2025 Super Bowl: Five burning questions for Chiefs and Eagles, including a tall task for Kansas City’s defense​on February 3, 2025 at 2:00 pm

The final game of the NFL season is upon us, as one week from Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will do battle in New Orleans for the Lombardi trophy. It’s a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, where Harrison Butker hit a game-winning field goal to give the Chiefs the first of what turned into two straight Super Bowl victories. Can they make it three straight?

It’s Patrick Mahomes vs. Jalen Hurts,  Saquon Barkly vs. Steve Spagnuolo. Who ya got? Below, we will break down five burning questions ahead of Super bowl LIX. 

This is what the Super Bowl may come down to. Can the Chiefs contain the player that carried Philly to the Super Bowl? Barkley was the best free-agent signing in recent memory, as the former New York Giant became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season, and is just 30 rushing yards shy of eclipsing Terrell Davis for the single-season record (including playoffs). By the way, Barkley’s birthday falls on Super Bowl Sunday.

Barkley is averaging 147.3 rushing yards per game in the playoffs, and has rushed for five touchdowns in Philly’s three postseason matchups. He’s crossed 100 yards rushing in 14 of 19 games this season, including five straight, but the Chiefs have gone 18 straight games without allowing a 100-yard rusher. Something has to give.

2. Can the Eagles defense handle the Chiefs’ X factor?

The Chiefs’ postseason X factor isn’t talked about enough. Have you noticed that Mahomes runs more in the playoffs? As a starter in the regular season, Mahomes averages 3.9 rushing attempts for 20 yards per game. In his 18 playoff starts, Mahomes averages 5.4 rushing attempts for 29 yards per game. In the AFC Championship vs. the Buffalo Bills, Mahomes rushed a career-high 11 times for 43 yards and two touchdowns! 

Mahomes rushed for at least 44 yards in his last two Super Bowls, including in the overtime victory against the San Francisco 49ers last year, when he led the Chiefs with 66 rushing yards on nine carries. On the game-winning drive in that matchup, Mahomes picked up a first down with his legs on a fourth-and-1, and a third-and-1. The Eagles need to contain Mahomes the scrambler. 

3. Which kicker is up to the task?

Could a kicker decide this matchup? Butker converted on all five of his extra points and kicked the game-winning 27-yard field goal in the last Super Bowl matchup vs. the Eagles, but did miss a 42-yard kick. Jake Elliott on the other hand hit both of his field goal attempts, and all three extra points.

I’m keeping an eye on if one of these kickers will be called upon late to hit from 50 yards out. Butker is 0-3 on his last three attempts from at least 50 yards out (2 of 5 on the season), while Elliott is just 1 of 8 from 50 yards out this year. 

4. Can Philly’s WRs carry Eagles to victory?

If the Chiefs key on Barkley, they are forcing Hurts to beat them through the air. With weapons like A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, the Eagles can absolutely do that, but the passing attack hasn’t been consistent.

Brown has never had a 100-yard receiving game in the playoffs with the Eagles, and has caught just two touchdowns in six postseason starts with Philly. Smith is the franchise’s all-time leading receiver in the playoffs, but he hasn’t crossed 55 yards this postseason. If the Chiefs sell out for the run, can the duo of Brown and Smith power the Eagles to victory? 

Hurts targeting A.J. Brown & DeVonta Smith this postseason

5. Can Philly outperform Kansas City down the stretch?

In other words, can the Eagles “out-clutch” the Chiefs? The Bills played a great game last week, but the Chiefs made more plays down the stretch. Kansas City’s offense doesn’t rack up 400 total yards or score five touchdowns every game. It looks to control time of possession and be efficient on third downs. While Mahomes is just 29, he already has the second-most game-winning drives in playoff history with seven, and is a perfect 7 of 7 when it comes to game-tying or go-ahead drive chances in the final minute of the fourth quarter/overtime in the playoffs.

Even if the Eagles acquire an early lead over the Chiefs, we’ve learned by now that doesn’t matter. Mahomes is 3-1 when going down by double digits in Super Bowls, while all other quarterbacks are 4-48. He’s 5-2 in the playoffs when falling behind by double digits! 

It’s not just the Eagles offense that has to make plays in crunch time, but the defense as well. For example, a cornerback can’t commit a critical defensive holding penalty on a third-and-8 with 1:54 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs are so clutch down the stretch. Can the Eagles be as well?