Super Bowl 2025: previewing Eagles' chances vs. Chiefs in title rematch

The Philadelphia Eagles reached this year's Super Bowl on the back of the theory that you don't need to be good at everything to win games: you just need to be absolutely brilliant at a couple of things.

It has been a strange, wild ride for Eagles fans; a 2-2 start and inconsistent passing was replaced with a 10-game win streak, during which the team leaned hard into their run-first, run-second identity. But even amidst the success, the vibes felt off; wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith both expressed their displeasure with the state of the team's pass offense after a win over the Carolina Panthers in which they threw for just 83 yards on the day.

Through it all, though, this team kept winning, and winning, and winning. Outside of a Week 16 loss to the Washington Commanders, which they promptly avenged in the NFC Championship, they haven't lost since September 29.

Now, though, they face a familiar and daunting foe: the Kansas City Chiefs. Philly last met Kansas City at this stage just two years ago, in a game the Eagles lost 38-35 to kick off the Chiefs' run of dominance. This isn't that Eagles team, or that Chiefs team, which begs the question: can the Eagles avenge their Super Bowl LVII loss, or will their flawed offense finally catch up to them? Let's break it down.

Eagles' Offense: Philly's offense under Nick Sirianni has changed a lot over the years, and this year they seem to have reached a particularly unique form. They can score points by the bushel, ranking seventh in scoring in the NFL, and have one of the most talented top-to-bottom rosters in the sport.

Both Brown and Smith are bona fide stars, capable of breaking a game open single-handedly, with massive big play potential. The offensive line ranks as one of the most talented in the NFL, and they've looked downright dominant in the playoffs after some inconsistent regular season performances.

But where this team really shines is rushing the football. Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts have been downright unstoppable this season, and especially in the playoffs, tearing apart opposing defenses and making big plays all year long. They have yet to run for less than 150 yards in the postseason, and have broken the 225-yard mark in each of their last two games. This team is going to run the ball, and they're going to run it a lot. And with Barkley and Hurts in the backfield, they're going to do it extremely well.

Despite the presence of Brown and Smith, and tight end Dallas Goedert, the passing game can best be described as maddeningly inconsistent. They failed to crack the 300-yard mark in any game this season throwing the ball, and threw for less than 150 yards seven times, including twice in the playoffs so far. Hurts is far more comfortable making plays with his legs than his arm, and while he'll show flashes from time to time, they're seldom more than that. As long as the run game is working, this offense clicks. But if it doesn't, there's no guarantee anything will work.

Eagles' Defense: Outside of running the ball, Philly's defense is the other major strength of this team. They rank second in points allowed, and first in both yards allowed and yards per play. They get off the field quickly, playing the fewest defensive snaps of any team in the NFL this year. They will lock down your passing game, allowing the fewest yards of any defense, and rank just outside the top 10 in interceptions. They do this despite racking up just 41 sacks on the year, ranking 15th in the NFL, and blitzing on less than 20 percent of plays. They're going to beat you straight up, and you're not going to generate many yards on them through the air.

The run defense is slightly less imposing, but they're still a top-10 unit. And while you may find yards on the ground, you won't find many points. They've allowed just nine rushing touchdowns on the year. And if that wasn't imtimidating enough, they rank second in penalties conceded, so you're not picking up many bonus yards against them.

Path to Victory: The defense is going to need to take away what the Chiefs want to do offensively. Force them into short drives, and make them settle for field goals as much as possible.

Offensively, find ways to make plays in the passing game early; Kansas City thrives when they only need to slow down either the pass or the run, and has been less consistent when they need to worry about both. Jalen Hurts is going to need to get going quickly to make sure Saquon has room to operate.

How it Goes Wrong: Kansas City's offense takes what the defense gives them, and manages to sustain drives all game long with their incredible efficiency, and they end in touchdowns rather than field goals. Philly's offense sputters due to Hurts' inconsistent arm, and with all the defensive focus on him, Saquon finds himself bottled up. Faced with an early deficit, Hurts is forced to throw, putting his issues in that regard in even sharper focus, and a defense that hasn't spent all that much time on the field finds itself out there longer and longer.

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