Super Bowl 2025: 'Jalen Hurts will be reason Eagles win or lose Super Bowl - pressure is on him' - Voice of Asia

The NFL season is drawing to a close with Super Bowl week upon us, and it's destined to be an extraordinary week. Everyone is preparing for the grand opening of the Super Bowl, and I've been busy in New Orleans this week for it. Every day is filled with exciting moments, whether it's opening night or on Radio Row, where people are broadcasting from a huge hall to over 190 countries and territories, in 25 languages.

NFL superstars are giving interviews all day long. I was just chatting on the couch with two-time Super Bowl champion Malcolm Butler. This kind of spectacle is hard to see in everyday life or any other sport. Furthermore, the entire city is enveloped in the NFL atmosphere, with sports perfectly blended with culture, music, and cuisine, and everyone is passionate about the game and eager to share their city.

Various events are happening one after another. Thursday is the NFL Honors night, followed by a party for international guests, and then a Mardi Gras-like parade on Saturday. I'll even be riding on one of the floats. Of course, all of this is leading up to the ultimate focus – the Super Bowl game itself.

The Kansas City Chiefs are striving to achieve an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat. Many believe they will succeed, and it's likely, but we can't underestimate the Philadelphia Eagles. This will be a rematch of the game from two years ago, when the Eagles led by 10 points in the first half. But their rotation of running backs in the second half didn't work and they failed to make any progress. Now, with the addition of Saquon Barkley, the game situation is more favorable for the Eagles. No one can do what he does.

I was working on the sidelines at the NFC Championship game, and seeing him perform in person is completely different from seeing it on TV; he's simply outstanding. I can still picture the lateral movement he makes as he approaches the line of scrimmage, and then he disappears in an instant. He has excellent vision, able to follow the lead blocker, like he has a sixth sense. He possesses an extra gift, able to sense space and manipulate his body in an explosive way. His speed is unbelievable, making it difficult for any defender to handle, because no one expects a player of his size to move so quickly. It's purely athleticism. Few people can successfully tackle him, so I think Barkley is crucial for the Eagles.

If the Chiefs go all out to stop the run, it will force quarterback Jalen Hurts to pass. People have doubts about him because he doesn't get many passing opportunities, but I don't think he should be questioned just because he hasn't catered to the media's demands. Hurts almost won the season MVP and Super Bowl MVP two years ago, and I think the change in people's perception of him is ultimately due to Barkley's addition. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Hurts doesn't have to pass. When your team has Barkley, why would you? Hurts' passing attempts have decreased, but that doesn't mean his ability has declined. The Hurts we see now is still the Hurts from Super Bowl LVII, so I don't think it's fair to judge him that way. He will always have times when he holds onto the ball for too long, but I think even throughout the season, he's been trying to find a way to deal with that, trying to protect the ball, or maybe he should release the ball, or he's overthinking things. But he hasn't had the same offensive coordinator in the past five years. Look at the difference between him and Patrick Mahomes, who has maintained complete continuity throughout his career. I think the NFC Championship game was the best version of Hurts we've seen. He and Barkley each had three rushing touchdowns, and Hurts also had a passing touchdown.

But I think this is a crucial game for Hurts, because if you look at who's under the most pressure, it's Hurts. Not Barkley, not the Eagles' offensive line – those guys have been performing exceptionally well – and they have the number one-ranked defense. The Chiefs don't have pressure, because even if they don't win, they've already been to the Super Bowl five times (in six years). I think Hurts will bear the most pressure. He will be the reason the Eagles win or lose. I think the most important thing in this game is who has the final possession, who has the final offensive opportunity to advance the ball down the field. Both sides have excellent defenses, and neither quarterback is prone to making mistakes, so I think this game will be very intense.