With the Pro Bowl behind us, the NFL train has departed for its final destination in the 2024-2025 season — the Super Bowl.
The two remaining teams are no strangers to success.
In a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, the Philadelphia Eagles look to avenge a heartbreaking 38-35 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Many teams have fallen to the Chiefs’ modern-day dynasty, but can Philly finally get their revenge this year, or will Patrick Mahomes continue to devastate the competition and chase after Tom Brady’s GOAT status?
It’s anybody’s calculation, but here’s what I think about Sunday’s game.
Let’s start with the fan-favorite underdogs to lift this year’s Lombardi trophy.
With the exception of a loss to the Commanders in Week 16, the Eagles haven’t lost a game since September.
When discussing the formula behind such success, people can point out a few things, but the number one factor for me has been the run game.
The last time these two teams met in the Super Bowl, quarterback Jalen Hurts led Philadelphia with 70 rushing yards, while their three running backs combined for 45 yards in 17 carries.
But this time around, an X-factor has made matters much different.
Saquon Barkley, a player that New York villainized after leaving the Giants to sign with the rival Eagles, has battled through adversity to have an all-time season.
He became one of just nine players to ever cross the 2,000 rushing yard mark in a single season, and even had a chance to break Eric Dickerson’s record against his former team.
Staying true to his humble character, he passed up on the opportunity to make history for the sake of staying healthy for the playoffs.
This season, Barkley scored an NFL-record seven touchdowns of 60 yards or more, a few of which have come after breaking multiple tackles. The Chiefs will need to mitigate his impact on the game, which they have often done to opposing running backs.
Kansas City allows the ninth fewest rushing yards per game, but this can’t discourage the Eagles from leaning into what they are: a run-first team.
Combine one of the league’s best backfield players with a dynamic quarterback in Hurts — this is their bread and butter. That’s without even mentioning the “unstoppable” tush-push, when the team needs to grind out a yard or two.
If they want to claim the trophy this time, Philadelphia will have to execute during obvious passing downs, and although I expect Barkley to do the heavy lifting, Brown and Smith will play major roles sooner or later on Sunday.
Now over to the reigning champions, the team looking to complete the first three-peat in Super Bowl history, the team you can never count out even when they seem down: the Kansas City Chiefs.
Last year, Patrick Mahomes dealt with one of the less-talented teams he’s had during his career.
Future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce ended the season with his least receiving yards since 2015. Emerging rookie Rashee Rice had a decent regular season, but apart from their first round matchup against Miami, he was a non-factor in the rest of the playoffs. Running back Isaiah Pacheco offered a nice compliment to the passing game, but nothing extraordinary.
All Mahomes managed to do with this was defeat the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl.
This year, the situation has gotten even worse: Rice went down with a torn ACL in Week 4. Kelce finished with even less yards than last season. Pacheco has played seven regular season games, and has put up 30 yards in two playoff games so far.
Still, Mahomes has led them to the top seed with the best record in the league and, once again, brought them to the Super Bowl.
But for Kansas City, I believe it’s their defense, not their offense, that they will need to lean on.
I wouldn’t call them elite, but Steve Spagnolo’s group ranks top-10 in most defensive categories that matter: points per game, TDs per game and red zone scoring percentage.
Yet, the Chiefs still feel like an underdog.
Fans all across the United States attribute the team’s success to luck or terrible officiating, but maybe we all need a reality check.
This is the best situational football team, perhaps, that we’ve ever seen. It doesn’t matter how, or when, but the Chiefs always come up with answers when the toughest questions are asked. They do it again, and again and again.
So, why is there so much hate around this particular dynasty?
Many fans, myself included, are tired of seeing the same team continue to win, so we look left and right for reasons to tear them down and not give them the praise they deserve.
However, we can’t kid ourselves. The Chiefs are the more experienced team, and they will find a way to keep it close.
You can’t count Mahomes out until 0s hit the clock, and though his team will get outplayed, he’ll continue to follow after Brady with a fourth SB Victory.
Final score: Chiefs – 27, Eagles – 23
