Kansas City Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles
Kansas City’s quest for Super Bowl history culminates in New Orleans on Sunday when for the second time in three years, the Chiefs will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL’s championship game. The Chiefs are aiming to complete an unprecedented feat, to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls.
What is a Three-Peat?
You may have heard this saying throughout the season, and the number of people mentioning the Three-Peat has only ramped up in the last few days… So what is a three-peat?
In the major US sports leagues, a three-peat is when a team becomes national champions three years running. It has been done five times in both basketball’s NBA and ice hockey’s NHL, and four times in Major League Baseball.
The Green Bay Packers have achieved two three-peats in the NFL, sealing the latter by winning the first two Super Bowls in 1967 and 1968, but no team has ever won three straight Super Bowls. This is the Chiefs fifth Super Bowl in six years, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and coach Andy Reid going for a fourth win.
Are Chiefs Justified as Favourites?
Philadelphia were favourites to win Super Bowl 59 heading into the Conference Championships. They were at home to Washington, the sixth seed in the NFC Conference who had upset the Detroit Lions. Led by star running back Saquon Barkley, the Eagles thumped the Commanders, scoring 55 points. The Chiefs have replaced them as favourites having got past Buffalo and their quarterback Josh Allen, who was named this season’s Most Valuable Player. It’s a really tight affair with the Chiefs currently -1.5 point favourites. This must be put down to their ability to win the big matches and the experience of being in this position year on year so potentially their favouritism is justified.
Who are the Players to Watch?
Saquon Barkley – Eagles
Saquon Barkley is the missing piece the Eagles never knew they needed. He has been such a profound difference-maker to the Philadelphia offense that it’s a wonder they were able to win a Super Bowl without him. The past running game for Philadelphia hinged on the infamous “Tush Push.” It forced the team to routinely grind out short plays through Jalen Hurts as the primary short rusher, and all the explosive plays to come in the passing game. Barkley has changed all that. Not only has it ensured the Eagles are a more balanced total offense but can generate explosive plays on the ground without risking injury to Hurts. If the Chiefs can’t stop Barkley then it’s going to be a long Super Bowl for them.
Patrick Mahomes – Chiefs
It’s Patrick Mahomes, need we say more? It’s fair to say that Mahomes was pushed to his limit by an underwhelming supporting cast for much of the season and an offense that wasn’t nearly as explosive as past iterations, but the ludicrous thing about Mahomes is that a “down year” still means almost 4,000 passing yards, completing 66.6%, and throwing 2.5 touchdowns to each interception.
The ultimate big game quarterback of the NFL, Mahomes is nearly unflappable in the face of pressure and continually finds ways to produce when things aren’t working for him.
If the Eagles want any chance of winning the Super Bowl in hinges on their ability to shut down Mahomes, because if he’s left the smallest of margin he can kick the door down unlike anyone else in the NFL.
The Super Bowl is always spectacular, sit back and enjoy the show!
A few fun facts about Superbowl Sunday
- Last year’s Super Bowl was watched by a TV audience of 123.4 million people in the US, making it the most watched broadcast since the 1969 Moon landing.
- Nearly 68 million American adults (about one in four) bet on last year’s Super Bowl, according to the American Gaming Association.
- The National Chicken Council predicts that 1.47 billion chicken wings will be eaten during the game.
- Super Bowl 59 is expected to generate more than $500m (£406m) for the Louisiana economy, with more than 70,000 visitors from out of state
Check out all our Boosts on the big game:
Patrick Mahomes 250+ Passing Yards & 2+ Passing TDs – 6/4
Saquon Barkley 120+ Rushing Yards & To Score a TD – 7/4
Jalen Hurts 50+ Rushing Yards & 1+ Anytime TD – 11/4
Patrick Mahomes 300+ Passing Yards & 2+ Passing TDs – 4/1
Over 3 Touchdowns In Each Half – 11/2
A.J. Brown & Xavier Worthy Both To Score a Touchdown – 13/2
Both teams To Score 30+ Points Each – 7/1
Each Team To Score 1+ TD & 1+ FG In Each Half – 14/1
Travis Kelce Super Bowl MVP – 18/1