“Sometimes you eat the bear; sometimes the bear eats you.”
The Philadelphia Eagles took control of this game early, and it felt like the (now) former two-time defending Super Bowl champions never had a real chance to come back. As crazy as the outcome was, the formula was pretty simple. The Chiefs turned the ball over three times, and the Eagles only once. The Eagles sacked Patrick Mahomes six times; the Chiefs got to Hurts only twice. Whenever the momentum felt like it could shift Kansas City’s way, a big play went against them.
Here are a few that stood out as the Chiefs dropped to 3-2 in Super Bowls in the past six seasons (that’s still pretty great, by the way).
Winners
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25868111/2198065672.jpg)
Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Wide receiver Xavier Worthy: There weren’t many reasons to cheer in this Super Bowl, but most of them involved the rookie wearing No. 1. Worthy caught all eight of his targets for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, most of that production came when it was too late to mount a comeback. But we all got a big glimpse of what’s possible when the fastest guy on the field can also win at the catch point. The concerns about his size should be completely over. The kid is a football player — and his future could not be more bright.
The Chiefs’ run defense: Coming into this game, the greatest worry was Saquon Barkley, who dominated the league through the regular season and playoffs. But Steve Spagnuolo and the Chiefs defense swarmed and tackled him, preventing any real damage. Barkley was not only held to 57 yards and no touchdowns but also averaged only 2.3 yards per carry, and his longest run was 10 yards. The Chiefs had 10 tackles for loss against the Eagles
Losers
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25868085/usa_today_25380291.jpg)
Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Left tackle Joe Thuney and left guard Mike Caliendo: These two weren’t supposed to be in those two positions, and it showed. Both appeared to be overmatched against a fierce Philly defensive front. Both should get credit for helping the team get to this point, but watching the offensive line be the primary reason this team lost yet another Super Bowl was maddening.
Head coach Andy Reid: Reid’s master class in coaching against the Buffalo Bills was followed by an absolutely puzzling performance on Sunday. The game plan didn’t work, and there weren’t any visible adjustments made. The makeshift offensive line probably should have been reshuffled when it was clear that the Eagles would overwhelm them. The Chiefs had a couple of tackles on the bench that could have helped. They have a fullback and extra tight ends; they have a deep playbook with some calls that typically make teams pay for getting too aggressive. Instead, the Chiefs were on their heels until it was too late.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo: Well, if we’re going to talk about the Chiefs being outcoached, Spagnuolo gets his share of the blame. Saquon Barkley was not the dominant force we feared he could be — as mentioned above, that was due to the defensive scheme and execution, including tremendous tackling. Unfortunately, the Eagles were able to adjust, moving the ball through the air with relative ease. I noted a number of times when the Eagles got the matchups they (presumably) wanted. It felt like they were able to force Trent McDuffie to face AJ Brown and Jaylen Watson to try and keep up with DeVonta Smith— probably the exact opposite of what we wanted to see due to size and speed differences. They threw the ball to Barkley seven times, exploiting a weakness in the Chiefs’ ability to cover running backs. Jalen Hurts was excellent on the ground, setting a new Super Bowl record with 72 yards rushing and a tush-push touchdown. I think we’ll look back on the season and confirm that these were known deficiencies in the defense that the Eagles adjusted to while the Chiefs could not counter.
Running back Kareem Hunt: The redemption story of Kareem Hunt could have been capped off in the sweetest way — with a Super Bowl win. Instead, the Chiefs got almost no production from Hunt or the running game at all. Hung had only three carries — out of seven for all Chiefs running backs combined. Much of that is on the coaching and playcalling; some of that is due to the Chiefs trailing throughout. But, whatever the reason, it feels like a grand missed opportunity for Hunt.
Kicker Harrison Butker: Speaking of players who didn’t get an opportunity, how about the bizarre fact that Harrison Butker didn’t get to attempt a kick? The Eagles’ kicking game was outstanding, hitting four field goals and four extra points, a couple of them after penalties that made them longer. This entry isn’t so much a knock on Butker, who is still among the best postseason kickers in NFL history. It’s just another strange story of the game. When was the last time the Chiefs didn’t attempt a field goal or an extra point (other than the Week 18 practice squad shutout)? I believe it was December 2012, when the Oakland Raiders shut them out. It would be difficult to believe it ever happened for a team that scored over 20 points.
Note: Applying the labels “winners” and “losers is not intended to be a judgment on the talent or character of any of these people. It’s just a simple way to grade their performance in a single game. No disrespect is intended.
