NEW ORLEANS – Combine an experienced and expensive offense with an athletic and inexpensive defense and what you get are the Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl champions.
The Eagles took the lead midway through the first quarter Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs and took control midway through the second quarter, winning the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history with a 40-22 statement win.
This Eagles group joined the 2017 team as Philadelphia Super Bowl champions. The combination of Chiefs coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes fell to 3-2 in the Super Bowl.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter knocks down Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes during the second half of Super Bowl LIX on Sunday in New Orleans.
Here is a recap of Chiefs-Eagles:
Takeaways
• The Eagles knew their best chance on defense was to create pressure with a four-man pass rush; they didn't blitz the entire game. It worked from the beginning. On third-and-9 in the first quarter, defensive tackle Jalen Carter chased after Mahomes for a knockdown (incompletion). On the second drive, third-and-7, defensive end Nolan Smith got the knockdown of Mahomes (incompletion). Mahomes ended up being sacked six times.
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• Quarterback Jalen Hurts’ second-quarter interception – by safety Bryan Cook at the Chiefs’ 2-yard line was a product of pressure. Eagles center Cam Jurgens may have thought linebacker Nick Bolton was serving as the spy. When Jurgens shifted left, Bolton blitzed unblocked, forcing Hurts to throw off his back foot. Hurts ended up as the game's MVP with three touchdown passes.
• About that Eagles pass rush … it set up Philadelphia’s 17-0 lead with 7:03 remaining in the first half. First down: Josh Sweat, easy sack when tight end Travis Kelce made a poor block attempt before running his route. Second down: Sweat and Jalyx Hunt split the sack. Third down: The Chiefs rolled Mahomes right just to get away from the pressure and he didn’t see nickelback Cooper DeJean squatting. DeJean returned the interception 38 yards for a touchdown, becoming the second player in NFL title game history with a touchdown on his birthday (Steve Van Buren, a New Orleans native, had one in 1947).
• The Eagles prioritized defense in their last three drafts – eight players in rounds 1-3 – and the payoff was the Super Bowl. Athletic. Young. Good. Darn good. In the first half, the Chiefs had 23 yards on 20 plays. Mahomes had two first-half interceptions in a playoff game for the first time and was sacked three times.
• Philadelphia offensive coordinator Kellen Moore saved his play-action deep-shot call to really put the game away with 2:40 left in the third quarter when receiver DeVonta Smith beat cornerback Jaylon Watson deep middle for 46-yard touchdown and a 34-0 lead.
Did you notice?
• The officials became a story … on the fifth play from scrimmage. On a fourth-and-2 from the 50, Eagles receiver A.J. Brown was called for offensive pass interference against Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie to negate a 32-yard reception. McDuffie appeared to lose balance on his own instead of Brown pushing him. Bad call.
• Running back Saquon Barkley had a terrific blitz pickup against Chiefs safety Chamarri Conner on Hurts’ 27-yard pass down the right sideline to receiver Jahan Dotson. Hurts’ tush push one play later made it 7-0 Philadelphia with 6:15 left in the first quarter.
• On the final snap of the first quarter, the Chiefs called a great pressure – seven rushers vs. six pass protectors – to sack Hurts on third-and-4, but defensive end Charles Omenihu lined up offside, giving Philadelphia a free first down. Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton was later called for unnecessary roughness on Barkley to help the Eagles convert a second-and-26.
• The Eagles took a 24-0 lead into halftime on Brown’s 12-yard touchdown catch. He was freed up by a subtle-yet-noticeable route by tight end Dallas Goedert. Brown ran a right-to-left crosser and Goedert a left-to-right crosser. Goedert crossed the face of Bolton, freeing up Brown.
Game balls
Eagles CB Cooper DeJean. A second-round rookie, DeJean broke the game open with 7:03 left in the first half with a 38-yard interception return touchdown.
Eagles DE Josh Sweat. What a way to hit unrestricted free agency – he had 2½ sacks by the time the third quarter was two minutes old.
Eagles LB Zack Baun. Like Sweat, he put one last game on his free agent video tape, intercepting Mahomes late in the first half to lead to an Eagles touchdown.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. He won his first Super Bowl ring with a master class of play-calling and beat Mahomes for the first time in nine tries.
Eagles coach Nick Siranni. A graduate of Southwestern High in Jamestown, Sirianni led a team that started 2-2 and finished with wins in 15 of their last 16 games.
Gassers
The Kansas City offensive line. The Bills’ defensive line should have been unable to sleep after the Super Bowl. The Chiefs were tossed aside and run over by the Eagles’ four-man pass rush.
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce. He looked every bit of his 35 years old, didn’t he? No catches in the first half. A lazy effort to redirect pass rusher Josh Sweat on an eventual sack. And just no factor.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. He said during the week the game he thinks about the most is the Super Bowl loss to Tampa Bay after the 2020 season. Add this game to your list, Patrick.
