5 Chiefs-Eagles questions that will decide Super Bowl LIX

Super Bowl LIX - the second championship clash in three years between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles - kicks off Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET in New Orleans. Here are five questions to think about ahead of the rematch.

Will the QBs avoid mistakes?

Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes didn't enjoy All-Pro seasons. Neither ranked very high in a major passing stat. They tied for ninth in expected points added per dropback, according to TruMedia. But their fulfilment of a basic quarterbacking responsibility - holding onto the ball - helped their offenses hum and set up this high-stakes sequel.

Hurts' Eagles own a spotless 10-0 playoff turnover differential. They've racked up 15 straight takeaways since the team's last giveaway. Neither quarterback's been intercepted since mid-November, and the Chiefs avoided turnovers for eight straight games before Mahomes finally botched a handoff in the conference championship.

These QBs lead dissimilar attacks. Built to run wild, Philadelphia empowers Hurts to plunge for crucial yardage or feed rushing champion Saquon Barkley. Kansas City counts on the unflappable Mahomes to make great decisions, execute with his arm or legs, and either score or leave the opponent pinned.

Minimizing mistakes isn't glamorous, and it doesn't guarantee victory over the reigning champs, but Philly's chances will grow if the Chiefs commit the biggest error. No NFL team in the past five seasons generated more points off turnovers than the 2024 Eagles (7.3 per game), according to TruMedia.

Can the Chiefs slow Saquon?

Barkley's 2,447 rushing yards are 29 shy of Terrell Davis' record for a combined regular season and postseason. His magical debut year with the Eagles produced endless huge gains. He covered at least 60 yards on seven separate touchdown carries.

Barkley flips fields out of the shotgun by bursting through a hole in the middle of the line, sidestepping a helpless tackler, and outsprinting defensive backs who struggle to adjust to run coverage. Because of his quick strikes and Hurts' finishing ability, the Eagles scored the most rushing TDs this century (14, including five in the playoffs) on drives that took less than two minutes, per TruMedia.

Only two opponents quieted Barkley: the Cleveland Browns in October (he had 47 rushing yards, 2.6 per carry) and the Pittsburgh Steelers in December (65 yards, 3.4 per carry). They closed openings, swarmed the ball, and didn't let Barkley gain steam, combining to limit him to 13 yards before contact on 37 attempts.

Barkley can become the second transcendent rusher, after Davis in 1998, to cap a 2,000-yard season with a Super Bowl triumph. His powerful blockers will face a slumping defensive front. The Chiefs excel at pass pressure and stifled foes on the ground early in the year, but they allowed some of the league's worst rushing numbers (average of 146.5 yards, 5.1 per carry) over their last six games.

Will other playmakers explode?

Because handing off to Barkley is so lucrative, the Eagles attempted the third-fewest passes (25.9 per game) of the past 10 NFL seasons, per TruMedia.

A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith battled injuries and saw their targets dwindle, which led to scrutiny of Brown's sideline demeanor. But both star wideouts stretched the field in the conference championship with deep catches that moved Philadelphia into the red zone for rushing scores.

Veteran tight end Dallas Goedert, who's coming off an 85-yard outing, could exploit a conspicuous edge. The Chiefs surrendered the most receiving yards to tight ends in the regular season (70.1 per game), while the Eagles allowed the fewest (34.8).

Variety elevates Kansas City's offense. Running back Kareem Hunt's 904 scrimmage yards were a league-low in 2024 for a team leader. But eight Chiefs had more than 20 receptions and, despite ranking 14th in passing yards, the club was sixth in passing success rate with the fifth-most first downs, per TruMedia. Travis Kelce and rookie speedster Xavier Worthy posted their best yardage games in the last two playoff rounds.

In the past two Super Bowls, Mahomes found Kelce for 15 grabs on 16 targets, 174 receiving yards, and a touchdown. Kelce gained 60 yards in the dramatic fourth quarter of last year's championship as the Chiefs drove to erase multiple deficits. He's an ironclad future Hall of Famer because he constantly glows on the big stage.

Whose special teams will shine?

Specialists swayed Super Bowl LVII when these teams last met. The Chiefs led the Eagles by a point in the fourth frame when Kadarius Toney's record 65-yard punt return put Kansas City in touchdown range. Harrison Butker's 27-yard chip shot in the dying seconds decided the championship.

Chiefs special teamers added 5.64 expected points, as measured by TruMedia, in another three-point epic in Super Bowl LVIII. Butker was perfect on four field goals, including from a Super Bowl-record distance of 57 yards. Jaylen Watson's recovery of a muffed punt reversed the momentum of the game and ignited Mahomes, who promptly passed for his first touchdown on Kansas City's 10th drive.

Both sides field potential difference-makers. Mastering the clutch swat, Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal was the first player this century to block two field goals in a season in the final two minutes of play, per TruMedia. Kansas City's Nikko Remigio tallied the longest kick return (63 yards) and punt return (41) of the ongoing playoffs. Three Eagles have combined to gain the most kick return yards (301) by a team in the past five postseasons.

The duel between kickers is always significant. The tale of the tape favors Butker, who's drilled 16 straight playoff field-goal attempts and 27 consecutive extra points.

Is Kansas City untouchable?

There's been no shortage of NFL dynasties, but there's never been a three-peat in the 59-year Super Bowl era. Only two precedents exist for a team stringing together three championships.

The forward pass was still a curiosity when Curly Lambeau coached the Green Bay Packers to league titles in 1929, 1930, and 1931. Vince Lombardi, quarterback Bart Starr, and defenses laden with Hall of Famers sparked the Packers to glory from 1965-67, including in Super Bowls I and II.

The Chiefs are the fourth franchise to qualify for a third straight Super Bowl. Each previous streak was imperfect, and one was humiliating.

A historic achievement will be completed or foiled Sunday. To break through, the Eagles need to puncture Kansas City's air of inevitability. Because the Chiefs own important moments, they've won an unfathomable 17 straight one-score games, including a dozen this season.

Most juggernauts eventually run out of luck. The Chiefs were the NFL's ninth 15-win team but, of that group, only the 1984 San Francisco 49ers and 1985 Chicago Bears raised the Lombardi Trophy. The 2007 New England Patriots and 2015 Carolina Panthers suffered Super Bowl heartbreak. We'll know the Chiefs are different if one more key bounce, contested officiating call, or decisive snap breaks their way.

Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.