Finally, kickoff is near.

          Weeks of redundant overanalyzing and underthinking are finally here, nobody offering much real enlightenment for a game with two deserving and underappreciated teams.

          There are those who are severely anti-Kansas City. I, without an agenda or a team but somebody who likes good traits – like work ethic, organization, consistency, open-mindedness – that lead to success, I’m not.

          Sure, I’d like less of The Girlfriend, but blame that on the brutal teevee blatherers. It’s not that we see her for a long time, but we see her 50 times doing what fans do: cheering.     

          We need less fan shots in every game anyway. But teevee shoves crap down our throats, either more stuff about teevee people – oh, the love of teevee people for teevee people – or celebs, for they are unable to grasp what we want.

          Sure, I get that people are weary of seeing Kansas City. But, um, the best get the most attention. This isn’t new, although the petty grousing indicates some are unaware that the best get the most attention.

          It’s exhausting that so many wake up triggered, unable to still offer some respect for a team that seems to do it the right way. Moan about not aspiring to greatness, then moan about greatness achieved.

          We have a team not in a big market winning. Folks should like that a lot more.

          Patrick Mahomes is likable, personally and in that he’s not a normal quarterback who does normal things all the time.

          He’s a quarterback who often turns into a football player, and that’s good. He squeaks, is good to people, runs funny, and does mind-blowing things on the field.

          You should like that more.

          Andy Reid is dang Santa Claus, for the NFL and pro sports. Wipe the crumbs off, and you want to sit on his lap and talk. He brings us the gift of brilliance and humility and being a person first. He uses all the tools in the playbook and all the tools of his team.

          Understated brilliance.

          He’s a national treasure. Shoot, he takes away some of the cringe of the State Farm commercials. Bundleroooski, anyone?

          Kansas City is in every game because the Chiefs are well-coached, but coachable, which means players listen and – hmmm – do their jobs.

          Organization, open-mindedness, professionalism, teamwork, chemistry. Those are, really and truly, good traits. Clearly not considered good traits by too many people, but in reality, good traits.

          And worthy of respect. Alas, too many can’t handle that. Good traits aren’t good traits for everybody any more.

          Yes, it seems they get some calls, but here’s another apparent news flash. The best, players and teams, get more calls. Always have, always will. Note, though, that the Chiefs make a lot of plays other teams don’t make, and a lot of teams don’t make the fundamental plays.

          Leave the door open for KC, the Chiefs don’t dance around or overthink it, they go in.

          Of course, Kansas City would win fewer games IF TEAMS COVERED THE HALL OF FRIGGIN’ FAME TIGHT END on a regular basis.

          But there’s little not to like about Kansas City. Hating because a person/group does the right thing and is successful is kind of embarrassing, juvenile, and sad. Jealousy is unattractive.

          There are those who are severely anti-Philadephia.    

          OK, but let’s take the fan base out of the equation.

          I’d like the Eagles to win because of Jalen Hurts.

          Guy loses his job in the middle of the biggest game of his career, and now he’s in his second Super Bowl in three years. Come on.

          Overcame that, assorted issues with Philadelphia, injuries, and he remains stoic – would like to see him have a little more enjoyment – and keeps leading the team.

          Those are good traits. Good traits are supposed to be acknowledged and appreciated.

          Let us thank the Giants for being the Giants and letting Saquon Barkley go, and enter our lives. Surely he’s thanking the Giants a few times a day.

          It’s hard not to like the power runner who takes us back to some old-school football. And daggum, that spin move followed by the backwards hurdle makes you almost tingly.

          Embrace the return of the running game, which goes against assorted “analysis”, as well as mismanagement in drafting and developing running backs. See, GM also stands for “general moron.”

          Then there are the Philly Dawgs, a collection of likable players who played hard at Georgia and were hungry to win, and took that to Philadelphia.

          The Eagles are winning for a variety of reasons, and yes, Georgia alums are a big par of it. Not, as in the minds of some in red and black, the main reason, but a big part, for their play and chemistry and work ethic.

          There’s some Bulldawg beasty on this team.

          I’d like to see Nick Sirianni win, because he catches so much crap for not being smooth or huggable or, well, shaved and sparkly.

          He’s the NFL’s Ryan Day. Wins, and catches hell for it. He’s won 70 percent of his games. His coaching career started out at Mount Union and progressed to Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

          He’s been in the league since then, starting out with Kansas City in 2009. Damn, must be a little brighter than the fiction-spewing “media” hacks and grumps on social media.

          No, he didn’t take a public relations class in college. Neither did Bill Belichick, among others. He’s stumbled a little bit. On the way to his second Super Bowl in three years while winning 70 percent of the time.

          Philly has quality chemistry, even amid some disagreements. And having a player read on the bench – people, teams are not talking strategy every second on the sidelines – is good. Whatever makes somebody feel better and perform better.

          It’s understood why that became such a big deal. Reading is again another one of those good things not considered good by a lot of folks.

           As somebody who recognizes work ethic and good management and chemistry and organization and has no team or anti-team agenda, I’m fine with either team winning.

          It’s OK to be a fan and not be hateful and petty and jealous before rolling out of bed. It really is.

          We’ll now trade the mindless weeks of airheads on the airwaves – the written coverage is, as always, so much better, a reminder that attention spans are good things – for too much Girlfriend and too much Tom Brad saying nothing and getting smooched from colleagues for it

Now, the game.

          The reality is that all games come down to the same lists of boxes to be checked, a few occasionally more prevalent than others. But some games have specific differences, with unit and player matchups, more than just checking those boxes.

          If Philadelphia gets an early lead, it needs to keep the foot on the gas. Period. Have a 7-point lead, go make it 10. Have a 21-point lead, go make it 24 or 28.

          Don’t overthink/underthink any math and pull a Raheem Morris. Change the pace and eat – nibble and munch, don’t gobble – some clock a little bit with a solid lead, but only a little bit. Take no possessions off no matter the lead, except a kneeldown at the end.

          Don’t stop playing on defense until Mahomes hands the ref the ball. Go man to man on Mahomes, and bring the defender closer to the pocket so Mahomes has some traffic when he starts scrambling, and maybe a defender can peel off a block at a stutter-stepping Mahomes and make a play.

          Inspire traffic jams.

          Then do what defenses have been allergic to, and, yeah, COVER THE HALL OF FRIGGIN’ FAME TIGHT END.

          Dear Lord, it’s astounding, the coaching and strategic fraud of how open Travis Kelce gets by doing absolutely nothing except waiting for defenders to run away from him.

          He makes tough catches and gets yards, yes. Not arguing how good he is, but he’s open because he’s allowed to be. There should never, ever be the phrase “He found an open spot in the zone” uttered, because THERE SHOULD NEVER BE A OPEN SPOT FOR A HALL OF FAME TIGHT END.

          Hit him at the line every snap, and keep a body on him, not watching the quarterback until the sideline yells “Go!”, which means Mahomes has crossed the line of scrimmage. Don’t let him curl free because a defender turned to watch Mahomes.

          Cover until the play is over.

          And, just cover. The two things that lose more games are inexplicable coverage – see “Falcons, 2024” – that suddenly doesn’t exist, and tackling by people who apparently took a big ol’ Valium 20 minutes ago.

          Tackle and cover. And win.        

          Somebody other than Barkley or Hurts will have to get some rushing yards for Philadelphia. Throw to Barkley. Fake throws to Barkley. Let’s run a Philly Special early.

          And go ahead, Philadelphia, and take one or two possible penalties by hitting Mahomes. Sure, there’s the extremely rare chance a flag might not be called for less contact than a waltz, but a message early allows for plenty of time to make up for 15 or 30 yards.

          No cheap shot, no late hit – late in our eyes, not the officials’, because early seems to be late with them – and no launching. Just a football hit, as football hits are for those not named Patrick or Tom. Help him up with a “See you in a minute” and wink, and come right back.

          Let him know, but cleanly. It’s still football.

          There is no upset here, so don’t ask “can …” because both can. Both can win by a couple touchdowns, which doesn’t mean it was a rout. Kansas City has been fortunate all year, but it’s such a good fundamental organization that if you leave the door open, company’s coming, and wearing red.

          And they’ll deny it, but yeah, some Eagles will clench up if we get into that dreaded game-winning-drive scenario late, be it a touchdown or field goal by KC to win.

          People will scream and curse at the TV if that scenario develops.

          Don’t be surprised if the game-clinching play doesn’t come from one of the headliners, and watch the play away from the headliners. And remember the normal list of boxes to be checked. The winner won’t be the winner despite a bunch of things, like despite turnovers or penalties.

          It needn’t be sexy or explosive, just efficient, another lost art.

          All that said – and said better until the dummy author blew 90 minutes of writing and lost the better original version of this and had to start over – one must pick a winner.

          Philadelphia 30, Kansas City 24.