(GLENDALE, AZ.) —Super Bowl LVII between the Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) and the Kansas City Chiefs (14-3) lived up to the billing with the Chiefs winning 38-35.
A battle with a hefty amount of Super Bowl experience, fans that bleed their teams’ colors, two brothers, and a coach that has been to the dance with both franchises. Plenty of commonalities between these two dynamic teams but in a game of inches it would come down to one play.
This game had no foot on the brake from the opening kick, 21 points scored in just over 15 minutes of gameplay. The opening Eagles drive went for 11 plays, 75 yards and ended with a one-yard Jalen Hurts rushing touchdown 7-0.
A quick reminder was issued from the other sideline when two-time NFL, and Super Bowl LIV Most Valuable Player, Patrick Mahomes took the field for the first time himself. Partaking in his third Super Bowl, he would find his veteran tight end Travis Kelce for an 18-yard touchdown 7-7.
After the forced Eagles punt the Chiefs would not be able to reach the paint on their second offensive drive resulting in a missed 42-yard field goal by Harrison Butker. The quarter then ended with the Eagles having possession and driving 7-7.
No shortness of excitement was in the first half, as Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts delivered a 45-yard strike between two Chiefs defenders for an AJ Brown touchdown 14-7. The Eagles were flying high until flying into their first mistake on their next drive when Hurts fumbled the football for Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton to take it 36-yards for a touchdown 14-14.
In a game of inches, the Eagles would show no wavering of focus as Hurts made up for the blunder, running it in for a 4-yard touchdown on the ensuing drive 21-14.
Time ticked slow for the Chiefs offense; it had been 23 minutes before they touched the football with 2:20 left in the first half 21-14. The drive was short lived after Mahomes scrambled on 3rd and 15 to be well short and in plenty of pain to end the first half. A deficit and uncertainty went into the Chiefs locker room at halftime trailing 24-14.
The sideline highlighted the teams making adjustments in the second half that had one of the biggest being most of the Eagles players changing cleats. During the week, not only the end zones but, the grass on the field received a paint job that became a tough variable for some players through the game.
The half opened to test the 2023 NFL MVP, Mahomes’ health to go 75-yards for the Chiefs first offensive score since the first quarter of the game 24-21. Scoring the one yard touchdown was rookie running back Isaiah Pacheco. The Chiefs would then explode onto the scoreboard taking a 35-27 lead into the 4th quarter.
After the igniting of the Chiefs offense, the Eagles tried to cool the hot hand of Mahomes with driving to tie nearing the final moments of the game 35-35. Hurts not only ran it into the end zone to tie the game but also tied an NFL record for most rushing touchdowns in a Super Bowl with three.
In a game of inches, it had to come down to this, on the Philadelphia 43-yard line, Mahomes found plenty of green to go 26 yards that would get the Chiefs in field goal range.
With 1:54 left in the 4th quarter, on 3rd & 8 the Chiefs would be on the Philadelphia 16, a defensive holding call on Eagles cornerback James Bradberry would extend the drive and drain the final two timeouts of the Eagles. Veteran coach Andy Reid had the game in his hands to defeat his old Eagles team. Leaving just 11 seconds on the clock to take the lead, a manageable 27-yard field goal was true and good from Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker 38-35.
With that make, the Kansas City Chiefs took the clock and air out of the Eagles flight path to another Lombardi Trophy. Through the tough field conditions, injuries, and the scripting conspiracies, the Chiefs franchise won its third Super Bowl.
It was the first time in the entire postseason the Chiefs had trailed in a game. Patrick Mahomes won his second Super Bowl MVP award. Travis Kelce eclipsed 16 postseason TDs, the 2nd most in NFL history along with getting bragging rights beating his brother Eagles center Jason Kelce.
In a stadium that has now hosted multiple Super Bowls to end in one score differences. The last would be when the New England Patriots 28-24 win against the Seattle Seahawks in 2015. Prior to it being the New York Giants beating the unbeatable New England Patriots 17-14 in 2008. Glendale, Arizona showed out another wild stirrup in 2023, with the Kansas City Chiefs defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35.
TOP PERFORMERS FOR KANSAS CITY: Super Bowl LVII MVP Patrick Mahomes (182 YDS, 3 TDS, 77.8% Comp %), Isaiah Pacheco (15 CAR, 76YDS, 1 TDS), Travis Kelce (6REC, 81 YDS, 1TDS)
TOP PERFORMERS FOR PHILADELPHIA: Jalen Hurts (304, 1TDS, 71%, 3 RUSH TD), A.J Brown (6 REC, 96 YDS, 1 TDS), DeVonta Smith (7 REC, 100 YDS)
