When the Philadelphia Eagles face the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, much of the focus that once centered on Andy Reid’s coaching history with the Eagles has faded. Instead, attention is now on two NFL teams that have met five times in as many seasons, including twice in Super Bowls. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this marks the first time since the 1970 merger that an NFC and AFC team will play each other for five consecutive seasons.
Both teams have seen significant changes since their last Super Bowl meeting. The Eagles have a new defensive lineup and a new offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo. Kansas City has also made adjustments on offense. Despite these differences, both franchises are regarded as top contenders in the league, having combined for five Super Bowl victories since 2017.
The Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes remains a central figure for Kansas City despite concerns about depth at wide receiver and questions surrounding their offensive line performance in Week 1. “He does everything very well and you learn to never give up on a play,” said Eagles safety Reed Blankenship. “He’ll make something out of nothing. Can’t sleep on that guy, not for one second. That’s the challenge.”
The Eagles previously succeeded in pressuring Mahomes during their Super Bowl matchup without relying heavily on blitzes. Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio may adjust his strategy for this game after Philadelphia allowed several big passing plays against Dallas last week.
Injuries will affect both teams’ approaches. The Eagles will be without tight end Dallas Goedert and running back Will Shipley, while Kansas City’s receiving corps is under scrutiny despite Hollywood Brown’s strong performance last week and Travis Kelce’s touchdown catch in Brazil.
If Kansas City chooses to focus its defense on stopping Saquon Barkley—similar to its Super Bowl approach—the Eagles may turn more to their passing game. Against Dallas, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith had limited catches but could see increased roles this week.
New additions like Z’Darius Smith may bolster Philadelphia’s pass rush rotation, while Tank Bigsby could contribute at running back or kickoff returns with Shipley sidelined.
Both teams struggled with penalties last week: Kansas City had nine infractions in its loss to Los Angeles; Philadelphia matched that number for 110 lost yards against Dallas. How each team manages red zone opportunities, turnovers, special teams play, and penalties is expected to be decisive when they meet Sunday afternoon.
