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The Kansas City Chiefs have made it to Super Bowl 59 with a chance to make NFL history, as no team has ever won three straight Lombardi trophies. After winning their fifth AFC Championship in six years, Patrick Mahomes and company can cement themselves as perhaps the greatest dynasty in the sport's history. Of course, the New England Patriots would like a word with that statement, but this debate doesn't matter if the Chiefs can't beat the Philadelphia Eagles.
And it will take a herculean effort to take down head coach Nick Sirianni's team. The Eagles are an absolute juggernaut, having gone 14-3 overall in the regular season. Two of those three losses came within the first few weeks of the season, and the other defeat was when Jalen Hurts got hurt early against the Washington Commanders.
Fortunately for the Eagles, they got revenge against their division rival with a blowout win in the NFC Championship game. The Eagles are led by star running back Saquon Barkley, who has continued his MVP-caliber form into the postseason. Through three games, the All-Pro back has rushed for 442 yards and five touchdowns.
Now in their second Super Bowl in three years, the Eagles are looking for revenge against the team that defeated them in Super Bowl 57. Overall, Patrick Mahomes needs to have a special night to make history on February 9. And plenty of factors leading into this clash suggest he will live up to the moment. Here are our bold predictions for the Chiefs' superstar heading into Super Bowl 59.
Patrick Mahomes throws for 250+ yards and two touchdowns
The Philadelphia Eagles will try their best to keep Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense off the field in this matchup. Nick Sirianni's team leads the league in time of possession and thrives off of wearing defenses down throughout a game. And the Eagles will likely succeed on offense at times against Steve Spagnuolo and the Chiefs' defense.
However, Kansas City's unit is more equipped than any opponent Philadelphia has faced in the postseason to slow them down and not get run over. In addition, Jalen Hurts has been dealing with a knee injury over the past few weeks. If the Eagles' starter is compromised heading into this matchup, that could spell trouble for Nick Sirianni's team.
On the other side of the field, Philadelphia's defense is elite. In particular, the Eagles have allowed the fewest passing yards per game this season. Despite having no current Pro Bowl selections in this unit, this group has very few weaknesses.
Yet, one of Philadelphia's setbacks, which does not bode well for this team heading into New Orleans, is that it ranks 28th in quarterback pressure percentage. Giving Patrick Mahomes time to scan the field, with an improved wideout core from last season, could be devastating for the Eagles. The Bills and Texans ranked significantly higher in quarterback pressures, and Mahomes still put up solid stats in both those matchups.
The Philadelphia Eagles had an even better secondary in Super Bowl 57. But that elite pass rush couldn't get to Mahomes in that game and had zero sacks. And they got shredded. If that happens again, the three-time Super Bowl champ will have another postseason performance to remember.
Patrick Mahomes has his highest rushing total of this season
One of the game-changers in the Chiefs' win over the Buffalo Bills was Mahomes' mobility. While Kansas City's leader under center has always been an elite scrambler, there have been concerns over an ankle injury Mahomes sustained later in the year. After weeks of being conservative in the ground game, the star QB had eleven carries for 43 yards and two touchdowns against the Bills.
Going up against a Philadelphia defense that is more equipped at stopping the run than Buffalo, Mahomes will likely need to be just as active rushing-wise. And he'll have plenty of opportunities to run, as the best tackling and coverage linebacker for the Eagles, Zack Baun, will largely be preoccupied with containing tight end Travis Kelce.
Ultimately, the two-time MVP is still on the injury report heading into this clash. But that was the same case going into the AFC Championship game. Mahomes' season-high for rushing yards is 60 this season. In this game, with a chance at history, he is primed to eclipse that.
No player has over 100 receiving yards as the Chiefs make history
This isn't the boldest take, as the Chiefs' offense has not prioritized a specific target for much of this year. In fact, no one on Kansas City is even close to 1,000 yards receiving in 2024. In addition, only one player, tight end Travis Kelce, is over the 800-yard mark.
But considering that we project Patrick Mahomes will throw for over 250 receiving yards, spreading the wealth like this is impressive. That is what it will take to keep a formidable Eagles' secondary on its heels. JuJu Smith-Schuster was the surprise breakout star in the Chiefs' win over the Buffalo Bills.
The veteran wideout was struggling with form and injuries for much of the year. However, his 60 yards against Buffalo were critical last Sunday. Whether it's Smith-Schuster, Hollywood Brown, or Deandre Hopkins, someone under the radar will step up for Kansas City on February 9. But not to the extent that they rack up over 100 receiving yards.
The Chiefs' unpredictability in their offense is ultimately one of their greatest strengths. It's helped them build their dynasty and put them on the precipice of NFL immortality. Philadelphia is a juggernaut, but Kansas City feels like a team of destiny. And that's mainly due to the transcendent player the franchise has at quarterback.
