Why is the 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk so sure that the Chiefs will beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl?

Although he had a first-hand account of just how good the Eagles are - the NFC Championship Game ended in a 31-7 Philly win - the 49ers’ wide receiver is not convinced that they are a sure bet to win the Super Bowl. In fact, if you ask him, it’s quite the opposite.

49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk is all in against the Eagles

One would think, that being on the field for an NFC Championship Game trashing would leave you at least moderately impressed, by the team that handed it to you. Yet, to hear 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk tell it, the Philadelphia Eagles aren’t as good as people think and moreover, don’t have what it takes to lift the Vince Lombardi trophy. Speaking during a recent appearance on the SF Niners podcast, Aiyuk was asked who he thought would win Super Bowl LVII. Interestingly, the wide out was so sure that the Chiefs would win, that he said he’d bet everything he owns on them to do so. Of course, NFL players aren’t actually allowed to bet on games, so there is an element of cheek here, but you get the point, Aiyuk is sure.

“Hypothetically speaking, if I were going to bet on this game, I’d go take everything that I own, get it in cash and put my money on the Kansas City Chiefs,” Aiyuk said. It’s worth mentioning, that his reasoning wasn’t about being a sore loser, but rather because he thinks the Chiefs can take apart what has otherwise been a brutal Eagles defense all year. “I don’t know fully about that [Eagles] defense,” Aiyuk said. “They talk about them being a good defense, I’m not too sure. I think the pass game, this Kansas City pass game, will expose what we thought we were going to be able to expose before some unfortunate circumstances happened.” Aiyuk was of course referring to the unfortunate injury that was suffered by 49ers quarterback, Brock Purdy, just six plays into the NFC title game. On the other hand, he’s got no way of knowing that things wouldn’t have gone the same way, even if Purdy hadn’t got hurt.

Is Brandon Aiyuk right about the Chiefs being better?

If we look at the Chiefs, we’re talking about an offense that has led the NFL in passing yards, total yards and points scored. That’s to say, the Eagles are about to have the most difficult test of their season. That, however, does not mean they aren’t about to face a daunting examination of their own. That “good defense” that Aiyuk referred to, has been nothing short of historic this season. On the year, the Eagles are currently sitting on 78 sacks, which is just four shy of the record for the most sacks in a single season, set by the Chicago Bears in 1984. Incidentally, with three sacks in the Super Bowl the Eagles could tie for 2nd place - curiously held by the 1985 Bears. The point here, is that it would be a mistake to think the Chiefs are going to have an easy ride. If they want it, they’re definitely going to have to work for it.

Ultimately, that was something even Aiyuk could acknowledge when finally conceded that the Eagles are indeed capable of winning the big game. Of course, it was not without a parting shot. “You got to get lucky to win the Super Bowl, and they got extremely lucky last week [in the NFC title game], so who’s to say they can’t do it twice,” Aiyuk said, before also admitting that he was nothing more than an outsider looking in. After all, he and his team did lose their chance to play the Chiefs. “I’m sitting on the couch, I have no room to talk about anybody playing next week,” he said. Either way you cut it, Aiyuk should probably watch himself over the next few days on social media. We’re betting some Eagles fans are going to have a few things to say.