Super Bowl LIX kicks off this evening at 5:30 p.m. (FOX) with the Kansas City Chiefs looking to make history.
Let’s face it, pretty much all of Cowboys Nation is hoping the Chiefs make the Eagles history.
While we’re being totally honest, most of the nation, outside of Kansas City and Philadelphia, is rooting for the Sweet Meteor O’Death to make an appearance in New Orleans. Sorry Louisiana, not sorry.
Seriously though, most non-Chiefs and Eagles fans are still steaming at the New York Giants.
The decision to go with Daniel Jones at quarterback and let Saquon Barkley go to the Eagles in free agency will likely be considered the worst in NFL history.
All Barkley did was very nearly break a 40-year NFL record. If he plays in the finale, he gets Eric Dickerson’s single-season record.
Barkley was named the Offensive Player of the Year on Thursday.
Truth be told, he should have been the NFL’s MVP this year instead of Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson.
Because without Barkley, the Eagles aren’t playing in today’s game. Because he is playing for them, they have a legitimate shot to win.
The Eagles should rely on pounding the ball with Barkley.
If the Chiefs can’t stop him, Philadelphia wins its second title in the last seven years.
Kansas City will prove to be the Eagles’ toughest out. Yes, the Chiefs have benefited from some calls at the most opportune moments.
But you don’t play in three straight Super Bowls, much less have a chance to win three straight, if you are not a great team.
If the Eagles can’t contain Patrick Mahomes today, the Chiefs will put up some big points.
Despite the blowout win over the Commanders two weeks ago, the Eagles are not a team that can rely on winning shootouts.
Especially if Barkley doesn’t get going, or if the Eagles have to start throwing the ball and abandon the run game.
No matter how it plays out, it should be a great game. As long as you turn the sound off when the commercials aren’t on.
Or find a radio station carrying the game for the audio instead.
The Prediction
I’m actually going to make two predictions surrounding this game.
So far, I’m 6-6 for my picks in this year’s playoffs. At least I’m guaranteed to finish no worse than .500 this way.
I predict that one conference will have a winning Super Bowl record and the other will not, no matter who wins.
The NFC and AFC are tied at 29 wins each going into today’s 59th Super Bowl. Have I mentioned I don’t take huge risks when I gamble?
As for how the game itself ends, the question is: Can the Eagles keep getting all the turnovers and tush push their way to their second championship?
Or, can the Chiefs keep getting those convenient yellow hankies hitting the turf and capture that NFL-first three-peat?
Maybe the better question is: Can we in Cowboys Nation stand watching the Eagles win? Would our televisions and streaming devices survive it?
I’m probably watching with the sound off because The-Cheetah-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will call the game.
My television will definitely not survive that.
I’m tempted to pick the Eagles to win, because they’ve won every single time I’ve picked them to lose this year.
Never misunderestimate the power of the reverse whammy.
Plus, it would really annoy all the Philadelphia folk who took to another website, completely unrelated to sports, to rail on my picks in the conference games.
Imagine me picking them to win, and then the Eagles lose.
Nah, I can’t pick anything good to happen to Philadelphia. Besides, despite it being printed at the top of the post, they still misspelled my name.
That just ain’t done, son.
Chiefs 27, Eagles 21
Cowboys Super Bowl History
The Cowboys have played in eight Super Bowls, all coming in the first 30 years of the game’s existence. In the 29 years since, they haven’t played for so much as a chance to play for a Super Bowl berth.
Dallas holds a 5-3 record all-time and has won its last three Super Bowl games.
Their three losses were by a combined total of 11 points. The five wins were by a combined 100 points.
The Cowboys have never lost two Super Bowls in a row.
The eight appearances tie them with San Francisco, Denver, and Pittsburgh for second all-time in the NFL, with the Patriots tops at 11.
Another reason to root for the former Dallas Texans today. A loss would be the Eagles’ second two-game Super Bowl losing streak and drop them to 1-4 all-time in the title game.
The Washington Redskins went 3-2 and won their last two Super Bowls, but never lost two in a row. The franchise has not been to a Super Bowl since dropping the Redskins moniker.
The Giants are 4-1 and have also won their last two Super Bowl appearances.
In addition to the first-ever, three-peat, Kansas City would improve to 5-2 in the title game.
They, of course, lost to the Packers, 35-10, in the very first Super Bowl on January 15, 1967, when it was then known as the NFL-AFL Championship game.