By Isaac Cox, Jan. 28, 2025
Now that Super Bowl 59 is confirmed to be between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, Cal Poly Pomona students had a lot to say about the upcoming game and the wild ride of the NFL playoffs.
The NFL playoffs have been full of surprising wins and losses from the Washington Commanders playing in the National Football Conference Championship, the Los Angeles Chargers losing in the wild card round and the Buffalo Bills coming up short yet again to the Chiefs.
Jackie Randolph, a computer information systems student and Chargers fan, explained what gets her excited about watching the playoffs.
“It’s suspenseful to see great teams play for a chance at the Super Bowl and just seeing the fans really root for their favorite teams,” said Randolph.
Fourteen teams face off in the playoffs each year, but now only two remain in hopes of winning the Super Bowl.
The Bills faced the Chiefs Jan. 26, looking to champion the American Football Conference. The Bills kept a close game until the Chiefs scored a field goal in the fourth quarter to cap off the game 32-29, paving the way for their third-straight Super Bowl appearance.
The Washington Commanders took on the Philadelphia Eagles to claim the NFC title, in their third matchup this season. The Eagles came out victorious with a 55-23 win, in which running back Saquon Barkley set the tone early with a 60-yard rush down the field to score a touchdown in their first drive.
Barkley has been a key player for the Eagles all season and helped secure their Super Bowl bid over the Commanders.
One of the most compelling aspects of the playoffs is watching the underdog teams exceed fans’ expectations.This year, it was the Commanders, led by rookie quarterback and Fontana talent Jayden Daniels.
The Commanders took out the playoff veterans in the Buccaneers during Wild Card Weekend, then demolished the No. 1-seeded Detroit Lions in the divisional round as most of the NFL nation had confidence in the Lions to win. Even though they lost in the championship round, it was a great story for Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders.
Kobe Do, a business student and a Seattle Seahawks fan, explained how exciting it’s been to see different teams hold their own this season.
“What gets me excited about the playoffs for this season is watching new teams stepping up,” said Do. “For example, we would have never seen the Washington Commanders getting up to this point to the conference championship.… No one knew they could make it this far.”
The Kansas City Chiefs have become a force to be reckoned with, winning the previous two Super Bowls and looking to achieve the first ever three-peat in NFL history. Alternatively, the Philadelphia Eagles are looking for revenge, as they lost to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl three years ago.
With the rematch set in stone, the stakes are high for both teams as they look to win the most important game of the NFL season, proving to the world one of these two teams is the best in the nation.
Mikey Caballero, a kinesiology student and a Dallas Cowboys fan, explained his prediction for the Super Bowl and what he believes can happen for both teams.
“If anything is going to change, it’s going to be because of Saquon Barkley,” said Caballero. “But if the Chiefs hold down the Eagles run game, I think they will three-peat. But if they can’t stop him, the Eagles will take it.”
Super Bowl LIX will take place in New Orleans Feb. 9. For CPP students looking for a place to watch, Innovation Brew Works will be streaming the game as well as selling food and drinks at 3 p.m.
Feature image courtesy of CBS Sports