Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Andy Reid were trying to pursue history.
But no one told the Eagles after a stunning defensive performance en route to their second Lombardi Trophy.
Eagles (18-3) registered six sacks on their way to a 40-22 victory over the Chiefs (17-2) in Super Bowl LIX as the confetti came down at the Caesars Superdome to deny Kansas City a chance to threepeat. In the process, the Eagles claimed their second Super Bowl after winning their first one in 2017.
Although the Eagles’ defense played a significant role, Jalen Hurts was named Super Bowl MVP after completing 17 of 22 passes for 221 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He also led the Eagles in rushing with 72 yards.
“I couldn’t be here without my teammates,” Hurts told Fox Sports after the victory. “It has never been about what one of us does, it has been about what we do and how we respond to certain things.”
The final score did not indicate how badly the Eagles defeated the Chiefs after Kansas City scored two garbage-time touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had arguably the worst game of his career. He completed 21 of 32 passes for 257 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Mahomes also fumbled in the fourth quarter after Milton Williams sacked him.
The Eagles and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio put pressure on Mahomes all night and played like the No. 1 defense they were during the regular season. The Eagles’ defensive pressure rate was over 50%, which was more than when the Buccaneers defeated the Chiefs in LV. But they didn’t blitz Mahomes all night, the Eagles got pressure with simply their front four.
Jake Elliott converted all four of his field goals, including a 50-yarder in the fourth quarter.
Saquon Barkley, who carried the Eagles for much of the season, had a relatively quiet night with 57 yards on 25 carries. But he did break Terrell Davis’ record for yards in a season, including the playoffs (2,504 yards).
“That’s a great football team and we had to come out and play our best and we did,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said after the game. “What a lesson to the entire world on what good teamwork does. We have selfless guys, we have guys that don’t want to let each other down and we got guys that will fight for each other and play hurt for each other and that’s a team in the greatest team sport.”
Towards the halfway point of the first quarter, it appeared the Chiefs would force the Eagles to punt for the second time after an incompletion on third down. But an unnecessary roughness penalty against Kansas City cornerback Trent McDuffie gave Philadelphia a new set of downs.
Following the penalty, the Eagles scored three plays later after a Hurts 28-yard pass play to Jahan Dotson set up a Hurts tush push for a one-yard touchdown, which made the score 7-0.
In the first quarter, the Eagles outgained the Chiefs 115-19 and they possessed the ball for almost 12 minutes.
Hurts and the Eagles turned the ball over on the second play of the second quarter. On 3rd and 10 at the Chiefs’ 30, Chiefs safety Bryan Cook extended his body and intercepted Hurts at the two-yard line.
However, the Chiefs punted after going three and out. Philadelphia then marched up the field after starting at its 43-yard line but settled for a 48-yard field goal by Elliott, which increased its lead to 10-0.
Kansas City attempted to answer on its next drive, but Mahomes was sacked and harassed after being sacked on back-to-back plays by Josh Sweat and Jalyx Hunt. Then Mahomes threw an interception to Cooper DeJean on 3rd and 16 and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown, which increased the Eagles lead to 17-0.
The interception was DeJean’s first of his career on his 22nd birthday.
“It was our defense working together like we always have all year,” DeJean said. “Fell into the right place, had to catch the ball, had some blocks in front of me and had to take it to the end zone.”
Late in the second quarter, with 1:49 remaining on the Chiefs’ six-yard-line, Mahomes threw his second interception. This time, Eagles linebacker Zack Baun picked off his pass at the 14-yard-line after Sweat pushed Joe Thuney into Mahomes as he was throwing it.
Two plays later, Hurts found Brown for a 12-yard touchdown pass, and the Eagles upped their lead to 24-0 at halftime. This was the largest halftime deficit since Washington led Denver 35-10 in Super Bowl XXII.
Mahomes completed just 6 of 14 passes for 33 yards, two interceptions and was sacked three times during the first 30 minutes. Kansas City registered just 23 yards of offense in the first half compared to 179 for Philadelphia.
The Chiefs got the ball back after an extending halftime break but punted after six plays. That allowed the Eagles to continue their onslaught on the Chiefs after Hurts used his arm and legs to get deep into Chiefs’ territory.
Hurts’ scrambles of 14 and 16 yards and a 22-yard pass to Barkley helped Philadelphia increase its lead to 27-0 after Elliott’s 29-yard field goal.
The Chiefs’ offensive struggles continued after they were down four scores. On third and 13, following a nine-yard pass to Kelce, the Chiefs went for it on fourth down. But Mahomes’ pass to DeAndre Hopkins was incomplete after Avonte Maddox deflected it.
Philadelphia took over on Kansas City’s 46-yard-line and scored immediately. Hurts threw a deep 46-yard touchdown pass over the middle to DeVonta Smith and the Eagles went up 34-0 as their rout continued.
With 34 seconds remaining in the third quarter, the Chiefs finally got on the scoreboard. A 50-yard pass to Xavier Worthy set up a Mahomes’ 24-yard touchdown pass to Worthy. After the failed two-point conversion, the Eagles lead was cut to 34-6 heading into the fourth quarter.
However, the Eagles added three more points after Elliott converted his third field goal of the night, this time from 48 yards, increasing their lead to 37-6 with 9:56 remaining.
The Chiefs’ woes continued after Mahomes was stripped and recovered by Williams. Elliott’s 50-yard field goal with 8:01 left increased the Eagles’ lead to 40-6.
Kansas City scored two late touchdowns, but the Eagles held on for a 40-22 victory to become Super Bowl champions once again.
“We knew what we were capable of,” Brown said about the Eagles performance. “We just had to go out there and just do our thing. We felt like if we execute, no one on the field is going to mess with us.”
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