The quest for a record-tying three NFL world championship wins in succession died tonight at the New Orleans Super Bowl.
The record still belongs to the Green Bay Packers who last performed the feat in 1968 (Super Bowl II).
The Philadelphia Eagles opened up a big can of whoopass on the much-heralded Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in a game that was not nearly as close as the final 40-22 score indicates.
In the portion of the game that actually mattered, the offensive line of the Chiefs had no answer for the Eagles’ four man pass rush and therefore the magical Mahomes was under pressure from KC’s very first snap and it did not abate until the final whistle.
Any defensive coordinator will be pleased as punch to exert damaging pressure on the opponent’s passing game and only have to rush four defenders. That allows seven players to drop back into pass coverages that confused and stymied Mahomes all game long.
I am used to seeing Pat Mahomes escape time after time, and end up throwing a dart downfield, or breaking free for one of his trademark run and slides.
Not happening.
The magic in the legs belonged to Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts who broke the Chiefs’ back with his downfield accuracy and timely scampers away from the ineffective Kansas City defense.
The fact that Kansas City was odds-defying in their ability to win one-score games all season long should have been a harbinger of things to come…….
Sooner or later, you can’t rely on the luck factor; it WILL let you down.
And if you were to have told me that Mahomes would throw two interceptions, fumble away the ball, and get sacked six times (one short of the Super Bowl record), I would have laughed quite haughtily and retorted, “Not bloody likely!”
The Eagles looked about twice the size of the two-time defending Super Bowl champions all the way across both the offensive and defensive lines.
Wide receiver AJ Brown was simply uncoverable while it was almost refreshing to see the super-human Saquon Barkley perform like a mere mortal for a change.
The Chiefs will be looking to stock up on linemen on both sides of the ball come NFL draft day.
If they don’t, I have two words about your chances at starting another run at a three-peat.
Not happening.
Just winning ONE is an amazing feat, and I think both of this year’s Super Bowl participants will be right in the thick of things next season, too.
I believe Mahomes is still young enough to make a run at Tom Brady’s six Super Bowl rings, but Travis Kelce is nearing the end of his useful life as a superstar tight end.
It is unfortunate when teams suffer season-affecting injuries to key plyers, but everyone gets injuries.
The clear truths, obvious to anyone with a functioning set of eyes, is that Andy Reid and the KC coaching staff were badly outcoached, Patrick Mahomes was badly outplayed by Jalen Hurts, and the Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl LIX champions.
Congratulations to the NFL Champions, your Philadelphia Eagles!
Stay well.
