CNN
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The Philadelphia Eagles advanced to Super Bowl LVII with a 31-7 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The Eagles scored on their first possession and never looked back in a 49-run rout.
Eagles linebacker Hassan Reddick suffered a right elbow injury in the first quarter after a hit, and the 49ers were briefly sidelined. Josh Johnson, the fourth-string quarterback for San Francisco, filled in for Birdie until the third quarter before being forced out of the game with a concussion.
Playing on an injured elbow, Purdy re-entered the game, but the 49ers offense struggled to tally any points.
Meanwhile, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia run-game ran all over the 49ers defense, notching 148 rushing yards and scoring four touchdowns on the ground. With his rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter, Hurts (15) passed Cameron Newton (14) for the most rushing touchdowns in a season by a QB in NFL history, including the playoffs. According to NFL Research.
The Eagles, who are advancing to the Super Bowl for the first time since winning the 2017-18 season, will face the winner of the AFC Championship between the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs later Sunday.
Super Bowl LVII will be played on February 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
In the AFC, it’s the Bengals and Chiefs for the second straight season. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be looking for revenge after last year’s ugly loss at Arrowhead Stadium. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will need to replicate last year’s final result against Kansas City for a fourth straight win.
The Chiefs finished the regular season as the AFC’s No. 1 seed. They took a week off the wild card stage, took care of the Jaguars in the divisional round, and now they’re right where they need to be.
The only problem is that their star quarterback isn’t 100% healthy.
Mohms suffered a high ankle sprain in the Division Round. No doubt he will persevere through the pain, but any issues with his mobility will affect his playing abilities.
Mahomes needs to be creative in how he moves the ball down the field. The pressure is also on the offensive linemen to protect Mahomes. If he is outside, there is a risk of further injury.
When the Bengals are an away team and a lower seed, it would be wrong to consider them as underdogs.
In the sectional round, they disrupted the drafts and made it easier. If that game is any indication of how things will be this weekend, the Chiefs should be ready for a battle.
It is also worth noting that history favors the Bengalis. Burrow was 3-0 against Mahomes. And in three other games, Cincinnati was tied or trailing to start the fourth quarter.
The Bengals proved that despite the Chiefs getting ahead early, they cannot be counted out until the final whistle. After all, Burrow is the better quarterback than the last time the two met in the AFC title game. His numbers have improved across the board, and he’s gained experience playing at a higher level.
Ultimately, the Chiefs are an elite team with an MVP-caliber quarterback, injury or not. The Bengals are a young, talented team with history. Only time will tell which team will advance to the next level.
