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The Kansas City Chiefs have done it again. Patrick Mahomes and company once again got past a vaunted Buffalo Bills team en route to their third straight appearance in the Super Bowl. Now, to become the first franchise in NFL history to three-peat, Andy Reid's team heads into a clash against an absolute juggernaut in the Philadelphia Eagles.
Philadelphia went 14-3 during the regular season, including winning twelve of its last 13 games. And that one loss against the Washington Commanders was without quarterback Jalen Hurts for most of it. Fortunately for head coach Nick Sirianni's squad, the Eagles got revenge in the NFC Championship with a dominant 55-23 win over their divisional rival.
Now, Philadelphia is looking for revenge again, and this time, the franchise has had to wait two years for it. Super Bowl 57 was an absolute classic, as Harrison Butker's 27-yard field goal won the game 38-35 for Kansas City. The Chiefs have continued their winning ways since. Philadelphia, on the other hand, went through somewhat of an identity crisis. But no more, as the Eagles' signing of Saquon Barkley this offseason has completely revitalized the franchise.
Overall, this is the best team Kansas City has faced all year. The Chiefs will have to be firing on all cylinders to win in New Orleans. However, the Eagles are not perfect, and there is one eye-opening, fatal flaw that Andy Reid's team can exploit.
The Eagles' passing attack is their fatal flaw
This weakness was not the case heading into Super Bowl 57. Two years ago, Jalen Hurts was a legit MVP candidate, leading an Eagles passing offense that ranked in the top ten in the NFL. While the Eagles' quarterback has still had a very solid year under center, Philadelphia's offense relies less on the passing attack than in years past. The Eagles ranked fourth-last in yards per game through the air in 2024.
On many occasions, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore hasn't needed Jalen Hurts to carry the team with the passing attack. After all, Hurts is still a terrific asset to the ground game with 630 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns. However, even with the run game thriving, there were times when the passing offense looked shaky in massive games. Such was the case in Philadelphia's 28-22 win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Despite rushing for over 285 yards, Philadelphia converted on six of its 15 third downs. While he picked up 70 yards on the ground, Hurts only threw for 128 yards, and the Rams were in the game till the end with a legit chance to win.
Of the three teams Philadelphia has played this postseason, the only team with a rushing defense even close to Kansas City's is Green Bay. While the Packers gave up 169 yards on the ground, this game could have been very different without Jordan Love's three interceptions.
It's also important to note that Jalen Hurts was dealing with a knee injury going into last Sunday. Due to the Commanders' lackluster run defense, Hurts did not need to run for more than the 16 yards that he did. But if Jalen's not effective in his mobility, that could spell trouble for Philadelphia. As the Eagles' offensive line is stellar, but they rank in the bottom half of the NFL in terms of the sacks allowed per game.
While Kansas City's secondary is flawed, they have a lockdown corner in Trent McDuffie to matchup with star wideout AJ Brown. Players like DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert will ultimately be critical heading into this showdown.
Overall, it's not like Kansas City's defense is good enough to shut down the Eagles fully. But Steve Spagnuolo's unit is better equipped than any other team that Philadelphia has faced to contain this offense. And that's a problem for the Eagles.
Because this team's best chance of winning Super Bowl 59 is dominating time of possession to limit Patrick Mahomes' control over this game. If that doesn't happen, this matchup will be, at best, a close one for the Eagles. And we know what Kansas City does in close games. Philadelphia's passing offense can be exploited, especially with a compromised Jalen Hurts.
What's at stake for the Chiefs heading into Super Bowl 59
Everything. The Chiefs can accomplish something that none of the elite NFL dynasties ever have. A win on February 9, and we're getting into serious GOAT talk territory for Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and Travis Kelce. The trio have dominated the NFL with seven straight trips to the AFC Championship. Six out of those seven games have taken place at Arrowhead Stadium.
Now, Kansas City is in its fifth Super Bowl in six years. Andy Reid, who was criticized for never winning the big one with the Eagles, has another opportunity to remind his former franchise why he should have never been fired.
In addition, there have been rumors that Travis Kelce could retire after this game. While that might not be the case, if it is, it would be fitting that the legendary tight end goes out on top again.
Overall, the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, and San Francisco 49ers have put out several elite teams over the past few years. Kansas City has another opportunity to give all these franchises and the entire NFL another reality check. No matter how great these teams get, they are in the Chiefs' era for now and the foreseeable future.
