The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs meet in Super Bowl LIX this Sunday in New Orleans. It is a rematch from two years ago when the Chiefs won a 38-35 thriller in Arizona. It is the 11th time the ‘Big Easy’ has hosted the big game, with NFL media flooding Louisiana to preview this year’s matchup ahead of Sunday.
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The Chiefs aim for a historic three-peat, but the Eagles are looking to spoil the party, and revenge is also possible.
In that 2023 Super Bowl, Philadelphia did have the lead in the fourth quarter, 27-21, before Mahomes went on back-to-back touchdown drives. Teams have learnt the hard way not to give Mahomes and his offence a chance to win a game late in the fourth or overtime. Kicker Harrison Butker won the Lombardi Trophy for Kansas with a field goal with eight seconds remaining for a 38-35 victory.
That loss was heartbreaking for Eagles fans. They had come so close to overcoming the great Chiefs dynasty, yet they still fell short in their quest to become Super Bowl champions again.
One noticeable inflexion point in the previous matchup was Philly’s lack of a rushing attack. Quarterback Jalen Hurts is known for his rushing ability, but his trifecta of running backs Sanders, Scott, and Gainwell mustered just 45 yards from 17 carries. While Hurts took matters into his own hands, with 70 yards and three rushing touchdowns, combined with 304 yards through the air for one touchdown, it was not enough to win the game.
However, this time, Hurts is armed with arguably the best running back in the league: Saquon Barkley. Barkley has had one of the best rushing seasons in NFL history. During the Eagles’ 14-3 regular season, the former Giant rushed for over 2000 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.
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But he did not relent in the postseason, with a further 442 yards alongside five touchdowns to bolster his claim for one of the most electric rushing seasons we have ever seen. Barkley’s three rushing touchdowns of at least 60 yards over the past two weeks are the most in postseason history. But the Eagles cannot rely on Barkley too much. They need to utilise his threat to open up the passing game, in which they have enough talent in that skill position with AJ Brown and Devonta Smith.
Despite a week off, Philly seems to be trending following their rampant display in the NFC Championship game. Their 55-23 win at the expense of NFC East rivals Washington Commanders was the most points the Eagles have scored in a game since 2010. It is the most points ever put up by a team in a conference championship game and the second-most in postseason history in the NFL.
Head Coach Nick Sirriani and Hurts have been heavily criticised due to the Eagle’s lacklustre passing numbers. They must be firing on all cylinders to overcome Steve Spagnuolo’s defence. Despite the prolonged criticism, Sirriani and Hurts boast a 48-20 regular season record over the past four years. They are also the first head coach-quarterback duo to reach two Super Bowls in franchise history.
Ex-Eagles play caller Andy Reid, who will be on the opposite sideline on Sunday, is vying for his fourth ring in his sixth Bowl game. One of the best coaches of all time, Reid is only 47 wins off, surpassing all-time winning coach Don Shula, who had 347 career wins as a head coach.
The Eagles’ defence has been a key factor in their run to Super Bowl LIX. Philly has won 15 of its last 16 games, and the defence has had 34 takeaways in the previous 14 contests.
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In terms of this matchup, Kansas City is 6-5 all-time against Philadelphia, although, in their most recent clash back in 2023, the Eagles did come out on top 21-17.
However, the Eagles have a 1-3 Super Bowl record, whilst the Chiefs are going for three in a row with a 4-2 overall Bowl record.
It is more or less impossible to call this game. The Chiefs were considered vulnerable this year; the Eagles were considered boring. Yet here we are, with Kansas City versus Philadelphia, playing for that coveted Vince Lombardi trophy.
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