CNN
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The Philadelphia Eagles advanced to Super Bowl LVII with a 31-7 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.
The Eagles scored on their first possession and didn’t look back in the 49ers rout.
The 49ers were without rookie starting quarterback Brock Purdy for now because he injured his right elbow in the first quarter and a hit from Eagles guard Hasson Redick forced him to fumble. Josh Johnson, San Francisco’s fourth quarterback, covered for Purdy until the third quarter before being ruled out with a concussion.
Purdy returned to the game with an elbow injury, but the 49ers offense struggled to score.
Meanwhile, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hertz and the Philadelphia running back ran all over the 49ers’ defense, rushing for 148 yards and scoring four touchdowns. With a rushing touchdown run in the fourth quarter, Hurts (15) passed Cameron Newton (14) for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season in NFL history, including playoffs , According to NFL research.
The Eagles, who advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time since winning it in 2017-18, will face the AFC champions later Sunday between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Super Bowl LVII will be played on February 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
In the AFC, it was the second straight season between the Bengals and Chiefs. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will seek revenge after last year’s disastrous loss at Arrowhead Stadium. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will be looking to replicate last year’s final result with a fourth straight win over Kansas City.
The Chiefs finished the regular season as the No. 1 team in the AFC. 1 seed. They got a week off in the wild-card stage, beat the Jaguars in the division round, and are exactly where they want to be.
The only problem is their star quarterback isn’t 100% healthy.
Mahomes suffered a sprained ankle in the divisional round. No doubt he’ll hang on through the pain, but any mobility issues with him will affect his playmaking.
Mahomes has to get creative with the way he gets the ball down the field. Offensive linebackers are also under pressure to protect Mahomes. If he is exposed, the risk of further injury increases.
While the Bengals are a visiting team and a lower seed, it would be incorrect to view them as underdogs.
In the division round, they beat the Bills and made it look easy. If that game is any indicator of how things are going this weekend, the Chiefs should be ready to fight.
It’s also worth noting that history favors the Bengals. Burrow beat Mahomes 3-0. In all three games, Cincinnati has either tied or trailed to start the fourth quarter.
Even with the Chiefs taking an early lead, the Bengals have proven they can’t be knocked out before the final whistle. Most importantly, Burrow is a 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 more experience playing at a high level.
Ultimately, the Chiefs are an elite team with an MVP-caliber quarterback, injured or not. The Bengals are a young, talented team with a rich history behind them. Only time will tell which team has what it takes to make it to the next stage.