Comparing Philadelphia and Kansas City resumes.
The Eagles and the Chiefs will be meeting in the Super Bowl for the second time in three years, and though the teams did not face each other this past regular season, they did face eight common opponents in 2024: Atlanta, Baltimore, Carolina, Cincinnati, Cleveland, New Orleans, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay.
The Chiefs went 8-0 against those teams, while the Eagles were 6-2.
Although the Chiefs were ranked 11th overall in the NFL during the regular season in point differential, at plus-59, the Chiefs outscored the eight common opponents the Eagles faced by 68 points, while the Eagles, who were second overall in the NFL in point differential at plus-160, outscored those common opponents by 31 points. If the Chiefs do win the Super Bowl, the 59-point differential would be the fifth-lowest point difference for a Super Bowl champion.
The Chiefs were 12-0 in one-score games, while superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes is 15-0 playing in domed stadiums and 8-0 when facing Eagles’ defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
The Chiefs outgained common opponents, 2,919 (364.8 ave. per game) to 2,551 (318.8 ave. per game), while the Eagles outgained common opponents 2,766 (345.7 ave. per game) to 2,410 (301.25 ave. per game). The Chiefs outgained the Eagles in those games by an average of 19.1 yards more a game, while the Chiefs’ defense gave up an average 17.5 more yards a game against common opponents.
Even though the Eagles were third overall in the NFL in giveaway/takeaways, at plus-11, to the Chiefs’ seventh, at plus-7, the Chiefs were a plus-4 (11 caused turnovers/7 turnovers) in giveaway/takeaways against common opponents to the Eagles’ minus-2 (5 caused turnovers/7 turnovers).
Both the Chiefs and Eagles struggled early on. The Chiefs were banged up and the Eagles were still learning Fangio’s defense, and Kellen Moore’s offense.
Both teams improved as the season progressed.
In September, Kansas City beat Baltimore, Cincinnati and Atlanta, by a total of 13 points, though was outgained, 1,083 yards to 984 and were minus-2 in the take/giveaway ratio. September was even worse for the Eagles. They were 1-2 against common opponents Atlanta, New Orleans and Tampa Bay, getting outscored by 15 points, and going minus-4 in the turnover battle, though the Eagles did outgain those three teams, though not by much, 1,052 to 1,049.
October was the Eagles’ turnaround month, beating common opponents Cleveland and Cincinnati by a combined 24 points, outgaining both teams by a combined 769-524 and winning the turnover battle at plus-2. The interesting twist is that the Eagles struggled to get by Cleveland, though smoked Cincinnati, at Cincinnati, by 20, outgaining the Bengals, 397-280, while Kansas City just got by the Bengals, turned the ball over three times to one takeaway and was outgained 320-286—and still won, while the Chiefs crushed Cleveland in December by 14, causing six turnovers in that game.
Another game that could raise antennas came against Tampa Bay. The Chiefs dealt with Todd Bowles’ blitzing scheme, winning in overtime, 30-24, while the Eagles, playing without A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, starting Johnny Wilson and Jahan Dotson in their place, were trailing 24-0 by the second quarter. Jalen Hurts was sacked six times for minus-44 yards. He was blitzed 15 times in the game, and completed 18 of 30 for 158 yards, while Mahomes completed 33 of 44 for 291 yards in the Chiefs’ November victory, getting sacked twice while being blitzed 12 times. Mahomes was without running back Isiah Pacheco.
The Chiefs are riding an NFL-record 17-game winning streak in one-score games, coming off a season-high 32-point performance in the AFC championship over Buffalo. The Eagles are 9-2 in one-score games, coming off a season-high 55-point performance in the NFC championship over Washington.
Kansas City is looking to make history as a threepeat Super Bowl winner and has not exactly steamrolled anyone this season. But against the the same eight teams the Eagles faced this past regular season, they are 8-0 and won by an average of 8.5 points a game, just beyond the one-score margin, while the Eagles beat six of the eight common opponents by an average of 5.1 points a game.
