Whether it was Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens against the Patriots' first dynasty, Nick Foles and the underdog 2017 team against the second, Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith against the Chiefs' dynasty then, or that same group plus Saquon Barkley against Kansas City now, each Eagles team that has made it to the Super Bowl did so with at least one dominant aspect to them.
But going in, were they perceived as the better team?
Running back through NFL season team leaders in average yards from 1980, 2004, 2017, 2022, and this past year, here are the "Tales of the Tape" for all five Super Bowls the Eagles have reached, with theirs or their opponent's advantages bolded, along with reflections and thoughts on where the result ultimately ended up.
Hopefully, it paints a picture of how good of a shot each Eagles team had to win a title, even though, so far, only one has done it.
Super Bowl XV: Raiders vs. Eagles
Jan. 25, 1981 at Lousiana Superdome, New Orleans, La.
| Raiders | Eagles | |
| 315.3 (16) | Avg. Offense | 344.9 (8) |
| 134.1 (10) | Rushing Offense | 124.7 (14) |
| 181.2 (19) | Passing Offense | 220.4 (7) |
| 22.8 (7) | PPG | 24.0 (6) |
| – | ||
| 314.9 (11) | Avg. Defense | 277.7 (2) |
| 107.9 (5) | Rushing Defense | 101.2 (2) |
| 207.0 (19) | Passing Defense | 176.6 (5) |
| 19.1 (10) | PPG | 13.9 (1) |
RESULT: Raiders 27, Eagles 10
Reflection: The Eagles had finally broken through with a cathartic NFC Championship win over the rival Cowboys, but then they arrived to the final stage and just hit a wall.
Jim Plunkett and the Raiders put up two first-quarter touchdowns, Ron Jaworski threw three picks, and there was just no coming back. The party was over for Dick Vermeil's storied group.
Super Bowl XXXIX: Patriots vs. Eagles
Feb. 6, 2005 at Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Fla.
| Patriots | Eagles | |
| 357.6 (7) | Avg. Offense | 351.1 (9) |
| 133.4 (7) | Rushing Offense | 102.4 (24) |
| 224.3 (11) | Passing Offense | 248.7 (7) |
| 27.3 (4) | PPG | 24.1 (8) |
| – | ||
| 310.8 (9) | Avg. Defense | 319.7 (10) |
| 98.3 (6) | Rushing Defense | 118.9 (16) |
| 212.5 (17) | Passing Defense | 200.8 (12) |
| 16.3 (2) | PPG | 16.3 (3) |
RESULT: Patriots 24, Eagles 21
Reflection: After 24 years and three straight, painful NFC Championship Game letdowns, the Eagles finally made it back.
Andy Reid, at long last, got McNabb his true No. 1 receiver in superstar Owens, and they proceeded to light up the regular season with one of the NFL's most electrifying passing attacks that year – all the way up until Owens suffered a broken leg.
Even so, that Eagles offense featured an ever-dependable Brian Westbrook at running back, Freddie Mitchell who stepped up in the clutch during Owens' absence, and tight ends L.J. Smith and Chad Lewis, who each just always seemed to get open at the right time.
Then defensively, they still had a fierce Jim Johnson-led defense anchored by Brian Dawkins, Jeremiah Trotter, and offseason signing Jevon Kearse around the edge.
The Eagles weren't going to be denied again, thrashing the Vikings in the Divisional Round and then the Falcons in the NFC Championship to give Philadelphia another shot at a Super Bowl title they had waited two decades for.
Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and a New England Patriots team looking for its third title in four years were the last obstacle standing in their way.
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It was Dynasty vs. Destiny, but Dynasty in the end prevailed.
Owens made a remarkable recovery to return in time, but down the stretch, the Patriots pulled ahead by 10 and the Eagles didn't manage their time effectively (a notorious Reid flaw at the time).
They scored to pull within three, but with only under two minutes left, and that wasn't enough time.
Philadelphia was left heartbroken again, only this time at the very last step.
Super Bowl LII: Eagles vs. Patriots
Feb. 4, 2018 at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minn.
| Eagles | Patriots | |
| 365.8 (7) | Avg. Offense | 394.2 (1) |
| 132.2 (3) | Rushing Offense | 118.1 (10) |
| 233.6 (13) | Passing Offense | 276.1 (2) |
| 28.6 (3) | PPG | 28.6 (2) |
| – | ||
| 306.5 (4) | Avg. Defense | 366.0 (29) |
| 79.2 (1) | Rushing Defense | 114.8 (20) |
| 227.3 (17) | Passing Defense | 251.3 (30) |
| 18.4 (4) | PPG | 18.5 (5) |
RESULT: Eagles 41, Patriots 33
Reflection: You know how this one goes.
Nick Foles went toe-to-toe with the NFL's very best and matched him beat for beat, called and caught maybe the greatest play in Super Bowl history, and then Brandon Graham caused the most important turnover in Eagles history to achieve the once thought impossible.
Foles, Graham, Zach Ertz, Alshon Jeffery, LeGarrette Blount, Malcolm Jenkins, Jason Kelce, Doug Pederson, they did it. The Eagles finally won the Super Bowl, and Philadelphia got the parade of a lifetime all the way down the Parkway and to the Art Museum steps…
Man, did that New England team just bleed yards that season though.
Super Bowl LVII: Chiefs vs. Eagles
Feb. 12, 2023 at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
| Chiefs | Eagles | |
| 413.6 (1) | Avg. Offense | 389.1 (3) |
| 115.9 (20) | Rushing Offense | 147.6 (5) |
| 297.8 (1) | Passing Offense | 241.5 (9) |
| 29.2 (1) | PPG | 28.1 (3) |
| – | ||
| 328.2 (11) | Avg. Defense | 301.5 (2) |
| 107.2 (8) | Rushing Defense | 121.6 (17) |
| 220.9 (18) | Passing Defense | 179.8 (1) |
| 21.7 (16) | PPG | 20.2 (8) |
RESULT: Chiefs 38, Eagles 35
Reflection: Five years later and with an entirely retooled team – headlined by star receiving duo A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, a generational pass rush led by Camden native Haason Reddick, a breakout Jalen Hurts at QB, and second-year head coach Nick Sirianni tying it all together – the Eagles made it back to the Super Bowl and in thoroughly convincing fashion.
Their defense was fierce, their offense was explosive, and their final match was another dynasty in the making in the form of new superstar Patrick Mahomes, old friend Andy Reid, and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Eagles battled them down to the wire, with a tying drive and an effort from Hurts on a "Brotherly Shove" and then a Herculean two-point conversion that tolled the Chiefs for everything they had.
But Mahomes got the ball back with too much time and a defensive holding call from in too close ultimately did the Eagles in.
It felt like another dream season. It was in many respects, but like so many others before, it got stopped a step short – though with the hope that this version of the team would be back soon.
Super Bowl LIX: Chiefs vs. Eagles
Feb. 9, 2025 at Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, La.
| Chiefs | Eagles | |
| 327.6 (17) | Avg. Offense | 367.2 (8) |
| 105.3 (22) | Rushing Offense | 179.3 (2) |
| 222.4 (14) | Passing Offense | 187.9 (29) |
| 22.6 (15) | PPG | 27.2 (7) |
| – | ||
| 320.6 (9) | Avg. Defense | 278.4 (1) |
| 101.8 (8) | Rushing Defense | 104.2 (10) |
| 218.8 (18) | Passing Defense | 174.2 (1) |
| 19.2 (4) | PPG | 17.8 (2) |
RESULT: ????
Thoughts: So here the Eagles are two years later, with the game-breaking addition of Saquon Barkley and a younger, arguably more complete defense that's better equipped to handle a Mahomes passing attack.
The Eagles were dominant and methodical through the majority of the season and all the way through the playoffs, beating Kansas City in nearly all of the main statistical team categories, but that is countered by the fact that up until late in the season, the Chiefs were treading water and just barely scraping by repeatedly until they started to get in rhythm within the season's last few weeks. Then in the playoffs, they flipped the switch and are trying to complete the NFL's first-ever three-peat.
Mahomes always seems to find a way, but at the same time, Hurts keeps just finding a way to win, and Barkley has repeatedly pulled off the incredible all season.
This is what Philadelphia wanted, and this Eagles team might be the one with the best shot at shutting the Chiefs down.
The Delaware Valley and millions of others everywhere will be praying for it.
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