(Photo courtesy of 6ABC) “Kansas City and Philadelphia prepare to go head-to-head this Sunday.”

Jake Messer
Connector Editor

The NFL is unlike any other sports league in North America. Before the season kicks off, all 32 teams have the same shot of winning the super bowl, regardless of personnel or coaching. 32 teams tried, but only two remained in the quest to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.   

On Sunday, Feb. 9, the Kansas City Chiefs will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles for the Super Bowl in New Orleans. These teams are quite familiar with each other, as they previously met two years ago in Super Bowl LVII, where the Chiefs managed to eke out a narrow victory over the Eagles, 38-35.  

This time around, things are quite different in many regards. 

The Eagles have completely reinvented their offense. Rather than having quarterback Jalen Hurts lead the offense through the air, the team has now adopted a run-first offensive approach, led by running back Saquon Barkley. 

This season, Barkley has solidified himself as the league’s best running back, having an MVP caliber season. He rushed for 13 touchdowns and amassed 2,005 rushing yards this season, just the ninth player in NFL history to eclipse the 2k milestone.  

Barkley’s performance, coupled with an elite defense, has allowed the Eagles to rise to the challenge and win tough games all throughout the season.  

“We knew what it was going to take,” Barkley said. “The team came out to play, everyone came out and made big plays and got the job done. That’s how you make it to the Super Bowl.” 

Finishing the regular season with 14 wins helped them clinch the NFC East, a division that has not seen back-to-back champions since 2004, and finished as the second seed in the NFC.  

This team can score on the ground and through the air and limit their opponent’s ability to score on the defensive side of the ball. They are a rare team in football, as they are a complete unit from top to bottom.  

The Eagles have earned their spot in America’s Game this season, all that stands in the way of the franchise’s second Super Bowl title is the Chiefs, who are looking to cement themselves as a dynasty.  

This has been quite a year for the Chiefs, as the reigning back-to-back champions have been, at times, sluggish. Unlike the previous two seasons, the Chiefs have been unable to convincingly beat teams this season. 

The Chiefs have won 17 straight one-score games they have played in, a streak that dates back to last season. It may not be pretty, but a win is a win in the NFL, and that is all the Chiefs care about as they are on the verge of making history.  

With a win on Sunday, they could be the first team to win three straight Super Bowls, a feat that could cement them as one of the best dynasties in NFL history and cement quarterback Patrick Mahomes as one of the best to ever play the position.  

“Obviously, it will be awesome,” Mahomes said. “I think it will be something that I look back at the end of my career if we’re able to go out there and get that three-peat.” 

Even though the season has been filled with officiating controversies and off the field drama, the three-peat dream is still alive thanks to timely offense by Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce. 

This postseason, the two have connected for 9 catches, totaling 136 yards and 1 touchdown, adding to their already legendary connection that has spanned seven years together on the gridiron.  

Finishing the season with 15 wins and clinching the AFC’s number one seed, the road to the Super Bowl went through them. Neither the Houston Texans nor the Buffalo Bills were able to topple the defending champions, giving them their fifth Super Bowl appearance in the last six seasons.  

Now, all that is left this season is the Super Bowl itself. 

There will be one major factor that will greatly determine who will walk away as a champion. That factor is who will win in the ground game, who will have more rushing yards and which team will control the tempo of the game? 

If Barkley is able to dominate, like he has all season, then the Eagles will be near unstoppable on the offensive side of the ball. If the Chiefs can control the ball through the ground and dominate time of possession, then they will almost certainly become Super Bowl Champions for the third straight season.  

History is forthcoming, time to see how it unfolds.  

Prediction: Chiefs 31 Eagles 23