Carmen Vitali
NFL Reporter
As far as Super Bowls go, if you’re not an Eagles fan, their 40-22 win over the Chiefs probably wasn’t filled with a whole lot of mystery or excitement.
It was total and utter domination.
There was little doubt at the half, with the Eagles up 24-0, that the tide had irrevocably turned in their favor. Sure, there was the Chiefs of it all. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is this generation’s “Comeback Kid” and you can’t quite ever count him out.
But from the get-go, Mahomes and the Kansas City offense didn’t put up much of a fight.
The key moments that swung the game mostly came in the first half, beginning with a flub by the Chiefs’ offense after their defense had forced a turnover. Here’s a deeper dive into three plays that decided Super Bowl LIX.
1. Mahomes’ incomplete pass to Kelce
Situation: Chiefs 3rd-and-3 from own 9 (12:53 in 2Q)
Score: PHI 7, KC 0
To understand why this was a play that changed the game for the Chiefs, you have to go back and look at how they got the ball to begin the drive. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, with pressure in his face, heaved a desperation throw that fell well short of intended target A.J. Brown and comfortably into the hands of cornerback Jaylen Watson. So, instead of potentially going up 14-0 early in the game, Philadelphia put the ball back in Mahomes’ hands. This is where many of us watching likely said to ourselves, “Ah, here comes the comeback.”
This is where the Chiefs excel. This is when they capitalize. This is what makes Mahomes so dangerous. Only this time, they didn’t.
Mahomes found himself in a third-and-3 situation. The Chiefs trotted out 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, three wide receivers), with Travis Kelce as the tight end. He’s Mahomes’ safety blanket, and has been for years. Surely a third-and-short situation would be easy enough for the pair to convert.
Mahomes sent his running back, initially lined up out wide, into the backfield, which moved safety Cooper DeJean, who looked to be on Kelce, across the formation, switching with outside linebacker Oren Burks, who trotted over to Kelce’s side.
The Eagles countered with Cover 4 out of their nickel package, leaving two deep safeties patrolling over top. It was just a four-man rush but with both outside backers, Nolan Smith and Josh Sweat, recording a 0.72 second get-off time, Mahomes had virtually no time to throw. He was ready for it, though, and got rid of the ball in 1.67 seconds on a short pass to Kelce.
However, Burks read it perfectly, linebacker Zack Baun was already there, and Kelce looked sluggish coming off the line. Mahomes threw it to a spot just ahead and the Chiefs, in fact, didn’t convert what should have been an easy play. It was one of two drops Kelce had in the first half alone.
It also gave the ball back to Philadelphia, who ended up with a field goal on their ensuing drive, pushing their lead to 10-0. It also marked the start of a trend of uncomfortability for Mahomes that continued throughout the game.
2. DeJean’s pick-six
Situation: Chiefs 3rd-and-16 from own 24 (7:16 in 2Q)
Score: PHI 10, KC 0
Of course, the pick-six by DeJean would make the list. But it’s the entire series of events leading up to the interception that really expose just how uncomfortable Mahomes was and how much Philadelphia’s defense did to consistently and constantly disrupt him. The pick-six was not fluky. It was calculated and maneuvered. DeJean deserves a ton of credit for making the read and jumping the route — plus, you know, running it all the way back 38 yards.
But Mahomes suffered back-to-back sacks before that play (and six overall). It’s why the Chiefs were in a third-and-forever situation in the first place.
Cooper DeJean intercepts Patrick Mahomes and returns for TD
The first sack, a 4-yard loss by Mahomes via Josh Sweat, came on a four-man rush. Philadelphia was also in man coverage, blanketing Mahomes’ potential receivers with the single safety helping over top. What the Eagles did so beautifully on this play, and all game, was also take away Mahomes’ scramble lanes while still containing him in the pocket. It forced him to try to step up into it and hold the ball. With no one to throw to, Sweat was able to get around right tackle Jawaan Taylor and take Mahomes down. If he hadn’t, outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt would have done the job, as he came off his block from left guard-turned-tackle Joe Thuney.
For as good of a guard as Thuney is, kicking him out to tackle and putting two guys out of position was always going to catch up to Kansas City. They just picked the worst possible moment for it to happen.
That was followed by another sack, which Sweat was in on. By this point, you’ve forced Mahomes into no-mans-land and given him exclusively low probability options on third down. Knowing Mahomes’ mental makeup, it was a pretty safe bet he was going to try to convert anyway, desperate to get his team back on track.
DeJean was the beneficiary.
Yay for dots! If you take a look at the movement there, you’ll see DeJean backpedal and then let wide receiver Hollywood Brown go for the safety to take him in the deep zone. It actually leaves DeJean all alone without a receiver to guard, and the Eagles find themselves with seven guys in coverage against just four potential receivers. It gives DeJean the flexibility to spy the quarterback, and he quickly keys in on what Mahomes’ intentions are. One jumped route in front of DeAndre Hopkins and a 38-yard return later, DeJean is in the end zone and the Eagles are up 17-0.
Baun took away another possession with a second interception before halftime, which quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense turned into a 24-0 lead by halftime.
Mahomes’ passer rating was 10.7 in the first half. The Chiefs hadn’t converted a third down yet. They had just 23 total yards. Based on EPA per play and success rate, it was the best half by any defense in the first half of a game this season, per The Ringer’s Sheil Kapadia.
3. Hurts’ TD pass to Smith
Situation: Eagles 1st-and-10 from KC 46 (2:47 in 3Q)
Score: PHI 27, KC 0
This is essentially the moment the game was over. Sure, there was more than a quarter left, but Hurts and wide receiver DeVonta Smith sealed Super Bowl glory with a dagger of a score.
Mahomes’ preceding pass to Hopkins on fourth-and-4 fell incomplete. One play later, Hurts launched it deep from the Kansas City 46-yard line, right into the waiting arms of Smith. It was a perfect throw. It was a perfect catch. It was a perfect play call by offensive coordinator Kellen Moore that stamped the Eagles’ name on the Lombardi Trophy.
Jalen Hurts connects with DeVonta Smith for 46-yard TD
It was the Eagles’ last TD score of the night but the beginning of the fans’ countdown celebration. It was the light of hope going out for Kansas City becoming the first team to three-peat in the Super Bowl era, and it punctuated the dominating effort that earned Philly its second Super Bowl title in seven seasons.
Carmen Vitali is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV.
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