Feb 4, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; A NFL Super Bowl 59 Wilson Duke football at the Super Bowl LIX Experience at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
All the yapping is just about over. It's time to settle Super Bowl LIX on the field. Will the Eagles avenge their loss from two years ago? Or will the Chiefs win their third straight championship?
Here's what the On Pattison staffers think will happen:
Tim Kelly
Score: Chiefs 31 - Eagles 28
MVP: Patrick Mahomes
The best path for the Eagles to win is to blow the Chiefs off the field like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did in Super Bowl LV. There's a non-zero chance of that happening because Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and Jalen Carter — among others — just deliver monster performances.
But is that the most likely scenario? No, probably not. And while I think the Eagles are the more talented of the two teams, picking against Mahomes and Andy Reid in a close game has proven to be a losing proposition, particularly this season.
The Eagles need to enter the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead or more. Heck, even 10 might be cutting it close. Tom Brady and Bucs won 31-9 in the only Super Bowl that Mahomes and the Chiefs have lost. That's the path for the Eagles.
2020: Chiefs-49ers
2021: Chiefs-Bucs
2022: Bengals-Rams
2023: Chiefs-Eagles
2024: Chiefs-49ers
2025: Chiefs-Eagles
Just four Super Bowl matchups in the last six years. Crazy.
Anthony SanFilippo
Score: Chiefs 23- Eagles 21
MVP: Travis Kelce
I'm officially the most hated man at On Pattison because of this pick. I get it. But I have to remain objective. The reason behind this pick is more often than not - hell, almost every time - the Super Bowl comes down to coaching and quarterback play. Have there been games that it hasn't? Sure. From time to time a defense will dominate and render any good coaching or good quarterback irrelevant in the biggest game. The Eagles defense under Vic Fangio is good enough to do that, which is why I don't think my pick is anywhere close to a slam dunk. But look back through history and see how many times the coach-QB tandem is the deciding factor - and there's no question that Kansas City has the edge on both fronts.
So, why Kelce for MVP? Well, if there was a dent in the armor of the Eagles defense in the NFC Championship, it was Zach Ertz being incredibly effective as a receiver in the passing game. Look for Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes to try and exploit that and Kelce to have a big game. I also think that Jake Elliott is going to miss a big field goal in this game at some point, and that's going to be the play everyone talks about for the next seven months until football is back in September. Apologies in advance, and feel free to dunk on me if I'm wrong. I'll deserve it.
Patrick Mahomes, while falling, throws a perfect Touchdown pass to Travis Kelce pic.twitter.com/2DAtMAgb6u
John Foley
Score: Eagles 28 - Chiefs 21
MVP: Jalen Hurts
"Defense wins championships." That's a saying I invented just now.
Since 2000, teams with the NFL's top-ranked defense are 7-2 in the Super Bowl. The Birds allowed a league-low 278.4 yards/game in the regular season, while the next closest team allowed 311.2. The Chiefs allowed 320.6.
The Eagles posted better numbers than the Chiefs on offense as well: 367.2 yards/game and 27.2 points/game for Philadelphia vs. 327.6 yards/game and 22.6 points/game for Kansas City.
The truth? KC is favored in this game largely because of vibes. We've watched Patrick Mahomes & Co. win so much in recent years that our brains tell us they'll win again. That's not to say the Chiefs aren't legitimately incredible: Mahomes is Mahomes, Andy Reid might go down as the best coach of all time, and Travis Kelce gives me night terrors. They'll capitalize on any Eagles mistake. Oh, and Jake Elliott can't be trusted right now.
But this Birds team won't be intimidated. If they play their best football, they will win this game. And I think they're ready.
Jalen Hurts hits a few deep balls to earn MVP honors.
#1 ranked defenses playing in the Super Bowl since 2000
2016 Patriots Won
2015 Broncos Won
2014 Seahawks Lost
2013 Seahawks Won
2010 Steelers lost to GB who was #2
2008 Steelers Won
2003 Patriots Won
2002 Buccaneers Won
2000 Ravens Won
History is on the Eagles side
Austin Krell
Score: Eagles 28 - Chiefs 24
MVP: Saquon Barkley
You all do not understand how much I’ve flip-flopped over this. I ultimately landed on the probability of a three-peat being so low that something has to give. Then again, the football police tend to protect Kermit The Frog Patrick Mahomes at all costs. I do not feel great. It’s going to be a brutal 12:30 AM red eye back to Philly if the Eagles don’t win. But, three-peats are really, really hard.
