
This time around, the Chiefs will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57. Both of these teams finished as the first seed in their conferences with 14-3 records, but what's even more interesting is the storylines in this game. Andy Reid against his former squad, the Kelce brothers against each other and more highlight this star-studded matchup.
With both teams being among the league's elite, this game should be a close one. Both teams will need all hands on deck for this game, on both offense and defense. For the Chiefs especially, they need everyone's A-game due to the amount of weapons the Eagles have.
There's no doubt that the Chiefs' offensive stars such as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce need to be at their best on Sunday. However, containing Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' offense might be even more important to winning this game. In that regard, one player stands out as the Chiefs' biggest X-factor.
Without further ado, let's meet that player and explain why he's so crucial.
Chiefs X-Factor vs. Eagles: Chris Jones
When it comes to the Chiefs' defense, Chris Jones is undoubtedly the heart of the unit. The defensive tackle has been a star in Kansas City, with four Pro-Bowl selections in seven seasons. While he was already spectacular, he has taken his game to a new level this season.
Jones had a monster 2022 season, finishing with 44 tackles, 29 QB hits and 15.5 sacks. All of those at least tied for career-highs. He earned another Pro-Bowl nod, his first First-Team All-Pro nod and finished as a Defensive Player of the Year finalist. While he came up short of winning the award, he still put together an absolutely incredible campaign.
Kansas City needs Jones to continue his amazing performance this season in the Super Bowl. The Eagles have one of the best offenses in the entire league, and containing them is critical. To do so, Jones will need to have a big impact in both the run and passing games.
For the run game, Jones is the Chiefs' best run-stopper. He finished the regular season with 17 tackles for loss, nearly double the next-closest player on the roster. He'll face his greatest test yet against an Eagles team that has averaged 208 rushing yards per game in the playoffs.
Jones will also have a huge impact on how the Eagles design their running plays. His mere presence could deter the Eagles from running up the middle, forcing them to focus more on runs outside the tackles. This could severely limit Philadelphia's creativity, and even if Jones doesn't rack up the stats. That's a huge impact on its own.
As for the passing game, Jones also doubles as Kansas City's best pass-rusher. He finished with the fourth-most sacks in the entire league, and the most among defensive tackles. Jones will have the unenviable task of bringing down the elusive Hurts, but he can definitely do it.
Another big challenge for Jones is Philadelphia's offensive line as a whole. The Eagles had the best offensive line in the entire league this season, according to Pro Football Focus. Lane Johnson, Jason Kelce and Landon Dickerson were all Pro-Bowlers, and the former two were first-team All-Pros. Jones should primarily match up with Kelce and the offensive guards, and this will be a key matchup to watch.
However, arguably the biggest challenge may be Jones' own health. He just told reporters on Thursday that he was feeling under the weather, which puts his effectiveness on Sunday in question. If he isn't at full strength, then that could be a disaster for Kansas City.
That said, Jones just had one of the best games of his life in the AFC Championship Game. The star defensive tackle totaled four tackles and two sacks against the Cincinnati Bengals, helping the Chiefs slay their demons. If he's healthy and can replicate that performance, the Chiefs will be sitting pretty.
