In a sport that has been played professionally for 105 years, there is rarely an opportunity for history to be made. The Kansas City Chiefs, however, had that opportunity to make history on Sunday, Feb. 9 by becoming the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, they would end up one game short of history, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in a game that wasn’t as close as the final 40-22 score would suggest.
Going into the game, the oddsmakers favored Kansas City in a near toss-up, despite the Eagles having the better overall roster. Considering the recent postseason history of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, it is clear why the Chiefs were favored. Over the past three seasons, Mahomes has led Kansas City to nine straight victories, often against seemingly superior teams, including the same Philadelphia Eagles two years prior. Going into the contest, most of the skepticism was aimed at Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts. He, however, silenced the critics with a Super Bowl MVP performance, accounting for three total touchdowns.
The Eagles’ greatest asset was their defense, which only gave up six points through three quarters to one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks and forced three takeaways and a pick-six. While some audiences found the game to be a dud, others basked in the dominance of the Eagles.
“It was pretty entertaining because that might be one of the best NFL defenses I’ve ever watched,” John Brown University Senior and avid NFL fan Harrison Milhem said.
The game proved a critical moment in the , but it also was a defining moment in the career of Hurts. This Super Bowl gave him his first title and delivered the city of Philadelphia its second Super Bowl win.
“Jalen Hurts played the best game of his career. It was master class,” Milhem said.
Hurts’ teammates felt the same way.
“He played incredible… He was poised the whole game, he was in control, he made checks and he threw dimes. He just gave us opportunities, and when we were covered a little bit, he took off running -- he used his legs,” Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown said on Hurts performance.
For some the most shocking aspect of the Super Bowl was Mahomes’s uncharacteristic performance, throwing for two crucial interceptions, resulting in 14 points for the Eagles and fumbling deep in Kansas City territory on a strip sack that resulted in three more points for the Eagles. He was also sacked a career-high six times, but not everyone thought that he was to blame.
“The offensive line was the most to blame for the Chiefs loss,” Milhem said.
The Chiefs’ inability to protect Mahomes from pressure forced their defense to stay on the field too much, and Mahomes’ turnovers put Kansas City into a hole they couldn’t climb out of.
Despite the lopsided score, the game was still the most watched Super Bowl to date, peaking at 137.7 million viewers and averaging 127.7 million, according to ESPN and Neilsen. The Chiefs and Ravens have opened as the favorites to win next year’s Super Bowl, with the Eagles close behind in third.
Photo courtesy of Mick Haupt on Unsplash
