When this NFL season is discussed years from now, the most enduring story will be the Kansas City Chiefs' quest for three Super Bowls in a row.
Even if the Chiefs fall short of that historic accomplishment in Super Bowl LIX, they've already done something no other team has done. The Chiefs are the first team to win two straight Super Bowls and make it back to a third in a row.
There have been two instances in NFL history of teams winning three championships in a row, but they weren't three Super Bowl championships in a row. The Green Bay Packers won three straight championships in 1929-31 and again in 1965-67, the latter two titles being the first two Super Bowls. Kansas City is trying to be the first team with three Super Bowl championships in a row.
The Philadelphia Eagles are the final foe standing between the Chiefs and that history. The Eagles and Chiefs met in the Super Bowl two years ago, with Harrison Butker kicking the game-winning field goal with eight seconds remaining. The Eagles don't care about the Chiefs' shot at history. They want to make some history of their own.
The matchup
NFC No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles (17-3) vs AFC No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs (17-2)
Caesars Superdome | New Orleans
Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET
How to watch Eagles vs. Chiefs
This game will be broadcast on Fox and streamed live for free on Tubi. It will also be available on Fox Deportes, Telemundo and NFL digital properties. The halftime show will be headlined by Kendrick Lamar.
Betting odds
The Chiefs opened as a 1.5-point favorite at BetMGM and that line has not moved. The total is 48.5. The line moved up to 49.5 last week before coming back down. There are also endless prop bets, including popular novelty props like whether the coin toss will be heads or tails and what color the Gatorade bath will be for the winning coach. And yes, there's even a prop on whether Travis Kelce will propose to Taylor Swift ("yes" is +800 odds).
X-factor
DeAndre Hopkins was acquired by the Chiefs before the trade deadline to be a difference maker at receiver. He hasn't been. Hopkins had 437 yards and four touchdowns in 10 regular-season games, then had just one catch for 11 yards in two playoff games. He hasn't gone over 37 yards in a game since November. But doesn't it seem like unleashing Hopkins in the Super Bowl is something the Chiefs might cook up over the extra week of preparation? Philadelphia does a good job defending tight ends, which puts a little more emphasis on the wideouts like Hopkins and Hollywood Brown. Perhaps Hopkins, who is 32 years old, doesn't have many big games left in him. But if he does, this would be a perfect time for it. With one big game, that's all anyone would remember about Hopkins' time with in Kansas City. Super Bowls often have unexpected heroes, and while Hopkins is a big name, his production this season indicates he's just a bit player heading into this game. We'll see what Andy Reid has in mind.
How the Eagles can win
The Chiefs defense is slightly better against the run than the pass. They allowed the 14th-best net yards per pass attempt total during the regular season and were seventh in rushing yards per attempt. Stats like EPA per play and success rate back up that Kansas City is weaker defending the pass. Will that affect the Eagles' approach? We know Philadelphia wants to run the ball with Saquon Barkley, and will likely try to establish that early. And the Chiefs defense has struggled a little lately against the run, allowing 149 and 147 yards rushing in their two playoff games. If the Eagles can run the ball well against Kansas City's defense, with their strong offensive line leading the way, that's a great sign for them. Defensively, the Eagles don't have many weaknesses. The Super Bowl should be a battle, and might be lower scoring than expected. Philadelphia's ability to get Barkley going might be the difference.
How the Chiefs can win
Casual fans might not realize that the Chiefs are not the same team they were a few years ago. Over the last two seasons it has morphed into a team with a top defense and a good-not-great offense that happens to have a legendary quarterback in his prime. The Chiefs were fourth in points allowed and ninth in yards allowed this season, while they were 15th in points scored and 16th in yards gained. Part of that has been due to injuries. The Chiefs lost Rashee Rice early and didn't have Hollywood Brown or Isiah Pacheco available for a big chunk of the season. With a little better health the Chiefs put up 32 points in the AFC championship game against the Bills. They hadn't scored more than 30 points in a game all season. The Chiefs don't create many explosive plays (they were in the bottom six of the NFL in 20-yard pass plays and 40-yard pass plays) and the Eagles don't allow many deep passes. Kansas City is going to be forced to put together long drives without making a mistake, then play strong defense behind that. That's OK because they used that template to go 17-1 this season in games their starters played.
Prediction
The Chiefs have somehow won 17 straight one-possession games. That's an NFL record and might never be matched again. It's a statistical miracle. But it's far from all good fortune. The Chiefs are expertly coached, have a great quarterback and simply know how to win close games. The way to beat the Chiefs is to make sure it's not a one-score game decided in the final minutes, and good luck with that. The Eagles do look like the type of team that can beat the Chiefs. They're 15-1 since September, and their only loss came when Jalen Hurts suffered a concussion in the first quarter and Jayden Daniels threw a game-winning touchdown with six seconds left. The Eagles aren't prolific throwing the ball with Hurts, but that's the only weakness they have, if it can even be called a weakness. The Eagles have the offensive stars and offensive line to move the ball and score a bunch. Their defense might be the best in the NFL. You don't win 15 of 16 games without being an elite team. It's hard to pick against Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid in a Super Bowl. They're masterful. But there are a few more weaknesses on the roster than you see in Philadelphia. The Chiefs are great, but the Eagles have the defense and the running game to do what nobody else can see to do, and that's beat Kansas City in a one-score game. Eagles 21, Chiefs 19
