I've written detailed previews about each team over the course of the week, so I don't think there's a lot more I can say about the games. With the previews, we try to be objective, understanding that if you're strongly biased in favor of a certain team, it can negatively impact the advice.
My personal biases: My Dad was a big Packers fan, having lived in the midwest during the Lombardi-Bart Starr era, so I became one too. I grew up in New England, at a time when I was fortunate to see the Packers on TV maybe twice a year -- a random Monday night game against the Bears, and on Sunday if they happened to play the Giants or a national favorite like the Cowboys or 49ers. Things got better for us Packers fans in the 90s and going forward, but some combination of the Favre/Rodgers drama and my interest in fantasy football ultimately ended that 30-year relationship for me. It's been 15 years since I felt loyal to a specific NFL team.
Tomorrow, I'll be rooting for the Buffalo Bills. I would not say I hate Kansas City or Patrick Mahomes or Taylor Swift. Sort of like with the Patriots a decade or so ago, I'm just tired of them. There are no more stories to tell. (Side note on the idea of the NFL wanting KC in the Super Bowl for Taylor Swift: What's the market segment not already watching this game? Are there really that many televisions tuned in to other things for a Bills Super Bowl that will be switching to a Kansas City Super Bowl for a glimpse of Swift celebrating a Kelce touchdown? Really? I feel like the ratings are going to be pretty good either way.)
I'm not much of a conspiracy person; I think their success and their presence in this game each year is mostly due to an excellent coaching staff and clutch quarterback. There have been other dynasties and mini-dynasties over the years and I think it gets to a point where one team believes it will win and makes the necessary plays at critical moments, while the other second-guesses and plays too conservatively and lets them off the hook. The Bills certainly have the ability to win this game; they just need to actually go out there and do it on the field. I'm picking Buffalo to win 26-23.
With the other game, I don't know if I'm making too much of Jalen Hurts' knee injury, or if the rest of the world isn't making enough of it. He's practicing fully, but that doesn't mean he's taking off on 40-yard runs and he's obviously not getting touched. Hurts himself says he'll be playing with a brace on his knee. And yet, he still has an over-under (last I checked) of 30.5 rushing yards, and the Eagles are favored by 5-6 points, so either most bettors aren't thinking much about these things, or don't believe it's a big deal. I think a running quarterback with a knee injury who looked like he couldn't move at all at the end of the win over the Rams is something to be concerned about. I know that Jayden Daniels will be running around. I'm picking Washington to cover, definitely, and I believe they can win the game outright. But with the Eagles having the better defense and Saquon Barkley, my lean is they'll win this game 24-20.
With my one-and-done competition, I'm middle of the pack in about a 24-team competition, so I need to take some chances. The biggest one I'm taking, unless I chicken out between now and tomorrow, is starting Josh Allen. The reason it's risky is that I've already used Daniels, so by using Allen I run the risk of not having a quarterback available to me in the Super Bowl (if the Bills and Commanders win). The "safe" choice would be using Jalen Hurts (I can then use either AFC quarterback in the Super Bowl), and I admit I may still do that. But I need to make up points, and as noted am concerned about Hurts' injury, so I feel like I need to use Allen and get the bigger points this week, figuring that either Kansas City or Philadelphia will win and I'll have a Super Bowl quarterback available to me.
(Rest of my lineup, for those who care: Robinson and Ekeler at running back (I'll have Bills or KC backs available in the Super Bowl), Shakir-Dyami-Worthy at WR (I'll have Eagles and/or other Buffalo/KC wideouts), Kelce at TE (I'll have either Bill, Goedert, or worst case Noah Gray). I'm using Bass and the Bills D (used Butker and KC last week, so I'll have NFC kicker and Defense next week).)
Dallas Goedert (ankle) says he's playing, which is good enough for me. Eagles will also have rookie corner Quinyon Mitchell (shoulder). I don't think there are any other noteworthy injuries, although I wonder if Isiah Pacheco is bothered by a rib injury he picked up against Pittsburgh (didn't look good last week and wound up touching the ball a lot less than Kareem Hunt).
Anyway, the reason I laid out my NFL background is to point out that while I have my biases, like all of us, I at least attempt to keep them out of my projections, and it's not hard because I usually don't have a heavy personal favorite. I'd like to see a Bills-Commanders Super Bowl, with Bills-Eagles 2nd, but it's really just a weariness with Kansas City storylines.
So here's hoping for two great games tomorrow, and a Super Bowl we can all root for. And storylines about how great the players on both teams were. Rather than officials, girlfriends, or critical mistakes.
Enjoy the games.