Poll: Who Will Win Super Bowl LIX?

After outscoring opponents by 211 points in a 14-game 1975 season, the Steelers pitched five shutouts in 1976. Pittsburgh’s regular-season-ending nine-game win streak featured only two touchdowns allowed. As the 1989 49ers outscored playoff opposition 126-26, their 1990 edition went 14-2 and rostered back-to-back MVP Joe Montana. The Cowboys’ 1994 threepeat attempt saw both the Jerry Jones-Jimmy Johnson separation and a free agent-laden 49ers team play featured roles in their season.

All three dynasties saw their efforts at a third straight Super Bowl win stall in the conference championship round. The Packers did win three straight titles in the 1960s, though the first — in 1965 — came before the Super Bowl’s launch. This Chiefs run, for myriad reasons, has not brought the level of reverence compared to the above-referenced dynasties. While Kansas City’s effort has largely lacked the dominance the aforementioned operations displayed, Andy Reid‘s crew is the closest in the Super Bowl era to completing a signature NFL accomplishment.

The Chiefs are the first threepeat-seeking team to reach a Super Bowl. Although many would probably have a difficult time reconciling this Kansas City tightrope walk as the blueprint that pulls off this historic feat, as none of the Chiefs’ past three teams probably come too close to the juggernauts that headline lists of the league’s all-time greatest teams. However, even if the Chiefs’ present form does not exactly remind of the explosive start to their dynasty (as back-to-back 15th-place offensive rankings show), no team had even managed to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the 2003-04 Patriots.

Regardless of how the Chiefs made it here, they have shown historic reliability. The Reid- and Patrick Mahomes-fueled superpower has secured this opportunity due to unprecedented execution in close games. The Chiefs have won their past 17 one-score contests, setting a record. Will the Eagles wreck their well-crafted threepeat bid?

Although the Chiefs’ one-score streak does not quite stretch back to Super Bowl LVII, they emerged victorious in that matchup. A hotly debated holding call on James Bradberry denied the NFC champions a chance at a potential game-winning drive, but that Eagles team saw its top-10 defense unravel in the second half. Even as Jalen Hurts carved up a well-regarded Chiefs defense that night, the Eagles fell just short largely because of mistakes on defense and special teams. After last season’s Sean Desai–Matt Patricia defense cratered to do enough to create Nick Sirianni hot-seat rumors, the Eagles have stabilized this unit via their Vic Fangio hire.

Not as reliant on sacks as the 2022 team was, the Eagles allowed fewer yards per play (4.7) with 41 sacks than they did with 70 two years ago (4.8). The team has seen emergences from All-Pros Jalen Carter and Zack Baun, the latter reaching first-team status on a one-year, $3.5MM deal, fuel its first two levels while rookie cornerback investments Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have been quick studies on the back end. The team’s decision to give Bryce Huff a $17MM-per-year deal has not paid off yet, but agreeing to a rework with Josh Sweat — before trading Haason Reddick — has benefited a defense that ranked first in yardage and second in scoring this season.

Philadelphia also carries a far more imposing run game into this matchup compared to 2022, as the three-year, $37.75MM Saquon Barkley pact — a zag after several years passed without the team allocating much at running back — has provided tremendous value. The NFL’s ninth 2,000-yard rusher already sits seventh for ground yards in a single postseason (442). Only two RBs (John Riggins, Terrell Davis) have amassed 500 in one playoff journey. The Eagles’ extensions for Landon Dickerson and Jordan Mailata, and Jason Kelce succession plan featuring Cam Jurgens, each preceded All-Pro or Pro Bowl accolades.

As Barkley has soared in Philly, Hurts has not factored in as prominently into Kellen Moore‘s offense. The high-priced QB threw 361 passes — 99 fewer than his 2022 output in the same number of games — but cut down on interceptions from 2023 (15 down to five) while matching his per attempt figure (8.0) from his breakthrough season. The pass-game volume decreasing has impacted A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith following their extensions, however. While Hurts does not rival Mahomes in terms of stature in the game, he is the more interesting component in Sunday’s matchup due to the latter’s big-game dependability.

Even when their 38-0 Broncos result is removed, the Chiefs’ point differential is worse than any 15- or 14-win team in NFL history. The first 14-plus-win team to outscore opponents by less than 100 continued to get by with late-game execution, though officiating in these close games certainly became a hot-button topic as well.

The Chiefs are here without Mahomes earning a Pro Bowl nod and as Travis Kelce averaged a career-low 8.5 yards per reception. But the Chiefs finished as the NFL’s second-best third-down team. As Mahomes has become more short- and mid-range merchant than deep-ball assassin, Kansas City has made this setup work without reliable tackle play; All-Pro LG Joe Thuney is expected to start there as a stopgap again Sunday.

Ex-Eagles assistant Steve Spagnuolo‘s defense ranks in the top 10 for the fifth time in six years, however, and it held the Bills to one first down on a potential go-ahead fourth-quarter drive. The decision to give Chris Jones a DT-record $95MM guaranteed, rather than take their chances in free agency, has paid off as well. The top prize from the Tyreek Hill trade, versatile CB Trent McDuffie has remained an elite cover man — on a rookie contract, which the Chiefs effectively mandate at corner — and operates as their second-most important defender.

Although the Eagles may again have more talent top to bottom, the Chiefs’ Reid-Mahomes-Kelce-Jones setup — which is 3-1 in Super Bowls — has elevated them to a slight favorite. Do the Eagles have enough to nix a Chiefs coronation or will this Kansas City dynasty, via a fourth title in six years, keep moving up the all-time ranks? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on Super Bowl LIX in the comments section.