Finest, worst of Tremendous Bowl LIX: Eagles D-line dominant in blowout

The Eagles are bringing the Lombardi Trophy again to Philadelphia after their 40-22 rout of the Chiefs.

Right here is the most effective and worst from the on-field motion at Tremendous Bowl LIX:

Finest: Eagles defensive position

Philadelphia’s defensive entrance dominated. The Eagles had six sacks and always pressured Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Per Professional Soccer Focus information, Mahomes was pressured on 42.9% of his dropbacks.

Defensive finish Josh Sweat had six tackles and a couple of.5 sacks. Defensive deal with Milton Williams had two sacks and defensive deal with Jordan Davis added one other sack.

The road was answerable for the sport being as lopsided because it was. The unit did not give Mahomes any room to function, resulting in one of many worst video games of the three-time Tremendous Bowl MVP’s profession.

Worst: Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes

This was a nightmare efficiency for Mahomes, who had certainly one of his worst playoff performances in his 21 profession postseason video games.

Mahomes completed 21-of-32 for 257 yards, three touchdowns (two after the sport was out of attain) and two interceptions. His two picks got here on back-to-back passes within the first half.

Eagles rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean recorded the primary interception, returning it 38 yards for a landing and a 17-0 lead. Linebacker Zack Baun intercepted Mahomes the second time deep in Kansas Metropolis territory, resulting in an Eagles landing.

It was Mahomes’ poorest playoff recreation since Kansas Metropolis’s Tremendous Bowl LV loss to the Buccaneers following the 2020 season. For all of the highs he is skilled over time, his lows have been demoralizing.

Finest: Kansas Metropolis rush protection

One of the vital disappointing issues in regards to the blowout was the way it overshadowed an exceptional effort by Kansas Metropolis’s rush protection. The unit contained 2024 Related Press Offensive Participant of the 12 months operating again Saquon Barkley, limiting him to 57 yards on 25 carries (2.3 yards per try). It was Barkley’s fewest yards gained on a minimum of 25 carries in his profession, however it hardly mattered due to Mahomes’ errors, a pointy Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia’s suffocating protection.

Worst: Ticky-tack fouls

Refs had a rocky begin to the sport, calling two iffy penalties early that, thankfully, did not considerably affect the sport.

An Eagles fourth-down conversion was worn out by a foul offensive move interference name in opposition to broad receiver A.J. Brown, adopted on Philadelphia’s subsequent possession with a questionable pointless roughness flag in opposition to Chiefs cornerback again Trent McDuffie following a third-down incompletion.

The groups’ final Tremendous Bowl assembly successfully ended with a late holding name in opposition to Eagles cornerback James Bradberry, and officers picked up the place they left off within the first quarter.

Finest: Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts

That is the way you silence doubters. The fifth-year Eagles quarterback outdueled Mahomes with a wonderful efficiency en path to being named Tremendous Bowl MVP.

Hurts was 17-of-22 for 221 yards (10 yards per try), two touchdowns and an interception. He additionally led the Eagles in speeding (72 yards) and scored Philadelphia’s lone speeding landing.

He grew to become simply the second quarterback in NFL historical past to throw for 200 yards and rush for 70 yards in a Tremendous Bowl, becoming a member of himself after he achieved the feat in Tremendous Bowl LVII. Hurts has had two unimaginable Tremendous Bowls. Possibly now he’ll get respect.

Worst: Chiefs secondary

As superior as Kansas Metropolis’s rush protection, its secondary was practically as unhealthy. Cornerback Jaylen Watson was burned on Hurts’ 46-yard landing to broad receiver DeVonta Smith. The Chiefs allowed 5 move performs of a minimum of 20 yards.

When the Chiefs dissect what went fallacious in Tremendous Bowl LIX, they’re going to discover a number of points. The protection’s greatest drawback was the secondary, making it a high precedence for Kansas Metropolis to repair in free company and the draft.