We now know the teams competing in Super Bowl LIX. Fans watching next month’s Super Bowl will see a rematch of Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now that the stage has been set, our final Team of the Week honor for the season goes to the Philadelphia Eagles, who had a record-setting performance against the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship.
Former New York Giants Running Back
If there is one player who has carried the Eagles throughout the season, it is Saquon Rasul Quevis Barkley (yes, I am using his full government name). In this game alone, Barkley rushed 15 times for 180 yards and three touchdowns. He was so dominant that at one point, he had two rushes for two touchdowns, reminiscent of Randy Moss’s famous performance on Thanksgiving Day.
This season, Saquon Barkley has embodied what it means to be a Philadelphia Eagle. In addition to having a career year, he has delivered one of the best running back seasons in NFL history. Now, now he is heading to his first Super Bowl ever.
Once again, Philly fans should thank the Giants front office for choosing Daniel Jones over Barkley.
God is great ‼️‼️ 1 more to go… See ya in New Orleans 🤞🏾
— Saquon Barkley (@saquon) January 27, 2025
The Eagles’ Offense Soared
The Philadelphia Eagles’ offense had a record-setting performance. The team ran for a total of seven touchdowns: three by Barkley, three by quarterback Jalen Hurts, and one by rookie fourth-round pick running back Will Shipley. This achievement sets a new NFC record.
Hurts also completed 20 of 28 passes for 246 yards and threw one touchdown. Shipley added 77 rushing yards on top of Hurts’s and Barkley’s big performances on the ground. The leading receiver for Philadelphia was A.J. Brown, who had six catches for 96 yards and one touchdown.
Philly’s Defense Created Turnovers
Philadelphia’s defense was instrumental in creating turnovers during the game. Until this match, the Washington Commanders had not committed any turnovers in the playoffs. However, on Sunday, the Eagles’ defense forced three fumbles and recorded three sacks. Linebacker Nolan Smith, defensive tackle Jordan Davis, and inside linebacker Oren Burks were responsible for taking down Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Additionally, cornerback Quinyon Mitchell intercepted a pass while outside linebacker Zack Baun led the team in tackles.
Quinyon Mitchell lined up against Terry McLaurin on 36 of his 48 routes (75%), aligning in press coverage on half of those matchups.
Mitchell allowed just one reception for 7 yards on 4 targets against McLaurin, including a fourth quarter interception.#WASvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/umbdPA5yNJ
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) January 26, 2025
Nick Sirianni is a Fantastic Coach
Regardless of opinions about head coach Nick Sirianni, he has proven to be an exceptional coach. During his tenure, Sirianni has guided the Eagles to two NFC Championships and two Super Bowls, achieving an impressive record of 48 wins and 20 losses in his first four years as head coach.
Super Bowl Colors Conspiracy
If you believe conspiracy theories, boy, do I have one for you.
If you look at the colors for the Super Bowl LIX logo, they are red and green. The teams that are performing in this year’s Super Bowl are red and green.
Chiefs Red vs Eagles Green on the #SuperBowlLIX logo, the Super Bowl logo conspiracy is real.
Buffalo and Detroit gotta pray that the NFL puts blue in the Super Bowl LX logo in a few weeks. pic.twitter.com/6kM2duM3II
— Daniel Limjoco 🟦 (@AnimeSavior) January 27, 2025
This conspiracy spans back to the Super Bowl LVI logo, which was orange and yellow. The teams that played in that game — the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams — are orange and yellow, respectively. And in both Super Bowls, Kendrick Lamar performed the halftime show.
As fans watch this year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans, we can root for Kendrick Lamar and SZA — especially if, like many NFL fans, you prefer not to cheer for the Chiefs or the Eagles.
Closing the Book on 2024
Finally, I would like to say thank you to the editors of this esteemed publication who make my job 10 times easier, my co-workers, and of course, the viewers of this wonderful Team of the Week series.
This series has come a long way in two years, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
And with that, the 2024 Team of the Week series has come to an end.
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