The Super Bowl is beautiful and uncertain until the end. But what a good Mahomes who revives the Chiefs (despite a bad ankle relapse) and leads them to win on the night in Glendale. With a top-of-the-class second half. The challenge between two African-American quarterbacks, the first in NFL history, is won by him, also judged to be the MVP of the game. Hurts plays courageously even if he weighs that fumble early in the game and probably suffers from less experience at these levels. He doesn’t come out downsized but, for now, he has to surrender to the Kansas City leader class. Well done to the coaching staff of the winners who overturned the match after the first thirty minutes. Adjustments to which the Philadelphia coaches have not been able to respond with the necessary countermoves. Big regrets in the house of the Eagles. Joy justified in KC’s.
First half
The record. The beginning is thrilling. The Eagles immediately shuffle the cards of their attack with various solutions. Smith ends first down for the Eagles and also catches Hurts first pitch. Who then gains more ground with his legs. Goedert is also good. Still on land first Scott and then Gainwell are nothing from the touchdown that the latter believes he has scored. But not so after a review of the referees. Phila’s quarterback takes care of it with the now usual winning qb-sneak where he is literally thrown forward for the first score. Elliott is not wrong and it’s 7 points to open the game.
Mahomes’ response is practically immediate. He shines once again as throughout the season and in recent years his connection with Travis Kelce. Unstoppable. In an amen after a run by Pacheco and one by the same qb the happy parable arrives for the tight end. Touchdowns. Football scores: 7 all. A question and answer that sends the Glendale public into raptures.
Phila is back in attack. But it will be an unproductive drive that will end with a punt. The Chiefs have a chance to take the lead. And here comes the first defensive play of a certain level by the Eagles who, with Reddick, force Mahomes to precariously launch a third attempt that is almost an interception after a drive that seemed interesting. There is still the possibility of making three points with a field goal but kicker Butker hits the post (!). And it remains equal.
Sounds like a positive sign for Philly. Who takes advantage of it. With a couple of runs by Hurts, which the Kansas City defense begins to suffer terribly, an absolutely unusual and original one of its kind by tight end Goedert and the first reception by Brown, coach Sirianni’s team is definitely in rhythm. And he closes the drive with a pearl from Hurts who releases a powerful and precise bomb for Brown’s hands, very good at freeing himself for another six points. Elliott is infallible: 17-7 for Phila. The first quarter says this.
The Chiefs fail to respond. And they go to the punt. The momentum seems to go to Phila’s team right now. But the mess is around the corner: Hurts lets the ball slip away, a sensational fumble, picked up and brought back in td by a defender of KC, Bolton. Football is ok: 14 all.
A serious mistake. But Hurts doesn’t tremble. And he signs a masterpiece drive. He immediately runs for 15 yards. With the coaching staff he decides to play fourth down twice. Courageous and winning choice. Closed with a rush by the quarterback in td. What a reaction to the mistake, what a personality. Football ok: 21-14. The return of the Chiefs’ attack results in a great fear for coach Reid: Mahomes is tackled by Edwards and when he gets up he screams in pain, a relapse to his injured ankle. The KC staff hold their breath. Zero points and the qb sideline phenomenon injured again.
The Eagles have seconds to score again. They settle for an Elliott field goal to end the second quarter and then the first half with a 24-14 lead.
Second half
Second half. Mahomes is on the field and leads a strong drive with a series of productive runs. Closed by Pacheco in td: 24-21 for Phila. The match is alive, the score still hanging in the balance and above all the Chiefs qb is there, he will certainly not be at his best physically but with his head, heart and talent, he can still win this match.
The Eagles start badly in this second quarter. Sanders loses the ball after a tough tackle. It is judged incomplete passage. A sigh of relief for Phila. Brown receives but for a few yards, It’s a third and six. Wonderfully played by Hurts who, well protected by his strong line, finds Goedert and closes the down. Watkins and then Gainwell get another one. Watkins can’t hold a long pass, not easy but not impossible. A lost chance. Then comes a great throw from Hurts and Goedert makes a good reception but seems unable to put both feet on the pitch. However, the challenge proves the Eagles right. Sanders gains 4 yards. The same running back runs 5 more. But it takes another qb-sneak to close the down. It does not go beyond Phila and Elliott has to kick from 33 yards. He does it great. Phila 27 Chiefs 21 at the end of the third quarter. Anything can still happen.
Mahomes restarts with a pitch to Smith Schuster and two runs by Pacheco. We are in the last quarter, where the match will be decided. Schuster still receives well, then comes a penalty by Sweat to favor the Chiefs attack. Which with Schuster get even closer. And they go on td with Toney who collects, undisturbed, a trajectory from Mahomes. It’s the Chiefs overtaking: 28-27. There are still 12 minutes. But now the Eagles have to react: it is the first time in the whole match that they are behind.
In the second half so far Mahomes has an impressive nine out of nine. And the defense of the Eagles is unable to find solutions in the face of his attacks. The department that made the difference for Philadelphia all season is missing.
Hurts forces a pass to Goedert who, almost miraculously, catches it. Another launch for Pascal. The first down does not come, he goes to punt. It’s a disaster for the Eagles, Toney returns it almost for a touchdown. Now the inertia of the match belongs entirely to the Chiefs. It’s hard to bet even one dollar now on Phila’s success. Mahomes is the rookie Moore alone for a touchdown that seems a tombstone for the ambitions of the Eagles. Chiefs 35 Eagles 27. Reassembling would taste like a feat.
With the strength of desperation Hurts sets up a drive that brings Smith to nothing from the touchdown. It takes a qb sneak from Hurts to go 35 to 33 for the Chiefs. And it’s not over. Instead of the additional kick, the Eagles try the two-point conversion. Which succeeds with Hurts, formidable at this juncture. We are 35 equal to just over five minutes from the end. But the ball goes to Mahomes who remains, with his Chiefs, favorite. If the Philadelphia defense doesn’t make a great play, the Chiefs will probably take it home. It will be enough, so to speak, to consume the time and get at least one field goal.
The Chiefs feel the SB close and immediately get a couple of first downs. Mahomes gets the third with a personal sprint. A Phila penalty (discussed and disputed) gives the match ball to KC. Mc Kinnon doesn’t even score to let precious seconds go by and not immediately give the ball back to Hurts. With eleven seconds left Butker kicks in from 27 yards for the game-winning three points. The Chiefs win by 38 to 35 a SB in which they were behind for large stretches of the game. Phila didn’t know how to capitalize on the advantage and the moments when the match seemed to be on his side. And with that devil Mahomes, any hesitation can prove fatal. For talent, quality and leadership, he is the heir to Tom Brady in the NFL.
