After a successful season that seemed to go well, the Kansas City Chiefs finally found their kryptonite. The Philadelphia Eagles put on a defensive clinic, and the Chiefs couldn't catch up. They ended up losing 40-22. Despite the score looking somewhat close, the game was never that close. Two touchdowns from Mahomes in the fourth quarter were just too little, too late.
Turnovers A Plenty
Throughout the season, turnovers were one of the biggest issues. While they only lost two regular season games, some of the close games did not need to be that close. Patrick Mahomes had 11 interceptions by week 11, and it was looking like he would set a career-high. He then closed out the regular season without throwing any more interceptions.
Through the first two games, Mahomes also got away without throwing any interceptions, even against a hungry defense in the Houston Texans and then again with the revenge-seeking Buffalo Bills. Mahomes chose the worst time to bring back this habit, effectively ending the Chiefs' season in a disappointing fashion.
In the second quarter, Mahomes' intended pass to DeAndre Hopkins was intercepted by Cooper DeJean. At that moment, the game really shifted in favor of the Eagles, and it was clear the Chiefs weren't making an easy comeback. Later in the quarter, Mahomes threw an interception to Zach Baun, setting the stage for Jalen Hurts to really take over the game. It also did not help that the Chiefs were unable to capitalize on an interception thrown by Hurts.
Defense Falls Flat
Throughout the game, it was clear that the Chiefs' defense focused on one thing when practicing before the Super Bowl: Saquan Barkley. While the Chiefs did an excellent job at ensuring Barkley did not score (only rushed for 57 yards), they forgot to account for Hurts.
The Eagles had a very up-and-down season when it came to the passing game. That's why they usually relied on Barkley to demolish the opposing defenses. However, the Chiefs allowed Hurts to throw for 221 yards, including a 46-yard throw to DeVonta Smith. That only came on top of the 72 rushing yards and a touchdown.
The defense surrendered 40 points to the Eagles, more than they allowed in every other game during the regular season and playoffs. Star Chris Jones was a non-factor before he left the game with a knee injury, and it seemed like the entire defense followed suit.
Penalties?
During the regular season, the Chiefs were not known for getting penalties. However, they were a team that usually had penalties go in their favor. Leading up to the Super Bowl, the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell tried their best to dispel the narrative that the Chiefs get preferential treatment by the refs. A questionable call against the Eagles in the first quarter got fans more annoyed at this narrative.
From then on, the Chiefs seemed to have many penalties against them. They received a flag when Trent McDuffie hit Dallas Goedert, setting up the patented Eagles tush push for the game's first touchdown. The Chiefs also received a notable unnecessary roughness penalty when Nick Bolton hit Barkley in the back after an incompletion.
Even with all of these penalties, the Eagles still managed to have more by the end of the game. They finished with 8 for 59 yards, while the Chiefs finished with 7 for 75 yards.
What's Next?
Although this was a hard loss for the Chiefs and their fans, a bright future is still ahead. Mahomes is just turning 30, meaning there are quite a few years left with him in his prime. Xavier Worthy is proving that he can be a star in this league, and the defense shined throughout the season (just not in this game).
However, this game made it clear that there are several things the Chiefs need to veer away from in the coming years. Travis Kelce was almost a non-factor in this game and did not even record a catch until the third quarter. This narrative was prevalent throughout the regular season and was only retired in the first two postseason games. For the Chiefs to be a force in the league again next year, they are going to have to either part with Kelce or create an offense that favors other players instead of him.
It's also clear that Andy Reid will have to be better at adapting situationally after getting heavily out-coached in this Super Bowl by Nick Sirianni. The Chiefs' offense was stale and boring the entire season, and they found themselves winning most close games due to the defensive efforts. The Chiefs have the potential to be scary, but they won't be unless they significantly change the offensive schemes.
Final Score: Chiefs 22, Eagles 40
Jones' Three Stars
1st Star - Xavier Worthy
8 receptions, 157 yards, 2 TDs
2nd Star - DeAndre Hopkins
2 receptions, 18 yards, 1 TD
3rd Star - Bryan Cook
1 INT
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