The Philadelphia Eagles didn’t just beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX: they massacred them. The Eagles stopped Super Bowl history from being made and took home their second Vince Lombardi Trophy in franchise history, with a final score of 40-22.
The Eagles, led by quarterback Jalen Hurts, were calm and collected coming into this game. Along with their number one defense in the league, the Chiefs were run off the field.
The Eagles’ defensive performance made Patrick Mahomes look human. He completed 21 of his 32 passes, threw two interceptions and was sacked six times. Mahomes had two touchdowns on the night as well, but the game was long decided when he scored.
The Chiefs’ offensive line didn’t stand a chance against the Eagles’ defense. The lack of pass protection for Mahomes was apparent from the beginning. He was pressured 38% of the time by the Eagles and he wasn’t able to get the ball past midfield till late in the third quarter.
Jalen Hurts, on the other hand, proved his doubters wrong, completing 17 of his 22 passes with two touchdowns and 221 total yards. He set a new Super Bowl record for most yards rushed by a quarterback during the big game with 72 yards. He added some more hardware to his trophy case, taking home the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award.
While the Chiefs’ game plan to shut down superstar running back Saquon Barkley did work out, it just opened up the field for the rest of the Eagles offense. DeVonta Smith had 69 yards on the night with one touchdown, and A.J. Brown caught for 43 yards along with a touchdown of his own.
Ultimately, much of the credit goes to the coaching staff of the Eagles, including Head Coach Nick Sirianni and his offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. They were able to switch up their game plan when Barkley couldn’t run the ball. They relied less on their very dependable run game and setting up a lot more passing plays.
During the game, the Eagles started the scoring when a tush push got Hurts in the endzone for the first touchdown of the game. The Eagles ended the first quarter with a 7-0 lead.
The second quarter was when things really started to go south for the Chiefs. A Jake Elliott 48-yard boot brought the Eagles lead up to 10-0. Then things went from bad to worse when Cooper DeJean, on his 22nd birthday, came up with an interception and brought it all the way back for a score of 17-0. The Birds would score once again, and at halftime, they were up 24-0.
The Eagles went into the locker room only one point under the Super Bowl record for most points scored before halftime. The record was set in Super Bowl XXII in 1988 when Washington beat the Denver Broncos 42-10.
In the second half, the Chiefs didn’t look much better, and the Eagles continued to fire on all cylinders. Kansas City scored another 13 points before the clock hit zero, and Mahomes was able to get some touchdown passes but by that point Sirianni already got his Gatorade shower and the game was over.
The Eagles won their second Lombardi Trophy in just eight years, cementing their place as one of the most resilient teams in the NFL. They bounced back after getting blown out by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 32-9 in the wild card round last year, as well as a loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII two years ago.
As for the Chiefs, this is their fifth Super Bowl appearance in six years, and they only have two losses. This loss should be treated as a wakeup call for the organization: they can no longer have just a passable defense and expect to win.
During the offseason, general manager Brett Veach and Head Coach Andy Reid need to find pieces to insert into the Chiefs’ offensive line. The competition continues to grow, adapt and get better. They are going to have to have a very aggressive offseason to remain at the top of their game.
The Eagles were able to prevent history, stopping the Chiefs three-peat in its tracks. The champagne will be pouring on the streets of Philadelphia celebrating their Eagles flying home with the victory.