The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles have played only 11 times in 64 seasons, but their recent successes have kindled an instant rivalry that will play out again Sunday.

Super Bowl rematches can do that.

The Chiefs and Eagles will meet in the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons — and the fourth time overall in four seasons — in Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, when the Eagles will look to avenge a 38-35 loss that came down to a Harrison Butker field goal with eight seconds remaining.

The Chiefs, who have won two of the three matchups in the Patrick Mahomes’ era, are a slim 1.5-point favorite in a game that, given the short history of the series, could again come down to the final minutes.

Mahomes threw five touchdown passes in a 42-30 victory in Philadelphia on Oct. 3, 2021, his first game against the Eagles, but the three most recent games have been decided by seven points or less.

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“It’s going to be a chess match,” Mahomes said about facing new Eagles’ defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. “You want to go up against the best, and he’s one of the best coordinators in the National Football League.

“It will be a great challenge for us an offense and a football team.”

Super Bowl LVII Down To The Wire

The Eagles seemed in control the last time the teams met in the Super Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., on a day in which the numbers broke their way.

Jake Elliott’s field goal gave Philadelphia 24-14 lead as the first half expired, and for the game, the Eagles out-gained the Chiefs by 77 yards and had an 11-minute, 24-second advantage in time of possession,

At the time, the first half almost seemed an affirmation of a changing of the guard, given the teams’ regular-season meeting on Nov. 20, 2023. Quarterback Jalen Hurts’ two touchdowns were the only scores in the second half and the Eagles won 21-17 in Kansas City despite statistical disadvantages in total offense and time of possession.

Things changed in the second half of the Super Bowl rematch, however, when Patrick Mahomes stepped up. Mahomes threw fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Kaderius Toney and Skye Moore and added a 26-yard scramble for a first down to set up Butker’s game-winner, enabling the Chiefs to overcome a record effort by Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Hurts was the better quarterback statistically. He passed for 304 yards and a touchdown without an interception and also ran for three touchdowns — all from inside the 5-yard line — and 70 yards, a Super Bowl rushing record for a quarterback.

The numbers were no consolation.

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“I don’t play the game for stats,” Hurts told reporters. “Success is defined by that particular individual, and it’s all relative to the person. And what I define it as is winning.”

The Chiefs played primarily man-to-man coverage in the secondary, which opened up running lanes for Hurts to exploit. His two-yard touchdown and two-point conversion run brought the Eagles into a 35-35 with 5:15 remaining, capping a 75-yard drive following Mahomes touchdown pass to Moore.

When Mahomes got the ball back, he executed the Chiefs’ final possession to perfection. The Chiefs went 66 yards in 12 plays while using all but the final eight seconds for their second Super Bowl win in four seasons. Mahomes had 182 yards passing and three touchdowns while adding 44 yards on the ground.

Mahomes again supplied critical plays in the Chiefs’ 25-22 overtime victory over San Francisco in the Super Bowl last season, and they will attempt an NFL-record three-peat Sunday while playing in their fifth Super Bowl in six seasons, a league first.

Old Faces, New Faces on Each Side

Much of the cast is similar. Mahomes and Hurts are in place, as are top receiving threats Travis Kelce and A.J. Brown. Butker and Elliott return.

But the balance of power appears to have shifted on the offensive side. Eagles’ running back Saquon Barkley, the free agent signee of the offseason, has 2,447 yards rushing this year and adds an explosive weapon that the Eagles did not have two years ago.

Barkley has seven touchdown runs of at least 60 yards this season, including a 60-yarder in the 55-23 victory over Washington in the NFC title game. He would join Emmitt Smith and Terrell Davis as the third player to win a rushing title and a Super Bowl in the same season. He turns 28 on Sunday.

The Eagles have changed personnel but not efficiency on the defensive side. They led the league in total defense the last time they met in Chiefs in the Super Bowl, and they are leading again now.

Kansas City, on the other hand, has had a drop-off in offensive production since the last meeting. The Chiefs ranked first in total offense and in scoring offense the last time (Philadelphia was third in total offense), but are 19th in total offense this season.

The Chiefs play a more conservative game now, relating on a defense that ranks in the top 10 in scoring defense and then top five in scoring defense. Their defense scored the last time they met in the Super Bowl, when linebacker Nick Bolton scored on a 36-yard return of a Hurts fumble early in the second quarter.