Saquon Barkley vs. Kansas City Chiefs' run defense and Kareem Hunt vs. Philadelphia Eagles’ run defense: Who has the edge in Super Bowl LIX?

Saquon Barkley just might be the most exciting player in the NFL. He'll look to rush the Philadelphia Eagles to victory against the back-to-back defending champion Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Sunday.

The question is: Who has the edge in Super Bowl LIX? Barkley vs. Chiefs' run defense or Kareem Hunt vs. Eagles’ run defense?

DAZN News analyzes both matchups.

Saquon Barkley vs. Kanas City Chiefs' run defense

Kathryn Riley/Getty Images

Saquon Barkley has been on an absolute tear this year with one of the most dominant rushing seasons in NFL history.

This year he rushed for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns. Seven of his TD rushes, playoffs included, have come on runs of 60 yards or greater, as reported by the Associated Press.

During the NFC Wild Card playoffs, the dynamic rusher produced 119 yards on 25 carries, which he followed the next week with an explosive 205 yards and two TDs on the ground in the NFC Divisional playoffs.

Then, as yet another encore, Barkley helped punch the Eagles’ ticket to Super Bowl LIX with 118 yards and three rushing touchdowns, including the 60-yard run he took to the house on his very first touch of the game.

Of the teams that the Eagles have defeated in succession this postseason — in the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams and Washington Commanders — only the Packers were a top 10 defense against the run, allowing a stingy 99.4 yards per game.

During the regular season, the Chiefs owned the eighth-ranked rushing defense, allowing just shy of 102 yards per game. But they’ve allowed an average of 148 rushing yards per game in their wins over the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills this postseason.

That included the Texans’ Joe Mixon rushing for 88 yards and a touchdown in their Divisional Round loss to the Chiefs and James Cook generating 85 yards and two TDs in the Bills’ loss to Kansas City in the AFC Championship.

Although the Chiefs’ run defense can take solace in not allowing either of those featured backs to rack up 100 yards on the ground, Barkley might be a different force to deal with altogether as evidenced by his penchant for breaking out breathtaking, memorable rushes into the end zone.

Whether that home run threat from Barkley plays a factor in Super Bowl LIX remains to be seen, but the vigorous running back is going to get his touches. His 66 carries through these playoffs will tell you that.

And with his carries, Philly usually rejoices in “Fly Eagles Fly" jubilation.

His quarterback Jalen Hurts’ ability to dance out of the pocket only makes Barkley’s runs more ferocious. If the two-headed monster is alternating with dazzling runs, it might impinge on the Chiefs’ defense enough to where it might have to pick its poison.

Hurts erupts for a few successful runs and it will likely open up avenues for Barkley as well.

Maybe enough lanes for the Eagles to celebrate down Broad Street in the City of Brotherly Love.

Kareem Hunt vs. Philadelphia Eagles’ run defense

(Getty Images)

While his numbers might not be as eye-popping and his runs not as mind-boggling as Barkley’s, Kareem Hunt is no slouch.

The veteran running back has delivered an efficient postseason from his 44 yards and a touchdown on eight carries rushing against the Texans in the Divisional Round to the 64 yards and a TD rushing on 17 carries against the Bills.

He’ll be up against the Eagles , who had the 10^th-ranked run defense in the NFL during the regular season, allowing 104.2 yards per game. They’ve been pretty consistent in the postseason, giving up a shade under 106 yards on the ground as well.

Hunt being able to hit a 60- to 80-yard rushing mark with a touchdown would conceivably please the Chiefs.

Like Barkley with Hurts, Patrick Mahomes’ ability to stretch plays on the field with his feet could open holes for Hunt … especially if the Eagles overcommit to accounting for the champ’s superstar quarterback.

Both Barkley and Hunt have a penchant for reaching paydirt. So who has the edge in Super Bowl LIX? Barkley vs. the Chiefs’ run defense or Hunt against the Eagles’ rush defense? Barkley has put together a historic NFL rushing season and is rushing with so much momentum that it’s hard to pick against him in this category.  

Between Monday’s analysis giving the nod to Mahomes vs. the Eagles’ defense over Hurts vs. the Chiefs’ defense, and today’s running back matchup going with Barkley, we have an overall tie. (Chiefs 1, Eagles 1)