Is Saquon Barkley the missing piece to the puzzle of defeating the Chiefs?
No one has been able to defeat the Chiefs in the playoffs since the 2021 season, and the rematch of Super Bowl 2023 features one key difference on either side: the Eagles’ star running back.
Barkley ran for 2,005 rushing yards during the regular season and no one has really been able to stop Philadelphia’s incredible rushing attack, both in the regular season and postseason.
The Chiefs’ defense is solid enough, ranking 12th in the league in yards per play during the regular season, but perhaps most concerning for them is their run defense.
Kansas City allowed 4.8 yards per carry (YPC) between Weeks 10-17 (26th in the NFL) and have struggled in the postseason, allowing 5.1 YPC against the Texans and 4.8 YPC against the Bills.
Can they stop this formidable rushing attack?
Super Bowl 2025 odds
| Teams | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | -1.5 (-110) | -125 | o49.5 (-110) |
| Eagles | +1.5 (-110) | +105 | u49.5 (-110) |
Eagles vs. Chiefs early prediction
The Eagles are a tough matchup for the Chiefs since their rushing attack is phenomenal and they have arguably the best secondary in the NFL.
Philadelphia plays man coverage on 60.8 percent of snaps (second-most) and have the top coverage grade, according to Pro Football Focus.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes struggles against man coverage, just 23rd in the NFL in quarterback rating against man coverage, but he’s also not elite against zone coverages, ranking 14th.
The Eagles have a better roster. We know that.
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The stats do not favor the Chiefs, there’s truly nothing analytically that points to the Chiefs being favored.
If you’re looking to bet this early, you could do worse than to snap up the Chiefs at -1.5, as other sportsbooks are moving toward -2 in this spread
And who knows, perhaps that line continues to grow, and you bet the opposite and go to a middle position by betting the Eagles +3.5 closer to game time.
Expect a close game where the betting public backs Mahomes and the betting lines continue to grow.
PICK: Chiefs -1.5 (-110, Bet365)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Erich Richter is a brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt but he has a black belt in MMA betting. During the football season he’s showcased massive profits at The Post in the player prop market the last two seasons. While constantly betting long shots, his return on investment is 30.15 percent since 2022.
