After the 22 weeks of regular and postseason football, the final two teams remaining are the same as two years ago: the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. Philadelphia finished last season with a horrendous collapse, dropping six of their final seven games, including a first round elimination at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Entering the season with a revitalized roster, the Eagles started 2-2 before their early bye. Since then, Philadelphia has only lost one game, returning to the Super Bowl.
As for Kansas City, entering the season as back-to-back champions, they clinched narrow win after narrow win. Whether it was toes landed just out of bounds, last second blocked field goals or late penalty calls, the Chiefs managed to stay undefeated until week 11, when Buffalo would hand them their first loss of the season. Kansas City would only lose once more, in the final week with most of their starters resting for the playoffs.
Will Kansas City become the first organization in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls or will Philadelphia prevent a second dynasty from accomplishing this feat?
Vincent: Philadelphia Eagles 37-33
Though Philadelphia fell short just two seasons ago with an ultra talented roster, this season’s crew feels like they can get the job done. Starting with superstar running back Saquon Barkley. In his debut season with the Eagles, Barkley became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. The passing game has proven that if need be, it could be the reason Philadelphia wins, with Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert all having exceptional performances throughout the year.
On the defensive side of the ball, free agent flyer Zack Baun has transformed into an All-Pro caliber player, after four years as a special teamer. Rookie corners Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have thrived alongside veteran Darius Slay Jr. Joining the no fly zone was C.J. Gardner-Johnson, after a season outside Philadelphia, pairing with breakout safety Reed Blankenship. As for the pass rush, the continued growth as game wreckers seen from Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith Jr. made this Philadelphia defense one of the best in the league.
Though Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs feel inevitable, Philadelphia will get the job done, winning the second Super Bowl in franchise history.
Felix: Kansas City Chiefs 30-27
We all know the story with the Chiefs. They always show up in the playoffs and are looking for the NFL’s first three-peat. It is hard to pick against a team with so much experience and of course, Mahomes at the helm. However, the Eagles are going to give them a run for their money. With an explosive offense led by Hurts and Barkley, Philadelphia has the capacity to go toe to toe with anyone. On the other side of the ball, they rank first in total defense and give all offenses nightmares. Without being said, this year’s big game is going to be extremely close. In the final two minutes of the fourth, the game will be tied 27-27. Mahomes has one last chance to give his team the lead. The Eagles defense will allow a big play for DeAndre Hopkins and give the Chiefs a chance to win the game. Harrison Butker drills the field goal and wins it for Kansas City.
Katelyn: Kansas City Chiefs 27-21
The Kansas City Chiefs are back and better than ever, but so are the Philadelphia Eagles.
As a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan, I absolutely cannot root for the Eagles. I just can’t bring myself to do it. Now, on the other hand I have loved Mahomes since he came out of Texas Tech, his stats to this day, in the eight seasons he has been in the NFL, are better than the G.O.A.T Tom Brady… he just doesn’t have the Super Bowl rings to prove it. Meanwhile, TB12 was in the league for 23 seasons and has seven rings.
I strongly believe it will be a close, low scoring game with the Eagles having the number one defense in the league and an MVP candidate in Barkley. The New York Giants are crying about losing a super freak like Barkley, especially to someone in the same division. But with that being said, the Chiefs have fought back against the best of the best multiple times, so what is stopping them from going bird hunting? The Birds are known for their dependence on the big play, just like the Phillies, that’s why they keep flaming out in the playoffs. Yes, big plays are fun, but wins are what matter… not how far their beloved quarterback can throw the ball. Although I am not excited to see Taylor Swift after every play of the game, if I had to pick one team, it would be the Kansas City Chiefs. Why is Philadelphia’s ego so big with one ring in seven years? It’s time to put manners on them.
Jack: Kansas City Chiefs 27-24
The average NFL fan’s nightmare Super Bowl matchup has come to fruition- a LVII rematch between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
That being said, the two teams that made it are the two most deserving, and their prior meeting produced a great game. The Eagles might be the most talented team in the league and are certainly the most talented in this matchup, with offensive playmakers like Barkley, Brown and Smith teaming up with defensive stalwarts Baun, Carter and Mitchell. Philadelphia completely revitalized last season’s leaky secondary with a fantastic draft, and the addition of yet another Georgia player in Smith Jr. has strengthened the trenches. All of that talent won’t be enough to dethrone Kansas City, however.
In a weird way, the Chiefs feel like a team of destiny. A three-peat is on the horizon, Kelce and Taylor Swift are star-crossed lovers and every refereeing tandem in the league seems to adore the red and yellow. The Chiefs are also extraordinarily well-coached and capitalize on mistakes like no other, a game plan that works wonders deep in the playoffs when nerves strike the hardest. One of the Eagles’ kick returners will muff a return right after the Chiefs kick a go-ahead field goal with just over a minute left, handing the Chiefs the first three-peat in NFL history.
Reece: Kansas City Chiefs 34-31
It’s finally that time of the year again, Super Bowl Sunday. Guess who’s back in the big game once again? You guessed it, Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
All year the narrative has been that the Chiefs aren’t the same and that maybe this isn’t the year. The media created this narrative early on and everyone went along with it. At the end of the day they’re 15-2. End of the story, they’re definitely the same old Chiefs and there is no arguing that.
On the other hand, the Eagles look really good, or should I say Barkley has looked really good. Barkley has had one of the best seasons ever coming from the running back position. Saquon being added to this deadly offense that already consisted of Brown and Smith is nothing to overlook.
With that being said I truly believe that the Kansas City Chiefs will pull off the three-peat for the first time in league history. You just can’t count out Mahomes. Philadelphia’s secondary scares me going into this game and that is one of the main reasons I see the Chiefs winning. I think that it will be a hard fought, back and forth Super Bowl, but in the end the Kansas City Chiefs will be coming home with the Lombardi trophy.
All stats are from ESPN as of Feb. 7
Contact the writer: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
