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Chiefs 0-0 Eagles 6:49, 1st quarter
On 2nd & 7, it’s Barkley again, wiggling up the middle, for another two yards. It’s 3rd & 5 and Hurts is looking for Goedert again but the ball is high and it’s incomplete.
But a flag! McDuffie is done for a personal foul, also a questionable call, but this one for Philly! How about that!
The Eagles are on the Chiefs’ 28!
Chiefs 0-0 Eagles 8:09 1st quarter
OK, so two punts to start us off, how about that?
Barkley runs into a crowd to start this drive and he gets about two.
Now Hurts is in the shotgun – no pressure and he throws to Goedert, complete! That’s a 20-yard gain across midfield to the Chiefs 47!
Stephen Holliday says:
“Didn’t think they’d start the terrible calls in favour of the chiefs quite that early … ”
Well, it’s a big game and you want to set the tone early.
Chiefs 0-0 Eagles 9:40, 1st quarter
Mahomes has time, which is surprising. But now he’s being chased and he’s going the wrong way, and running everywhere, left, right, before chucking it up like it’s a lunchtime game in the schoolyard – almost intercepted!
The Eagles hold and will start at their own 19 after the punt.
Chiefs 0-0 Eagles 10:03, 1st quarter
One play, one first down. Smith-Schuster with the reception in the middle of the field.
But now on the ensuing second down, Mahomes can’t find Kelce, so it’s 3rd & 9.
You make the call
The drive
The Eagles keep the pill for eight plays and 3:39 but come away empty thanks to “offensive pass interference”.
My 11-year-old son says: “I don’t know what Andy Reid said to the referees [before the gamer] but it worked.”
Chiefs 0-0 Eagles 11:31, 1st quarter
Hurts is going to throw, and downfield! And it’s complete to Brown for a big gain down the far sideline!
But there’s a flag – offensive pass interference!
That is a ticky-tacky call and that’s the Chiefs first whistle if you’re keeping score at home. Here we go! Eagles punt to the 12.
Here come the Chiefs!
Chiefs 0-0 Eagles 11:41 1st quarter
Barkley again, this time to his right for about three yards to the Eagles 45.
And watch that clock tick. That’s part of the plan, chew that clock.
But now Barkley is wrapped up for a loss, and that means it’s 3rd & 11!
And Hurts is on the run, sprinting to his right towards the far sideline! Good run but he’s short by two yards.
They’re going for it!
Chiefs 0-0 Eagles 13:41, 1st quarter
Barkley runs to his left, towards the near sideline for a game of four. Now Hurts has time, moves to his right, fires and finds Smith on the Eagles 42! First down!
Super Bowl 59 is on!
American viewers get a sexy lead in feature from Tom Cruise, going on about, you guessed it, “a mission”.
But never mind all that. The Eagles start at the 30 after a touchback!
Let’s go!
David says:
“New York, LA San Francisco, New Orleans is the commonly accepted apocryphal (not Williams, nor anybody else reliably) list.”
From one David to another – thank you!
Coin toss!
Victims of the 14 victims of the New Orleans 1 January truck attack are mourned prior to the flip of the coin.
Ron Torbert, a 15-year referee, is flipping it right now! KC call it tails, and it’s tails!
The Chiefs want the ball in the second half, so the Eagles will start it off.
“Let’s play football!” says Torbert, and I could not agree more.
But a few more commercials first, of course. But I promise, it’s coming.
National anthem
Home-town artist Jon Batiste is singing the national anthem, with gamblers wanting to know if it comes in under or over a 120.5-second run time.
Remember when it just used to be a song you heard before a game?
Good performance, though – not traditional but excellent and a lot of fun, with great energy.
I’m going 9/10!
And congratulations to the winners!
A dozen years ago
The second half had just begun, the Ravens were crushing Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers 28-6, and with 13:38 to go in the third quarter – poof – the lights went out in the Superdome. All in, it was a 35-minute delay. The Niners got back within three points, but Baltimore held on to win their second title.
Think they can keep the lights on this time?
Pregame interviews
Fox TV in the US is with the stars before we get this thing going.
Mahomes on the pressure of the threepeat:
“There’s always pressure coming into this game. Our guys are prepared, our guys are ready. Let’s go out there and be us.”
Saquon on final thoughts in the tunnel:
“Take it all in, it’s no accident why we’re here. Just lock into the little things and play football and do whatever it takes to get a win.”
Here they come!
Jon Hamm introduces the Chiefs, who come on to the field in New Orleans wearing their white jerseys.
Then Bradley Cooper, fresh off cheesesteak duty, announces the Eagles on to the field along with his son. Eagles in home green!
Steve says:
“Jets v Browns at Wembley?? The Jets, against the Browns? Is that all London gets for all the years we’ve supported the NFL? They’re taking the UK fans for granted … ”
Steve is rooting for the Eagles, by the way.
The game will be at Tottenham, and funny you mention the Jets, and this is the closest they’ve come to a Super Bowl in some time.
Not long ago today it was reported by insiders that Rodgers is done as a Jet, having been told by the team that he’s no longer wanted. That means New York has a brand new coaching staff, GM and no starting QB. Apparently a fresh start is preferred. Is that a good idea? Well, until we find out who will fill the slot it’s hard to say.
OK, back to our regular scheduled programming.
The band plays on
Fans under the dome are treated to local musicians on a stage the shape of an NFL shield, which I am sure didn’t happen by accident. There’s a marching band as well.
The great thing about New Orleans is that it actually has a unique culture of its own, and sometimes feels like another country entirely. I think Tennessee Williams once said there are three cities in the US: New York, LA and New Orleans.
Jared checks in from … abroad.
“Hello! No predictions; I just want to note that you have at least one Philly area native watching the game while under an active air alert in Kyiv as Russian drones attack the city. Fly, Eagles, Fly! Hardest fan base in American football, and I’m just doing my part.”
Glad to have you along with us, hopefully our distraction can help the time pass more pleasantly. Hang in there.
Hail to the Chiefs …
… maybe, but first they have to do this, exactly.
1. Stay ahead. The Chiefs were down in every playoff game this season and won. The Eagles, with their aggressive pass rush, with linebackers that can cover the pass, the game could speed up on them, especially with Barkley chewing up the clock on the ground.
2. Jawaan Taylor, good offensive lineman, but man oh man, the penalties. He finished second with 14 flags this regular season, down from 17 a year earlier when he was first. The heat will be on in the Super Bowl against the great Philly front – if he can keep the refs flags in their pockets, that will be a good sign.
3. Spread the ball. KC are great at ball distribution, and keeping the Eagles off balance with superior play design is what Andy Reid does.
4. Mahomes doesn’t want to run, and the goal for him should be to fire away within seconds, avoiding a fierce pass rush. If he can’t do that, he’ll have to run, and his ability to get yards, like he did against Buffalo, will have a lot to do with their success.
Jeff in the UK has a question:
“Sorry for the early moan! What is kick off time in GMT, much as I am sure ET is appropriate on many levels these days, any chance the Manchester Guardian could give us a UK kick off time as well as the American one? Yours in appreciation for your late night work!”
The game will start at 23.30 Manchester Guardian time. Luckily I’m in the United States, which means I get to see the most expensive commercials in the world while you watch double glazing ads!
I’ve been there pal, it’s rough.
The Eagles are the champs …
… if they follow these precise steps during the game. If they don’t, I will not be held accountable for any subsequent loss.
1. Do not let Mahomes run. That’s a disaster – they must contain him at all costs.
2. Mahomes will be forced to get rid of the ball quickly because of the Eagles pass rush and the dominance of Jalen Carter, who is a complete monster. That means the secondary has to be air-tight. If Philly lets Xavier Worthy run wild in the defensive backfield, like he did against Buffalo, that’s going to be a problem.
3. OK, this one is obvious but it’s in my contract that I have to write it. Philly needs to be up two scores late, because we know what happens when KC gets the ball down by a single score. Andy Reid already has the play that will win the Super Bowl drawn up and ready to go, and they will execute it if given the chance. Do not give them the chance. Obviously there’s a reason KC have an unfathomable one-possession record
4. If Philly can’t be up two scores, at the very least they have to run out the clock, and that means running Saquon Barkley again and again and again moving those chains until there’s zeros on the clock. That’s the only way this is going to happen.
It would also be nice if they keep Jalen Hurts upright and stop Chris Jones from taking over this game on defense. He has a tendency to move mountains in big games.
Handover
Tom Lutz is out – and thank you, Tom, sorry about Birmingham City – and I’m in to take you all the way up to the last second touchdown by the Chiefs. More on that below.
But first I’d like to welcome folks clicking in who have been watching the Puppy Bowl XXI. Congratulations to Team Fluff, which defeated team Ruff to win the prestigious Lombarky Trophy.
As for the other game down in New Orleans, we’re about an hour out now from finally figuring out which team will have the title stolen from them by the referees, though the Eagles do have a decisive edge in that department.
As mentioned above, in case anyone wants to know my prediction, I have the Chiefs winning by two, I want to say 30-28. You’re not going to believe this but I just have this vision of Patrick Mahomes scoring the winning touchdown as the game comes to a close. I don’t really know where that comes from, it’s just a feeling I have, as strange as that sounds.
Do you have a prediction? It doesn’t have to be about football, but that would be useful. Email me and we’ll get your name in the paper – mom will be so proud.
We’ll have more incredible insight shortly – stand back and stand by … for more rolling coverage. Stick with us!
Bryan Armen Graham
Bryan Graham is part of our team at the game today and said this about the scenes outside the stadium:
New Orleans’ reputation as a party town was alive and well before the kickoff of Super Bowl LIX. Thousands of well-lubricated revelers wearing numbered Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles jerseys are spilling out of bars and roaming the streets all over the French Quarter on a sun-splashed 74F afternoon with hardly a cloud in the sky, unbothered by the heightened armed security presence all over the district in the wake of the New Year’s Day terror attack.
Ticket-holders making the final approach up Poydras Street, which has been closed to traffic for nearly a week, make their way to the Superdome through a small army of street preachers and fundamentalist demonstrators toting bullhorns and handing out flyers caling passersby to repent. There’s also an outsized presence of Bloodstained Men & Their Friends, an “intactivist” advocacy group that opposes male circumcision.
Some fans who don’t have tickets were checking Ticketmaster outside the stadium, where resale prices have dropped to about $2,200 to get in the door, slightly below the face value for most seats. The company says those seats will remain available on the platform for an hour after the game starts, giving hope to those punters looking for a last-minute miracle. (Might be as good a time as any to repent.)
The greatest quarterback in NFL history and Tom Brady sit down for a pregame interview as Patrick Mahomes is interviewed by the seven-time Super Bowl champion. There appears to be genuine warmth between the two men. Mahomes says he has evolved as a passer and says he has become a less spectacular player but he is happy with that because he has continued winning. More on that subject here:
Those photos of Travis Kelce’s pregame outfit have appeared on our wires. It’s definitely a look. I think I might like it?
Andrew Lawrence is at the Superdome for us tonight and says Patrick Mahomes has just trotted on to the field to more boos than cheers. That’s perhaps unsurprising given that Eagles fans have outnumbered Chiefs fans in New Orleans all week. His opposing number, Jalen Hurts, was greeted by loud cheers.
Saquon Barkley, who rushed for an amazing 2,000 yards this regular season, and seems like a very nice man, is interviewed by Michael Strahan. He’s asked what he thought when he rushed for 2,000 yards. “Damn!” replies Barkley. You can read more about the running back here:
This is the second time in three seasons that the Chiefs and Eagles are facing each other in the Super Bowl. Which team is most likely to be back next year? The correct answer is both of them. Here’s what our writers said:
It’s the Chiefs. They have the best quarterback and coaching staff and are oozing with young talent that can carry one dynastic run into the next. The Eagles have some tricky free-agent questions to address this off season; the Chiefs will have all their key players back next season. Oliver Connolly
Both of them, probably. It’s hard to bet against Mahomes and Reid, who have become the Brady and Belichick of the 2020s. But Howie Roseman’s deft, visionary front-office work has Philadelphia positioned for long-term success in what appears to be the weaker conference … and that’s even if a rumored trade for Myles Garrett doesn’t pan out. Whatever happens Sunday, a Chiefs-Eagles threequel is very much in play. Bryan Graham
Kansas City. Isn’t there some NFL bylaw that states Mahomes must be in the Super Bowl? They’ve previously made it with a shaky defense, then without Tyreek Hill, and now with a past-his-prime Kelce. Nobody can seemingly stop this juggernaut. Melissa Jacobs
Kansas City. With all due respect to Eagles GM Roseman, the Chiefs have been here five of the past six years. Andrew Lawrence
Kansas City. Philadelphia’s problem is what the future holds at quarterback if they lose. Hurts has helped mould the Eagles into a juggernaut. His 46-20 regular season win-loss record is phenomenal compared with a 2020 draft class where all four QBs picked ahead of Hurts are definitely or at least arguably better passing technicians yet all have lesser CVs – Joe Burrow 38-30-1, Tua Tagovailoa 38-24, Justin Herbert 41-38, Jordan Love 18-15. If the Eagles lose, the knives will be out for a quarterback who at times struggles to make the most of his excellent wide receivers. If you keep Hurts then you risk upsetting AJ Brown and if you twist you throw away one of the most robust and versatile leaders in the NFL away. The Mahomes machine lacks any of this potential noise. Graham Searles
Celebrities getting free tickets watch:
Who is the key player for the Eagles today? Philly have the deepest roster in the NFL this season, so it’s hard to pick out one outstanding player. But our writers had a go:
Key player for the Eagles
Jalen Carter, defensive tackle. The Chiefs have rejigged their offensive line and now have two clear weak points: left guard and right tackle. The Eagles have to take advantage. It’s over to Carter, a one-man inferno, to take advantage. The Eagles rarely move Carter around, meaning he will probably be one-on-one against Chiefs right guard Trey Smith. If Carter wins a ‘good on good’ matchup, the rest of his teammates should feast along the line. How often do Super Bowls come down to one, decisive sack? Carter is the front-runner to drop Mahomes and tilt the game. Oliver Connolly
Milton Williams, defensive tackle. He may not have the same Q Score as Philadelphia’s other young defensive stars, but the 25-year-old lineman will play an important role in the Eagles’ attempt to slow down Kansas City’s offense. With Carter demanding double teams, Williams will have plenty of one-on-one chances against Chiefs left guard Caliendo, who’s struggled in pass protection. Williams’ elite 12.5% pressure rate ranks second among defensive tackles, and his disruptive presence could collapse the pocket, forcing Mahomes into uncomfortable throws. If Williams dominates his matchup, Philadelphia’s defense could replicate Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl LV blueprint. Bryan Graham
Jalen Carter, defensive tackle. Carter has been a force all season and especially in the playoffs. In three games this postseason, Carter has 20 pressures, two sacks, three quarterback hits, and five run stops. If he dominates the Chiefs’ interior line as he has most other interiors, the Eagles have a hell of a shot. Melissa Jacobs
Cooper DeJean, defensive back. Don’t judge a book by its cover: DeJean is an exceptional cornerback who hits as well as he covers. Mostly, the Eagles stick him on receivers in the slot, which means he will be charged with locking down another rookie – Worthy, the Chiefs’ primary downfield threat. Andrew Lawrence
Jordan Mailata, left tackle. Mailata’s dominance on the line of scrimmage is the foundation of Philadelphia’s explosive offense. His blocking gives both Hurts an age to throw or scramble and Barkley acres of avenue to skip through. The Australian gunning for a first Super Bowl ring for his country allowed 14 pressures, one sack and no hits of his quarterback in 406 passing snaps in the regular season. And he only started playing the sport seven years ago. Graham Searles
You can read our full predictions for today’s game here:
Who is the key player for the Chiefs today? Our writers actually say it won’t be their superdupersupersuperstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Although maybe they were just trying to be different. Here’s who they think could end up deciding matters in the Chiefs’ favour:
Key player for the Chiefs
Travis Kelce, tight end. Kelce always shows up in the biggest moments. The Eagles’ defense is structured in a way that tight ends get plenty of opportunities to attack the middle of the field. It’s unclear if Philly will designate one of Cooper DeJean, Zack Baun or Oren Burks (or a combination of two) to track Kelce. Regardless, Mahomes will look Kelce’s way on pivotal downs – and his tight end should have an edge. Oliver Connolly
Patrick Mahomes, quarterback. You could make the case for right guard Trey Smith, who most likely draws the unenviable assignment of containing the formidable Carter. But as Mahomes goes, so go the Chiefs. His ability to avoid sacks, extend plays and make off-platform throws when things break down remains unmatched – and there’s nobody better at orchestrating a winning drive if the game is close in the fourth quarter. Bryan Graham
Xavier Worthy, wide receiver. Worthy, who scored in his debut, has only become more impactful as the season has progressed. Just the mere threat of Worthy with his all-world speed and explosive playmaking is enough to make Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio work overtime. If Worthy is successful on a few big plays, this game may not be close. Melissa Jacobs
Kareem Hunt, running back. People forget: Hunt, the 2017 rushing leader, was the Chiefs’ breakout rookie, not Mahomes – who carried a clipboard that year. He just missed out on the beginning of the Chiefs’ dynastic run because of a domestic-violence incident that forced the team to waive him. Back after five years of football purgatory in Cleveland, Hunt isn’t the game-breaking threat he was when he was younger – but he’s still a strong runner and exceptional pass catcher who gets the job done. Andrew Lawrence
Charles Omenihu, edge defender. An underrated playmaker for the Chiefs has the ability to produce when it counts as he showed with a crucial batted-down pass in the final quarter against the Bills. Spagnuolo can rely on Omenihu to set a rock solid edge as the Chiefs throw everything at containing Barkley’s home runs. Graham Searles
You can read all their predictions for today’s game here:
Fashion watch
Travis Kelce has arrived in an extraordinary 70s outfit. It’s not on the wires yet, and I don’t want to link to a certain social media site so we’ll make do with some other highlights:
Our first big ad of the day, with a trailer for the new Mission: Impossible. You’ll be surprised it involves Tom Cruise nearly maybe falling off a very fast mode of transport (this time: a plane).
Because it’s 2025 and he is legally obliged to be in everything, Bob Dylan tribute act (but what a tribute act) Timothée Chalamet pops up chatting to Kendrick Lamar about the half-time show. In black and white because they’re artists. We’ll also have a liveblog and review of Kendrick’s show later – early news is that, no, he’s not going to let Drake off the hook.
Patrick Mahomes has been the Super Bowl MVP for the last two seasons and three times in total (only Tom Brady – five times – has more). Who do our writers think will win in today? I’ll give you one guess …
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs. Against an outstanding Eagles defense, Mahomes will need to be near-perfect. The Eagles do not turn the ball over – and they force takeaways. Mahomes cannot afford to cough up a silly interception or fumble. Even without turnovers, the Chiefs will need the quarterback to conjure a moment or two of magic to get over the line. But Mahomes always raises his game on the biggest stage, and I’m guessing he will walk away with his fourth Super Bowl MVP. Oliver Connolly
Jalen Hurts, Eagles. Should the Chiefs sell out to stop Barkley from beating them, it will be on Hurts to keep the defense honest by exploiting one-on-one matchups on Brown and DeVonta Smith while prioritizing ball security. The final stat line may not be as splashy as two years ago, when Hurts played arguably the best game of his career in a narrow 38-35 defeat, but the result will more than make up for it. Hurts’ win-loss record as a starter is 42-12 since 2022, second only to Mahomes (48-10) over that span. As a famous Louisianian once put it, it’s time to put some respek on his name. Bryan Armen Graham
Saquon Barkley, Eagles. The offensive line will be at its best, and Barkley will showcase the same vision that has defined his sensational season. Barkley’s stats will be so massive – let’s say, 175-plus yards and two scores – that awarding a running back the MVP trophy for the first time since Denver’s Terrell Davis won it in 1998 will be a no-brainer. Melissa Jacobs
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs. Picked for the third straight time, Mahomes joins Brady as the only player to win the award four times in a career. Andrew Lawrence
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs. When the Chiefs win, by hook or by crook, it will be in large part because of the golden arm and mind of Mahomes. There may be a more decisive turn from Nick Bolton disrupting Barkley, or anyone disrupting him for that matter, but the crown will remain with Mahomes. Graham Searles
You can read out full list of predictions for the games, including scores and key players here:
Tom Brady, on the broadcast for Fox, says the players shouldn’t get too hyped up before the game as the day – with the half-time show and all the pregame buildup – is much longer than a typical NFL Sunday. The reception for Brady’s early broadcasting career has been mixed at best. You can read more here:
Andrew Lawrence
The biggest football game of the year might also be at one of the most secure locations in the country.
The Department of Homeland Security has classified the Super Bowl as a “special event assessment rating level 1 event”, its highest grade of public safety risk. Federal and local agencies aren’t taking any chances after the New Year’s attack on Bourbon Street, flooding the zone to protect an estimated 73,000 attendees that will include the sitting president of the United States for the first time in Super Bowl history. Law enforcement has increased its presence and patrols around the stadium, and a video surveillance system equipped with AI is being relayed to monitor crowd behavior in real time.
Despite the stepped-up security, the crowds are moving pretty freely around the stadium – but, then again, it’s still early.
Now that Trump is done giving us his plans for saving/destroying the world, we’re going to stick to sports. He’s asked who he thinks will win today’s game. He says the Eagles’ Saquon Barkley is “a great running back” (correct) while the Chiefs have “the quarterback who really knows how to win” (correct) in Patrick Mahomes. He takes time to say that Mahomes’s wife, Brittany, is “phenomenal”. Anyone who wonders why Trump has that opinion may want to refer to Brittany’s views on Instagram. Asked who he thinks will win, Trump says Kansas City. That may influence your own rooting interests this game.
You can read a little more on Trump and the Super Bowl here:
Donald Trump has sat down for a (prerecorded) interview with Fox before the game. He’s the first sitting president in history to attend a Super Bowl. He’s asked about Elon Musk’s Doge team’s actions of late. He says he backs Musk’s policies calling him a “great help” and says he will look at the Department of Education “in the next 24 hours” then the military. He says Canada would be better off as “America’s 51st state”.
Andrew Lawrence, who is in New Orleans for us this weekend, says Eagles fans have definitely outnumbered Chiefs fans in the days leading up to the Super Bowl. Although maybe Chiefs fans are just bored of the Super Bowl now that they win it every year (maybe not in 2025 though!). Anyway, businesses around New Orleans have anticipated an Eagles victory and have started greasing lightpoles to stop jubilant Philly fans climbing them if their team wins (they have previous form on such things) – the city’s major has already asked fans not to do so.
Completely pointless weather forecast because the Super Bowl is indoors but not much is happening yet and we like a bit of color. It’s mostly cloudy and 25C/77F in New Orleans today, meaning it’s a nice walk to the Superdome. I can also reveal that the we have dry conditions inside the stadium, with very little chance of rain. Some would say no chance.
A little non-Eagles/Chiefs news for you, from a team that went nowhere near the Super Bowl this season – and won’t for a while either. Aaron Rodgers’ time with the Jets looks to be over, with multiple reports saying the team told him last year they’re moving on. Which probably won’t upset him too much, given the team’s, ahem, interesting owners.
David will be here shortly, in the meantime here’s our writers on whether they think the Kansas City Chiefs or the Philadelphia Eagles will end up with the Lombardi today:
The final score will be …
Chiefs 27-24 Eagles. The Eagles have the setup to disrupt the Chiefs. They can command the time of possession with Barkley and their run game and then release the hounds on defense to chase down Mahomes. But the Chiefs are a more adaptable team. If the Eagles are forced to play from behind or adjust their approach, the game could run away from them. Ultimately, this is a bet on the best quarterback, offensive play-caller, defensive coach and, yes, kicker in the league. Oliver Connolly
Chiefs 27-38 Eagles. Winning three Super Bowls on the trot is a task so difficult that no team has managed to even come within 60 minutes of it until this year. Both of these clubs are improved versions of the sides that met in that Glendale heart-stopper two years ago, but it says here that Kansas City’s charmed postseason run will reach its terminus against a Philadelphia team loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. The deciding factor will be the Eagles’ offensive line, the tallest and largest in Super Bowl history (average size: 6ft 6in and 338lb) and the secret sauce behind Barkley’s best ever season by an NFL running back. With their front five helping dictate the pace and limit the Chiefs’ time of possession, the Eagles will leave no doubt in bringing home a second Super Bowl title in eight years. Bryan Armen Graham
Chiefs 24-32 Eagles. It’s hard to get as complete a team as the Eagles. The idea of their typically dominant offensive line setting up gaps for Barkley is quite promising, not to mention an extra week for Hurts to get healthy and return to dominating the blitz. Having recent Super Bowl experience should help Philly stave off any early-game jitters, too. Melissa Jacobs
Chiefs 34-20 Eagles. The Chiefs do that thing they always do late in the season and run a bunch of plays out of formations no one’s seen before – and hit on enough of them to stay ahead at half-time. Hurts plays valiantly again, but this time it’s Barkley who mishandles the ball and definitively swings the momentum KC’s way. Throughout, Mahomes shines – not with the game of his life, but with another measured deployment of quick passing and timely running that carries the day. The Chiefs win, Mahomes takes MVP and the greatest ever debate expands from him and Brady to include Andy Reid and Bill Belichick. Trump goes home happy. America braces itself for 10 more years of this. Andrew Lawrence
Chiefs 29-28 Eagles. Kansas City earn an unbelievable three-peat that has strangely also felt entirely expected from the get-go. In what is sure to be a thrilling game Mahomes will come out on top as the master finesser of the finest margins. A stunning two-point conversion from the QB to Kelce, who will then ride off into retirement, will seal history. The next challenge is making the dynasty unassailable with a fourth championship in succession. Graham Searles
You can read our full rundown of predictions for the game, from the MVP to how each team can win, here:
English (US)