On February 9th, Super Bowl Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles faced off in New Orleans for a chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. The heightened championship atmosphere was bolstered by external circumstances for both teams. The Chiefs were seeking a three-peat, an achievement that no NFL team can lay claim to in the Super Bowl era. Achieving this goal would put the Kansas City Chiefs franchise among the greatest in league history. It would also give Patrick Mahomes a significant argument for GOAT status, having achieved something Tom Brady never did. On the other side of the field, the Eagles were seeking revenge, hoping to get back at the same team that bested them in Super Bowl 57 and hoist their second Lombardi.
The Chiefs won the coin toss, but after that, the game belonged to the Eagles. At the beginning of the second quarter, Philadelphia led 10-0. Although the Chiefs offense had been stifled so far, there was still plenty of time for them to put points on the board. However, the Chiefs retaliatory drive ended in disaster when Philadelphia rookie Cooper DeJean returned an interception for a touchdown. Shortly afterwards, Patrick Mahomes threw a second interception, putting Philadelphia in a position to score another touchdown before the half. At the break, the Eagles led 24-0.
The second half was more of the same. The Chiefs didn’t find the end zone until late in the third quarter, making the score 34-6. After two more field goals, the Eagles pulled most of their starters and began celebrating on the sidelines. The Chiefs scored two more consolation touchdowns on the Eagles backups to make the final score 40-22, but the game was never in reach for Kansas City.
The story of the game was Philadelphia’s defensive line. They sacked Mahomes six times and pressured him into making poor throws during the entire game. The high deficit also forced the Chiefs to abandon the run, which further contributed to their lackluster offensive outing.
The Chiefs’ run defense was their only bright spot of the game, holding Philadelphia running-back Saquon Barkley to under sixty rushing yards. Unfortunately, that seemed to be all they prepared for. Philadelphia receivers like A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith were able to cut through the Chiefs’ secondary, and MVP Jalen Hurts was able to make key throws and extend plays with his legs.
Aside from being the most lopsided Super Bowl since the Seahawks defeated the Broncos in Super Bowl 48, this game will likely have ripple effects throughout the NFL. The success of Philadelphia’s defensive line is likely to influence other franchises to invest draft capital in elite trench talent, while their effective run game may also drive up the perceived value of running backs and offensive linemen. For Kansas City, this embarrassing performance has put their future into question. While their achievements for the last six seasons have been remarkable, it is hard not to wonder if they will have the same success next year. The 2025 season has officially started. Now, it’s anyone’s game.
