The Patriots won six Super Bowls under Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, but it was really two distinct teams. You had the Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX crew of Richard Seymour, Teddy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Deion Branch. Then there was the XLIX, LI, LIII crew of Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman and Vince Wilfork.
There was a large gap in between where they didn’t win anything.
The Chiefs are the first two-time defending champs to even make it back to the Super Bowl. They’re playing in their fifth Super Bowl in six seasons. That’s also never been done before. The closest a team has come is when the Steelers went to four Super Bowls in six seasons and won all four. If you combine a three-peat with going to five Super Bowls in six years, that’s the longest sustained run of excellence that any team has had.
This run by Kansas City has never been matched. It won’t get recognized as that if they go 3-2. But if they go 4-1, they have all the ammunition to say this is the greatest dynastic run in Super Bowl history.
How the Eagles can win
The biggest difference between when these teams met two years ago and now is one player: Saquon Barkley. He has to have another game like the ones he’s had throughout the postseason.
Barkley not only keeps the Eagles’ offense moving, but he also keeps the Chiefs off the field. The Chiefs are not an explosive offense anymore, they just adapt. If Barkley plays to the level that he has this postseason, he’s going to make each of Kansas City’s offensive drives paramount.
Third down will also be critical for Philadelphia’s defense. Kansas City’s offense was one of the best on third down this year. The Eagles’ front seven has to dominate that offensive line.
But, Barkley is the key to everything.
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