NEW ORLEANS: The Philadelphia Eagles are on top of the football world once again.
The Birds (18-3) won the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in eight years and did so in convincing fashion...to say the least.
With 2:47 left in the third quarter, quarterback Jalen Hurts hit wide receiver DeVonta Smith with a spectacular 46-yard strike in the center-back of the end zone to take a 34-0 lead.
Game-set-match...it was a blowout in the Big Game.
The final score was 40-22 with Patrick Mahomes coming with some garbage time points in the fourth quarter.
Kenny Pickett even got some playing time for the final three-plus minutes of the game.
The Eagles defense was historically dominating. The Birds held the Chiefs to just 23 net yards at the half...just three yards rushing.
Mahomes was sacked six times, threw two interceptions – one was pick-six by rookie Cooper DeJean – and lost a fumble at his own 18-yard line that the Birds eventually converted to a 50-yard Jake Elliott field goal.
“Yeah, credit to the Eagles, man,: Mahomes said at his post game press conference. “They played better than us from start to finish.
“We didn’t start how we wanted to,” continued Mahomes, who finished 21 of 32, for 257 yards and three TD passes (all after the game was decided). “Obviously, the turnovers hurt, and I mean, I just gotta, I take all the blame for that.
“Those early turnovers swing the momentum of the game, and then they capitalized on them, and they scored on the one, and then they got a touchdown immediately after, so that’s 14 points that I kinda gave them, and it’s hard to come back from that in the Super Bowl, and so, just didn’t play to my standard and I have to be better next time.”
Mahomes was asked to talk about the interceptions.
“Yeah, the kid (DeJean) made a great play,” Mahomes said. “He sat underneath (Xavier) Worthy, and I tried to reset back and throw it across the field to D-Hop (DeAndre Hopkins) and put it in a tight window, and he made a great play on it and then returned it for a touchdown.
“And then the second interception, I was trying to throw it to Hollywood (Brown), got bumped a little bit, but still can’t, gotta find a way to make the throw and it kind of sailed behind Hollywood and went right to the linebacker.”
RECORD BREAKING DEFENSE
The Birds forced a record 13 turnovers in four playoff games, while offense give up just one.
Josh Sweat led the Eagles swarming defense with six tackles (two solo), two tackles for loss and three of the team's eleven quarterback hits.
The Birds defenders batted four of Mahomes' passes.
“Honestly, we just followed the game plan,” Sweat said after the game. “We’re just doing what we been doing all year. We always just say, ‘lets play our game’ and we will take care of the guy next to us and somebody is going make the play. I feel like once you get things going, nothing can go wrong.”
Sweat was asked to talk about his sacks.
“I don’t even know, I was in the right place,” he said. “I was just running around and was
like, ‘Aye…Aye! They let me go crazy. I don’t think I ever got more than two in a game, so my
biggest game, sack-wise. Bringing it home for the D-line. That’s what I wanted to do.”
The 27-year-old out of Florida State was asked to talk about the Eagles physicality.
“Defense all year has been physical, that’s one of our biggest things and we just executed,” Sweat said. “We already know we’re going to be physical. We know we’re going to run to the ball and we just have to get it done.”
Sweat on Mahomes and how he looked while the Eagles were pounding him.
“He kept his composure all the way to the end,” Sweat said. “I don’t think he was flustered really. But you can start seeing hints of it once we started hitting them for sure. And I
mean, we got it done. We took advantage of the opportunity. We knew the play maker, who he was, and he can make us pay so, we had to get it.
“We all know the player he is. He can win games. He’s going to keep winning. Nah, it doesn’t change how we look at him. We know he’s a great player still.”
Zack Baun was his usual outstanding self leading the team with seven tackles and an interception.
Baun was asked if this game was the definition of complimentary football.
“It was the epitome,” Baun said. We get turnovers, takeaways. I think we set the record tonight, playoff takeaways...fact checked me on that. Then the offense does what they do, who does what they do better? They run the ball! Just phenomenal game of overall."
Baum was asked if Kansas City underestimated how good the Eagles defense had become this year.
“I don't know...you got to ask them,” Baum answered with a question. “I think we did pretty well.”
Creed Humphrey Did the Chiefs underestimate how much better the Eagles defense had gotten since the last time they met?
“No, not at all,” Humphrey said. “We knew it was a really good defense. We knew they had a ton of talent everywhere. We just have to come out and execute better.”
HURTS CLEARLY OUTPERFORMED MAHOMES AND QUIETED HIS CRITICS
Jalen Hurts was clearly happy to win the Super Bowl. He actually smiled! Here is his response when asked about winning the Big Game.
“It definitely took a team effort to get us to the point of winning the Super Bowl,” said Hurts who finished 17 of 22 for 221 yards, two TD passes and one interception. “The only thing I can think about is the amount of effort and work that has been put in over time. We had a focused group of players out there.
“Offense was able to score points and take advantage of opportunities, just enough to put points on the board.
“The defensive players played their ass’ off like they have been all year. I think this game is a
great testament to our defense.”
How does Hurts feel?
“I’m still processing,” said Hurts, who also rushed for 72 yards on eleven carries and “Tush Push” TD. “It’s been a long journey, it’s a journey of ups and downs and highs and lows. I’ve always stayed true to myself and have this vision of being the best that I can be, and that evolved, over time, into this desire to win.
“You don’t do great things without having good guys around you. The effort, sticking to
the script, and always trusting the process is what got us here.”
Hurts was asked what his expectations were coming into this Super Bowl.
“I think the doubts come with competing no matter what, like there’s always going to be doubts and questioning, but this is the purpose and my calling in life so I’m always going to give it my all.”
Saquon Barkley was asked how it felt to be a Super Bowl champion and winning his first NFL title in front of his family and friends.
“That’s what it’s all about,” He said. “You dream about these moments as a little kid and it’s just amazing to have your family and friends – especially your family. They’ve been with me through it all – all the ups and the downs – and here we are, World Champs.”
How did Barkley feel about the way the Eagles played complimentary football?
“Big shoutout to the defense,” said Barkley, who finished with They came out and set the tone. We don’t win that game without them. Offense, we came out. Had a game plan. We knew that the focus would be on the run game and we took advantage of it. We took advantage of it in the pass game. Jalen [Hurts] came out, played big and it took a team effort. Coaches, everyone in the Eagles organization, it takes all of us.”
Eagles All Pro tackle Lane Johnson was asked about his thoughts after competing in his third Super Bowl and winning his second.
“It’s one of those things that we will definitely enjoy,” Johnson said. “Waking up tomorrow and celebrating tonight, but I was just so happy with how our defense played, completely lights out. They put us in great positions and credit to Kansas City doing a great job against the run game. But finding ways there to get it done, so crazy season.”
Could the Chiefs be guilty of underestimating the Eagles defense?
“I don’t know if they underestimated, but we have a lot of big men and big talented guys,” said Johnson who confirmed to Footballstories he has every intention on playing next season. “Coach Clint [Hurtt] and Coach [Jeremiah] Washburn did a good job of keeping us guys at that level really all-year round.”
Johnson was asked about how winning Super Bowl LIX compared to winning Super Bowl LII.
“It's better now that my children were able to be there,” Johnson said. “My soon-to-be fiancé and my mother were also out there, so they are seeing it. They are getting a little bit older so they can remember it a little bit better than the first time, so it’s crazy.
“I was so happy to get it for Brandon Graham. He was definitely on my mind. Him being able to play today and finish… If he says its his last game, he finished it out right”
COACH KEPT EVERYONE FOCUSED AT THE HALF
With his team up 24-0 at the half, how did head coach Nick Sirianni deal with the mood in the locker during the longer-than-usual halftime break.
“We made sure that everyone was resting at first, but one of the things we talked about, be ready for anything. Be ready for different and exotic things,” Sirianni said, referring to the incredible ability of Mahomes and All-World tight end Travis Kelce to make comebacks and steal games. “...things to make them try to get back into the game, but one thing that we really focused on and studied a bunch was the way that they can get back into this game.
“Us going three-and-out on offense, having sacks, having penalties, turning the ball over, and for explosive plays to happen on offense. I just thought we did a great job of handling that. We truly were playing it like this is the second game, zero-zero. If we win this one, we’re going to win this game. The guys were focused and locked in.
“It really was evident of the entire two weeks. When we won the NFC championship game in 2022, there was so much joy and I don’t want to say there isn’t joy.
“This year it was just like, ‘Let’s go...we've got to go finish the job now,’ and I think it was the same attitude at halftime of just locking in and staying focused. Let’s go finish the job, and that’s what we did.”
Indeed they did. *
Email Al Thompson at al.thompson@footballstories.com
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