The Chiefs are World Champs Again
2/13/23
By: Cam Manning
The Kansas City Chiefs have beaten the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 to capture the franchise’s third Lombardi trophy. Patrick Mahomes went 21/27 for 182 Yards and threw three touchdown passes, securing his second Super Bowl MVP trophy of his young career. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, in his first-ever Super Bowl appearance, went 27/38 for 304 yards and one passing touchdown but added three more on the ground as he ran for 70 yards in the losing effort.
The game started fast as the Eagles and Chiefs both scored on their opening possessions, making the score 7-7 early. That would be the score at the end of the first quarter, then during the second quarter, QB Jalen Hurts found his star receiver AJ Brown for a 45-yard touchdown pushing the Eagles to the 14-7 lead. The momentum seemed, to be going in the Eagle’s direction as they got the ball back with the lead. A chance to go up two possessions but Jalen Hurts had his first big blunder of the game as he fumbled the ball, which was scooped up by Chiefs LB Nick Bolton and returned for a touchdown knotting the score back up at 14-14 apiece. The Eagles would add ten unanswered points before the half holding a commanding 24-14 lead.
Whenever you have Patrick Mahomes as your QB you are never out of the game. The Chiefs would respond in the third quarter as rookie sensation Isiah Pacheco punched in a one-yard rushing touchdown making the score 24-21 Eagles. Eagles kicker Jake Elliott would add a field goal for the birds and push the lead to 27-21 heading into the final quarter.
The Chiefs would soon take over as they outscored the Eagles 17-7 in the 4th quarter. Patrick Mahomes threw two of his three touchdown passes in the 4th, one to Kadarius Toney and one to Sky Moore. The Chiefs would go up 35-27 and all the momentum seemed to be on the Chief’s side. However, Jalen Hurts has been clutch all season for the Eagles and on the biggest stage he delivered once again. Leading the Eagles down the field and rushing it in for a two-yard score and even converting the two-point conversion with his legs as well, tying the game at 35 apiece.
How would Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs respond? They would march down the field and face a third and long with just under 2:00 minutes to go in the game. The Eagles needed just one stop to force a field goal and get the ball back to try and go for the win. However, a costly holding penalty against CB James Bradberry gave the Chiefs an automatic first down and all but sealed the game. The Chiefs took the clock all the way down to eight seconds and Harrison Butker drilled the 27-yard field goal to propel the Chiefs to the win.
The holding call will be talked about nationwide for a long time but even Jame Bradberry postgame said he thought it was a hold.
“It was holding, I tugged his jersey. I was hoping they would let it slide,” Bradberry said.
The Chiefs have now won their second championship in the past four years and Mahomes adds to his already Hall of Fame resume with not only another MVP award but a Super Bowl title and SB MVP trophy.