Eagles 23, Chiefs 31 — Brian Barth, Deputy Sports Editor
On Thursday evening, the National Football League will announce the recipient of the Most Valuable Player award — one of the highest honors received by NFL players each year. It won’t be 2000-yard rusher Saquon Barkley (say of that what you will), but he has had one hell of a year regardless — at least the best I’ve seen since Adrian Peterson’s MVP campaign in 2012.
Against AFC teams, however, this dominance was not on display. In the Philadelphia Eagles’ four matchups vs. AFC North opponents, Barkley averaged only 81.7 rushing yards per game — a good mark for some, but not when compared to the 139.8 he averaged in his other 12 regular-season appearances. For all the Quakers fans, keep an eye on Justin Watson for touchdowns, because the Chiefs will be doing a lot of scoring Sunday night. Pat Riley has officially given the “OK” for the Kansas City Chiefs to use it, and they are about to give “three-peat” a place in the NFL history books. Sorry to be bad-cop to all the Philadelphians, but Super Bowl LIX is going to Kansas City.
Eagles 28, Chiefs 24 — Vivian Yao, Former Sports Editor
I’ve got the Eagles winning a close one this year. After dropping 55 points against the Commanders in the NFC Championship game, I expect this one to be more low-scoring. Don’t expect Barkley to find the same level of success going up against a Kansas run-stopping unit that is one of the best in the NFL. Quarterback Jalen Hurts will have to be able to find answers through the air to give Barkley the room to work his magic.
The Eagles will be lining up across from team that has had plenty of experience playing on football’s biggest stage. The Chiefs will be looking to cement themselves in the game’s history as the only team to go back-to-back-to-back as champions. Chiefs coach Andy Reid will make it difficult with his masterful game planning, but as long as the Eagles don’t shoot themselves in the foot early with giveaways, Philadelphia should get ready to give the team a hero’s welcome back from New Orleans — Lombardi in tow. I, for one, can’t wait to witness the mayhem in Center City unfold. Grease the poles.
Eagles 31, Chiefs 28 — Isha Chitirala, Sports Reporter
The Eagles are set to return to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years — and this time I think they have what it takes to get the win. This Philadelphia team is better than its 2022 counterpart in almost every way, whether it be the upgrade at running back through Barkley, or the addition of a dynamic, rookie corner duo in Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell.
While the Chiefs defense is well-equipped, I think they’ll struggle against a Philadelphia offense that has dominated the run game and time of possession all year. And unlike the Ravens or the Bills, I don’t foresee Eagles coach Nick Sirianni abandoning the run any time soon. The Chiefs are a talented team, but their luck is bound to run out. If there’s any team that can put a stop to the Chiefs’ three-peat, I’m betting on the team that, seven years ago, against all odds, defeated the Patriots dynasty with their backup quarterback. Go Birds!
Eagles 38, Chiefs 35 — Derek Wong, Sports Reporter and Former Video Editor
As a newly minted Eagles fan myself, it’s hard to make an objective pick, but if Kendrick Lamar — this year’s halftime show performer — taught me anything at the Grammy Awards last Sunday, it’s that being a hater can sometimes reap rewards.
One cannot deny that the Chiefs are going all out to defend the title for a third consecutive time. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes does not appear to want to cede the victory easily, and a decisive — albeit close — victory in the AFC Championship game cements the team’s talents and status. However, Philadelphia can trust running back Barkley to bring out the big moves, and if quarterback Hurts and the unstoppable defense can pull a repeat from the night they defeated the Commanders, the Chiefs are in big trouble. Not to mention, the Eagles are out for revenge in their rematch after their 2023 loss.
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