More than 76,000 adoring fans will fill the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9 when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. The Kansas City Chiefs can write themselves into the National Football League’s (NFL) history books by becoming the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles. However, The Philadelphia Eagles are gunning for revenge after losing 35-38 to the Chiefs at Super Bowl LVII a couple of years ago. Which team will come out on top?
On paper, at least, there is little to separate the Chiefs and the Eagles, and that’s reflected in the game odds of the best Arizona sports betting apps. The Chiefs go into Super Bowl LIX as slight favorites in their quest for a three-peat, but that does not mean you should write off the Eagles.
The Chiefs Are Yet to Shine Despite 15-2 Regular Season Record
The Kansas City Chiefs won their ninth consecutive AFC West title after finishing the regular season with a 15-2 record. Winning all but two of their fixtures would lead you to believe the Chiefs are in hot form going into Super Bowl LIX, but claiming that would be wide of the mark.
Across those 15 victories, the Chiefs never scored more than 30 points, and 11 of those wins were within one score. Their +59 points differential is the worst of all teams to finish with three or fewer losses since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
Although it is fair to say the Chiefs have stumbled their way to New Orleans, which sounds ridiculous after winning 15 regular-season games, the roster is essentially the same that emerged victoriously in the previous two Super Bowls.
The Chiefs have a match-winner in quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The 29-year-old is coming off the back of one of the least productive seasons of his career, but he can win a game of football on his own. Mahomes has a knack for turning on the style when it matters the most, and the stakes will never be as high as playing in the Super Bowl.
Eagles Eager to Avenge Super Bowl LVII Defeat
The Philadelphia Eagles navigated to their fifth Super Bowl, their third in seven years. Eagles fans flocked to the streets to celebrate their team’s 41-33 win over the New England Patriots at Super Bowl LII but were left devastated when a late Chiefs field goal from Harrison Butker saw the Eagles fall at the final hurdle at Super Bowl LVII.
The Eagles can avenge that defeat when they again face the Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX. After starting the 2024 regular season 2-2, the Eagles won 12 of their next 13 fixtures. The only blot on the Eagles’ copybook was a 33-36 defeat on the road at the Washington Commanders on Week 16.
Unlike the Chiefs, the Eagles often blew teams away this season, finishing with a +160 point points differential; only the free-scoring Detroit Lions (+222) finished with a larger figure. Quarterback Jalen Hurts failed to reproduce his impressive passing numbers from 2022 and 2023, which resulted in the Eagles having the second-worst passing offense in the league. However, Hurts is a dual-threat quarterback who racked up 630 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns from his 15 appearances.
Speaking of rushing, the Eagles gained 3,048 yards on the ground and scored 29 touchdowns. Both of those metrics were the second-best in the NFL. Two-thirds of that yardage gain and almost half of the Eagles’ rushing touchdowns came from one man: Saquon Barkley.
Barkley joined the Eagles at the start of the 2024 season and has been incredible. From 16 games played, Barkley gained 2,005 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. Only Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens (1,921 yards) came close to matching Barkley; there’s a near 550-yard gap between him and Bijan Robinson in third. The Chiefs must work out how to stop Barkley in his tracks.
History Slightly Favors the Chiefs
How NFL fixtures are determined means the Chiefs and Eagles have only clashed 11 times previously, with the Chiefs leading the series 6-5. Between 2013 and 2023, including Super Bowl LVII, the Chiefs won four straight meetings between the two teams. However, during the 2023 NFL regular season, the Eagles won 21-17, with a third-quarter Hurts touchdown proving the difference.
What is the Most Likely Outcome of Super Bowl LIX?
As mentioned earlier, there is little separating the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. Although the Chiefs are the bookmakers’ favorite to capture a record-breaking third consecutive Super Bowl, the Chiefs are only -1.5 in the handicap market. Considering that teams score three points for a field goal, that is the slimmest margin.
If the Chiefs play to the best of their ability, they should emerge victoriously and write a new chapter in American football history. The problem is that the Chiefs have yet to hit top gear and have struggled to put games to bed all season.
The Eagles have reached Super Bowl LIX on merit and are not heading to New Orleans to only make up the numbers. The Eagles’ passing game has not been to a Super Bowl-winning standard, but their rushing game has. Unfortunately for Eagles supporters, the Chiefs had the eighth-best rush defense in the NFL this season; something has to give.
A high-scoring affair is unlikely, especially with the points scored line currently set at under 49.5. This means Super Bowl LIX could be a battle of two strong defenses, and whoever defends the best will come out on top. Both defenses will have their hands full because the Chiefs and the Eagles have several star players capable of producing a moment of magic, and that could be all it takes to get their hands on a coveted Super Bowl ring and the Vince Lombardi Trophy.