Congratulations to the champion Philadelphia Eagles on their second Super Bowl victory, and what a way to do it – both victories came against the best, first against Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and New England, and now against Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City. Winning almost always comes down to who wants it more, and yesterday in Super Bowl 59, the Eagles looked like a team that would give anything for the Vince Lombardi Trophy, to avenge Super Bowl 57 and avoid losing to the Chiefs twice in three years when it mattered most. Give it up for quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, who took over the game when he had the chance. In his two Super Bowls, he has six total touchdowns (four rushing), broke his own record from two years ago as the quarterback with the most rushing yards in a Super Bowl (72) and his team has scored a combined 75 points in two Super Bowls – Hurts is made for these moments.
The Eagles are the odds-on favorites to win another championship, as they entered this season as the sixth youngest team in the league and are expected to return nearly their entire dominant defense who to me are the real MVP’s. Their excellent offensive line remains intact, and their key playmakers – Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith – are all under contract, so it’s no surprise they’re favored. The team was built by Howie Roseman to dominate with Hurts at the helm, and the next step is to give head coach Nick Sirianni a well-deserved contract extension as his current deal expires next season.
Chiefs Will Be Back Sooner Than Later
The Chiefs were dismantled, trailing 34-0 in the third quarter, becoming just the third team this century – and the first since 2014 – to be outscored by 30 or more points in any moment at a Super Bowl. Andy Reid never had an answer for the Eagles defense, which sacked Patrick Mahomes six times (a new career high) without blitzing once, relying solely on its front four, what a job by defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who was winless against Mahomes and Reid in his three years as Broncos head coach. They became just the fourth defense in the NFL Next Gen Stats era to not blitz in a game. Just like in the Super Bowl against Tampa and Brady, the Chiefs’ offensive line was a disaster, giving Mahomes no time at all as he spent the game trying to escape while the running game, as it had been for most of the year, was non-existent. As an interesting statistic, in the five Super Bowls the Chiefs have played with Mahomes, they have been outscored 148-125. Their three wins have come by margins of 9, 3 and 3 points, while their two losses have come by margins of 22 and 18 points.
For the Chiefs, it’s not just the loss that’s important, but the humiliating way they lost and the way their two Super Bowl defeats came about. But the dynasty remains intact for next season, with the core of this successful six-year run – Mahomes, Chris Jones, Harrison Butker, Andy Reid and Steve Spagnuolo – all set to return. The only question is Travis Kelce. He will remain on the team as he has one year left on his contract, but he is coming off his worst season in yards and touchdowns since his rookie year, so the Chiefs will need to start looking for his replacement soon. They will likely target another receiver in free agency, but their two starters are still under rookie contracts. Rashee Rice will be back, and Xavier Worthy – who became the first rookie in NFL history with multiple TD catches in a Super Bowl – had the quietest 8-catch, 157-yard, 2-TD performance in Super Bowl history. The kid is great, and with Rice, they will be a nightmare for defenses with their speed. The Zoom-Zoom Chiefs are coming.
Why the Chiefs Shouldn’t Panic
Before Mahomes became the starter, the Chiefs had one playoff win in 24 years! They had lost 10 of their last 11 playoff games, had been to only one conference championship in the previous 48 years, and had an overall franchise playoff record of 9-18. They were just another team. That’s why they shouldn’t take those successful years for granted-you never know what might happen next. Just look at the Cowboys, who are about to reach 30 years without a conference championship appearance after winning three titles in four years (1992-95). Or more recently, the Patriots, who have spent five seasons at the bottom of the league after Tom Brady left after 19 years and six Super Bowl wins in nine appearances.
That’s why Chiefs fans should continue to support their team with all their might – believe me, they will be back in the Super Bowl. The numbers over the last seven years prove it. They have won a playoff game every year, have an NFL record seven straight conference championship appearances, have hosted five straight (also an NFL record), have been to five Super Bowls in six years (NFL record), and have a 17-4 overall playoff record, including 16 playoff wins in six years (NFL record). The loss was a tough blow because of the way it happened, but now is the time to show why they are considered the dynasty of the moment.