On Pattison Picks: Can Eagles come away victorious in Super Bowl LIX rematch?

The last time the Philadelphia Eagles faced the Kansas City Chiefs, the result was a massacre of biblical proportions.

The score was 24-0 Eagles at halftime. With three minutes left in the fourth quarter, it was 40-6 Eagles. The Eagles' defensive line didn't even give Patrick Mahomes time to breathe, much less to complain to the refs between plays. The best quarterback in the NFL was essentially rendered useless.

This time, the game won't be played in a neutral setting like New Orleans. The Eagles will enter the belly of the beast and face the Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. 

The Eagles are currently narrowly favored to beat the Chiefs, with FanDuel Sportsbook listing the Eagles as 1.5-point favorites. Here's how our On Pattison staffers think Sunday's game will go:

Tim Kelly (1-0)

Score: Eagles 26 - Chiefs 23

Game MVP: A.J. Brown

I'm torn on this because neither team played particularly well in Week 1, but the Eagles won and the Chiefs lost. So Kansas City needs this game more, and they are at home.

At the same time, I think the Eagles are just the better team. And I expect Jalen Hurts to get A.J. Brown involved early and often after he had just a single catch in Week 1.

I'm breaking my rule of picking against Patrick Mahomes in one-score games. But I'm predicting Hurts connects with Brown late to set up a walk-off Jake Elliott field goal.

Anthony SanFilippo (1-0)

Score: Chiefs 27 - Eagles 24

Game MVP: The officials

Look, the Eagles are the more talented team. The Chiefs have a bunch of problems. They have an offense that is made up of Patrick Mahomes, Taylor Swift's washed fianceé, and a bunch of mediocrity. Their defense was sliced and diced like nachos toppings by the Chargers in Week 1. And yet, the Eagles are only a 1 1/2 point favorite. 

The NFL Kansas City can't afford to have the Chiefs start 0-2. Their division is much better than it's been. Their conference is deeper than it's been in years past. This will be one of those games that in the end, doesn't make sense, but the Chiefs will find a way, likely on some ticky-tack roughing the passer penalty – on Jalen Carter, so we have something to talk about for another week – that leads to a game-winning field goal by Harrison Butker. And the city of Philadelphia seethes about the zebras on talk radio for 48 hours, although it'll be the same callers calling every show to make their same lame point.

Grace Del Pizzo (1-0)

Score: Eagles 31 - Chiefs 30

Game MVP: Jake Elliott

If you have a cardiac condition, don't watch. If your heart is healthy, take deep breaths and prepare yourself, because it's going to be close.

Patrick Mahomes does have a supernatural ability to win close games, but I don't think that'll be the case Sunday. This Chiefs team is simply not as good as last year's, and last year's team was overhyped anyway; the 2024 Chiefs infamously relied on the referees as a crutch and/or the sole source of a win.

GM Brett Veach has quietly allowed the Chiefs' roster to decay around Mahomes. The two-time NFL MVP has had to put the team on his back more and more over the years. His heroics generate lots of highlight plays, but at some point, even a generational talent can't drag a roster of scrubs and the reanimated corpse of Travis Kelce to a win.

Would it be absolutely wild for the Chiefs to start 0-2? Yes. Will they put up a fight? Yes. It'll be close, especially with the shaky status of the Eagles' defensive line. But the Eagles have actually built around their Super Bowl MVP quarterback. I think Jalen Hurts will involve A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to a much greater degree than last week, and I think whichever team gets the ball last will win. If that's the Eagles, Jake Elliott's right leg will lead the Birds to victory.