Super Bowl LIX: Eagles vs. Chiefs rematch

LINDSEY ZARKA
GRAPHIC DESIGNER

JACK JONES
STAFF WRITER

2/3/2025

The 59th Superbowl in New Orleans is set, and the Kansas City Chiefs will face off in a 2023 rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Chiefs are looking to make it a three-peat for the first time in the Super Bowl era, and the Eagles are seeking revenge for their Super Bowl loss two years ago along with their first ring since 2018. 

So, which team will come out on top? I believe that the Philadelphia Eagles will dash the Chiefs’ three-peat hopes.

The Championship round of the playoffs set up our current matchup. We saw the Eagles handily defeat the Washington Commanders 55-23 and the Chiefs narrowly defeated the Buffalo Bills 32-29 on a somewhat controversial fourth down conversion. 

This concluded the 2024 playoffs with many hopeful newcomers cast aside, such as rookie sensation Jayden Daniels who led the six seed commanders to two playoff victories, and the Buffalo Bills who have consistently been unable to beat Mahomes’s Chiefs in the playoffs. 

This also included teams such as Michigan’s own Detroit Lions who lost in devastating fashion in the divisional round to previously mentioned Commanders. In large part, it was due to a defense absolutely devastated by injuries entering the game with sixteen players on IR and costly turnovers by QB Jared Goff and WR Jameson Williams.  

Looking at the path to the Superbowl for both teams, starting with the Chiefs, who earned the one seed in the AFC this year giving them the first-round bye, in the Divisional round they faced off against the Houston Texans who they beat 23-14 following it up with the already mentioned championship game against Buffalo. 

The stats are not impressive as they have not been all year long; in both games, the Chiefs were outgained by their opponent though not by a large margin against the Bills. However, in both games, the Chiefs held up in the situations that mattered and the defense hasn’t allowed more than 30 points in all but two games this year (one of which they had pulled their starters.) 

The offense has been far from its heyday but in a similar fashion has done just enough to win. If the Chiefs are going to win this game their defense will have to win first as it has throughout the whole year. 

However the Eagles have been a powerful offense this year, and in my opinion, the matchup that will truly be decided on how well the Eagles offense matches up against the Chief’s defense.

 The Eagle’s path to the Super Bowl began as the two seed defeating the Green Bay Packers 22-10 in the wildcard round, the following week they beat the LA Rams 28-22 in a close game and finished it out in the championship round with a rout against the Commanders. 

The team is explosive and their defense is strong in all aspects with a number-one ranking in the league. Saquon Barkley, their star free agent pickup has led the league in rushing stats and has been a homerun hitter for their offense. 

This playstyle has also allowed the Eagles to dominate Time of possession if Saquon can continue his successful playoffs with over 100 yards and multiple touchdowns in all three games. 

The Chiefs have also not had success against the run in the past few games. Allowing about 150 yards in both their playoffs against running backs who are not the best in the league. I believe Saquon Barkley will be enough to push the Eagles past the Chiefs and will hoist the Lombardi for the first time since 2018.