The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs are gearing up for a rematch, having punched their tickets to Super Bowl LIX. Both teams look to make history, with the Chiefs hoping to be the first team to ever win three Super Bowls in a row, and with the Eagles’ Saquon Barkley only 29 yards away from the all-time rushing record including the postseason.
In last week’s NFC Championship, the Eagles defeated the Washington Commanders in dominant fashion with a 55-23 victory at home. Key turnovers from the Commanders gave the Eagles great field position several times. The most impactful turnover came in the third quarter with the Commanders driving and down 11 points. Running back Austin Ekeler fumbled at the 50-yard line, leading to an Eagles touchdown and putting the game out of reach.
The Eagles got off to a hot start, with superstar running back Barkley leading their first drive with a 60-yard touchdown on a toss to the left, deflating Washington’s morale.
Another pivotal play in the game was on a fourth down late in the first half. Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts threw a perfect ball to AJ Brown for a 31-yard completion, setting the Eagles up for another touchdown.
By contrast, the Chiefs emerged victorious in the AFC Championship in a very different fashion. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the attack with three touchdowns in a game that was marked by controversy.
Immediately following the title game, many on social media felt that the officials demonstrated a clear bias, helping lead the Chiefs to victory. An awkward 50/50 ball late in the second quarter was ruled a catch for the Chiefs despite the ball hitting the ground. With Buffalo up 22-21 later in the game, what appeared to be a clear fourth down conversion by the Bills was ruled short after review, preventing the Bills from potentially sealing the game. Both calls resulted in a Chiefs touchdown drive, totaling 15 points.
Flynn’s analysis: The Eagles defeated the Chiefs in the last meeting between the two teams in 2023. However, the Chiefs defeated the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, 38-35. Despite this, this year’s Eagles have looked more dominant than the Chiefs. However, the Chiefs boast a 17-2 record (including postseason) and they have won back-to-back Super Bowls. The Eagles offense is extremely explosive and can score from anywhere on the field at any time. I believe that the Eagles are out for revenge. Plus, no NFL team has ever three-peated, so those things combined will result in an Eagles win.
Flynn’s Prediction: Eagles 24, Chiefs 14
Dino’s analysis: Despite their 15-2 record and Super Bowl appearance, the Chiefs are not as good as they seem. They rarely win convincingly, even against bad teams, and have relied on pure luck and biased officiating to win games several times this season. They have also not faced a team of the Eagles caliber yet this season. The Eagles easily have the best defense in the league, and their offense is capable of being just as good. While their ground game is legendary, it is the underrated passing ability of quarterback Jalen Hurts that can be an x-factor for the Eagles in big games.
Their only real weak point is their kicker, with Jake Elliot having his worst year to date this season. The Chiefs defense are no slouches, but their offense has been below stellar all year, not even in the playoffs. Unfortunately, it is looking increasingly likely that the Eagles’ biggest adversary in this game will be the referees. If the Eagles can keep penalty-worthy plays to a minimum, and continue to run their offense the way they did against the Commanders, they should be able to comfortably beat the Chiefs, preventing the first three-peat in NFL history.
Dino’s Prediction: Eagles 37, Chiefs 24
