A Super Bowl Remix!

Good Morning! Super Bowl LIX kicks off tonight in New Orleans. The Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Philadelphia Eagles at 6:30 PM on Fox.

THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

HOW THEY GOT HERE: The two-time defending champs have lost just two games since Christmas… of 2023! Kansas City began the year 9-0 before losing a close game to the Buffalo Bills. They finished the season 15-2 after resting their starters for a meaningless week 18 game. After a first-round bye, the Chiefs beat the Houston Texans 23-14 before avenging their regular season loss to Buffalo with a thrilling 32-29 victory in the AFC Championship game.

KEY PLAYERS: With coach Andy Reid leading the way, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and defensive lineman Chris Jones have formed an incredible foundation for the Chiefs dynasty, but there’s more to this team. Although there’s a rotating cast of role players that fill out the KC offense, the true stars are on the offensive line. Watch one game and you’ll learn all about Creed Humphrey. On defense, the linebacking core makes a huge difference. Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill, and Leo Chenal are always in the right place at the right time. You’ll hear the names George Karlaftis, Justin Reid, and Trent McDuffie a fair amount today, too. One guy you may not know– return-man Nikko Remigio, who’s averaging 31 yards per kick return and 26 yards per punt return, leading both categories this postseason by a fair margin.

WHAT’S AT STAKE: No team in NFL history has won three Super Bowls in a row. A win today would put Mahomes, Reid, and the Chiefs dynasty at the top of the conversation for best team of all time. Star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins would cement his hall of fame status with his first ring. Offensive lineman Joe Thuney would win his fifth ring in his nine-year career. I could keep going, but you get the point. The team that wins every year might not have a lot of fans, but a Chiefs victory would be truly historic.

THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

HOW THEY GOT HERE: After a disappointing finish to the 2023 season, the Philadelphia Eagles are back in the Super Bowl. Philly went 14-3 during the regular season and won the NFC East. In the playoffs, the Eagles got the job done 22-10 over the Packers, escaped a snowy battle against the Rams 28-22, and crushed the Cinderella Commanders 55-23.

KEY PLAYERS: This is all about the birthday boy– newly crowned Offensive Player of the Year Saquan Barkley turns 28 today, and he’s the face (or the legs) of a very physical Eagles team. Quarterback Jalen Hurts had just five interceptions all season, and with the defense focused on Barkley, there’s plenty of room for Hurts to find receivers AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, and tight end Dallas Goedert. Add in one of the best offensive lines in the game, and you can see why the Eagles offense had so much success in 2024. The defense, however, is the key. Rookie corners Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell have transformed the Eagles pass defense. Up front, Jalen Carter is an absolute monster rushing the passer, and he’s supported by veteran Brandon Graham, who just came off the IR this week. Don’t forget about Zack Baun, either, the man in the middle. Lastly, keep an eye on kicker Jake Elliot. He’s been inconsistent this season, especially on extra points.

WHAT’S AT STAKE: Did you know Philadelphia has just one Super Bowl victory in franchise history? The Eagles beat the Patriots in 2018. Funny enough, that game broke up a potential New England three-peat, as the Pats won in 2017 and 2019. There’s that angle, then there’s revenge for two years ago, when the Chiefs beat this Eagles team 38-35. Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes are the fourth QB duo to face off in the Super Bowl for a second time– the QB who won the first time has won every rematch. 

WHEN PHILLY HAS THE BALL:

1. It’s all about Saquan. I know I said that already, but it’s worth repeating. Barkley has 100 yards rushing in each of his last five games. He’s the best in the NFL at breaking off long runs of 30+ yards, too. Meanwhile, Kansas City has not allowed an 100 yard rusher in their last 18 playoff games, a streak that stretches back to 2019. Something’s gotta give!

2. Steve Spagnoulo may be the best defensive coordinator in football, and his trademark is the all-out blitz. No one knows exactly when a Spags blitz will hit, but they usually highlight pivotal moments– just ask Josh Allen on that fateful last throw in the AFC Championship game. Philly must negate the Kansas City pressure to win the game.

3. Philadelphia averaged 27.2 points per game this season, good for seventh in the NFL. Kansas City allowed only 19.2 points per game, fourth-best in the league. Something’s gotta give!

WHEN KANSAS CITY HAS THE BALL:

1. Patrick Mahomes is 8-0 in his career against defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Mahomes has a winning record against most coaches, but 8-0 is a pretty significant sample size.

2. The Kansas City offense has scored more than 30 points in a game this year only one time– the AFC Championship game against the Bills. The Eagles, on the other hand, have allowed more than 30 points just one time– a week 16 loss against Washington.

3. But enough with all the stats. If Kansas City has the ball, that means it’s in the hands of Patrick Mahomes. And if the best player on the field has the ball in his hands, good things tend to happen. There might be a Xavier Worthy jet sweep double-pass or a Travis Kelce hook-and-ladder. Maybe Hollywood Brown has ten catches and Isiah Pacheco doesn’t play. I don’t know what crazy plays the Chiefs have drawn up, but I can’t wait to see what them. You give Andy Reid two weeks to prepare and you know he’ll have his team ready to go.

THE FUN STUFF:

A quick break from the football for some sideline shenanigans! The Super Bowl is more than just a game, it’s a day of food and music and informed wagers:

• Jon Batiste is performing the National Anthem. The average time of the last 10 Super Bowl National Anthems is 120.5 seconds. No coincidence that 120.5 seconds is the over/under for this year REMIX PICK: OVER

• Everyone loves the coin toss! Heads has been the winner 28 times in Super Bowl history, with Tails taking a slight lead at 30 times. More interesting than that, teams that win the toss have a losing record (26-32). But the Chiefs won the toss each of the last two seasons! All that’s to say… REMIX PICK: HEADS?

• Kendrick Lamar is your Super Bowl halftime performer. SZA has already been announced as a guest, but more surprises are surely in store. It’s my (and most people’s) prediction that Kendrick will finish with Grammy-winning song of the year “Not Like Us” but other than that? Sit back and enjoy the show.

• Lastly, we have the famous Gatorade shower. There’s some fascinating data here if you want to study the history of this tradition. I’d simply like to highlight that the Chiefs have doused coach Reid with purple sports drink the last two seasons.

• Other topics to keep an eye on– How many times will Taylor Swift appear on the broadcast? (Five) Will Tom Brady handle the big game as an announcer as well as he did when he played? (Unlikely) What will be the best commercial? (Probably Doritos again) 

FINAL VERDICT:

One of my favorite sports writers, Joe Posnanski, wrote about predicting the score of the Super Bowl earlier this week:

The Eagles want to control the game early, wear down the Chiefs defense, and then hand the ball off to Saquan Barkley and let him (literally) run away with a victory. That’s about as clear of a formula as you’ll ever see, and if it works, the Eagles may win by two touchdowns. Unfortunately for Philly fans, I just don’t see that being the case. The magic of a great team is how they force you to play on their terms– I believe Kansas City will keep this one close enough so that Barkley can never truly be unleashed. I’m picking the Chiefs to be Super Bowl LIX champions– KANSAS CITY 27, PHILADELPHIA 22

I believe that’s everything you need to know– remember to thank the Remix when you’re the most informed person at your Super Bowl party! In the meantime, order the wings, claim a good spot on the couch, and settle in for the most-watched television event of the year. I’ll see you tomorrow morning to recap it all!