3 Super Bowl x-factors who have to step up for Philadelphia Eagles

1. Jalen Hurts has to be great for the Eagles

The first thing Hurts must do if he wants to lead the Eagles to victory is to dismiss any fantasy that he needs to outduel Mahomes in an aerial battle. Hurts must stick to what’s made him so efficient all season long if he’s going to win a Super Bowl title.

Specifically, Hurts needs to use his legs to keep the Chiefs’ pass rush off balance. Look for Philadelphia to get their star quarterback going with some designed runs and bootlegs early on. That should help the young signal-caller calm his nerves in the first quarter of the biggest game of his life.

Hurts wasn’t asked to do much against San Francisco with his arm due to the lopsided score. He finished the game with just 121 yards passing on 25 attempts. The Eagles would love to keep his passing attempts down again in the Super Bowl, but the reality is he’ll likely need to put the ball in the air a lot more against Kansas City to keep up with the Chiefs’ scoring attack.

There’s always pressure on quarterbacks in the Super Bowl and Hurts will feel it acutely in the lead-up to the game as people compare him to Mahomes. He needs to prioritize efficiency over a big stat line if the Eagles are going to pull off the upset. It might also take one or two big plays over the top from Hurts to secure a victory for Philadelphia.