3 ways the Eagles could beat the Chiefs in their Super Bowl rematch
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A look under the hard hat at the Eagles-Chiefs rematch. Photo: Don Juan Moore/Getty Images
Many Americans are rooting for the Eagles this Super Bowl, per a new poll from Emerson College.
Why it matters: It's a rare occasion for a franchise that's fond of reminding people that no one likes them.
The big picture: Experts tell us it might have less to do with Philadelphia, and more to do with Kansas City's attempt to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
- Mark Eckel, former Eagles beat writer and NJ Advance Media columnist, tells Axios he believes fans are sick of seeing the same team win.
Whatever the case, here's what analysts are saying about the Birds' keys to victory:
Hit the Quan … over and over
The Eagles have ridden the workhorse running back Saquon Barkley to the Super Bowl. And he's ready to saddle up again.
Stunning stat: Barkley led the NFL with 54 runs of 10+ yards this season, including seven of at least 60 yards — the most recorded in a single season, per Pro Football Focus, a sports analytics company.
"Let Barkley take the game over and keep [Patrick] Mahomes off the field," PFF analyst Dalton Wasserman tells Axios.
Protect Hurts at all costs
Jalen Hurts is a top-10 quarterback when he "has a clean pocket," Wasserman says.
Yes, but: Not so great when he's under pressure. About half the sacks Hurts has taken this season were due to holding onto the ball too long — an average of 3.21 seconds, Wasserman says.
"You have to make them beat you left-handed," Wasserman says, noting the Chiefs are likely to force Hurts to make plays by stacking the line with defenders to try to stop Barkley.
Rely on the "Exciting Whites" to beat "Big Red"
Cooper DeJean and Reed Blankenship are big parts of why the Eagles' secondary is elite. But they have to do their parts to stop the Chiefs' explosive receivers.
Flashback: A late holding call against Eagles cornerback James Bradberry sealed the Birds' fate in 2023.
Zoom in: The Chiefs are hard to stop, especially since they line up dynamic wideout Xavier Worthy all over the field, including in the slot for 32% of snaps this season.
The bottom line: Eckel says this could be the Eagles' "sweetest" Super Bowl win. Our prediction: 33-31 Eagles on a game-ending field goal.