Big Red gets big revenge as Chiefs rally
GLENDALE, ARIZ. >> Remember how Andy Reid couldn’t manage the clock or know when to use his timeouts?
Well, Big Red hit the daily double down the homestretch Sunday to lead the Chiefs to a 38-35 Super Bowl LVII win over the Eagles at State Farm Stadium.
Of course, there was a lot of help from Patrick Mahomes, who threw two of his three touchdown passes after the break and contributed a nasty 26-yard scramble down the homestretch after reinjuring the high ankle sprain that had him hopping again.
“Philadelphia, you did a great job,” Reid said during the presentation of his second Lombardi Trophy. “But how about those CHIEFS!”
There wasn’t much left to say after Reid won his second Super Bowl in four years against his old team, which at the intermission had played so well it appeared on the verge of claiming its second world championship in five years.
That’s why Mahomes, not Jalen Hurts, who tied a Super Bowl record with three rushing touchdowns, was the Most Valuable Player in the regular season and on the biggest stage.
“I told y’all during the week there was nothing going to keep me off the field,” Mahomes said.
For a while, it was Hurts showing Mahomes how it’s done as he rushed for two touchdowns, converted two critical fourth downs and threw a TD in the first half.
The Eagles dominated the first half in yardage, first downs, time of possession and on the scoreboard. And then it happened.
With 1:33 left in the second quarter, Mahomes scrambled out of the pocket trying to make something out of nothing. Linebacker T.J. Edwards wrapped him up with a hip-drop tackle, aggravating the high ankle sprain. Mahomes hopped off the field just as he had three weeks ago when he hurt the ankle on the same type of tackle.
The extra half hour to ice it from another endless Super Bowl halftime show was a help to Mahomes and a Chiefs defense that had spent almost 70 percent of the first half trying to stop Hurts.
The Eagles led, 24-14 at the intermission. Their fans were making parade plans. Mayor Jim Kenney said he would spare no expense. Hurts, on his way to setting the Super Bowl record for most rushing yards by a quarterback with 70, had all but checked the final box.
But Mahomes wasn’t done. Limping out to the field in the third quarter he showed the resilience that’s made him a champion. On one leg he marched the Chiefs 75 yards for a score getting them within 24-21 in the third quarter.
The Chiefs couldn’t get a break in the frame. First, Eagles running back Miles Sanders took a shot at his 24-yard line, the ball popping out to Nick Bolton, who returned it 24 yards for what would have been his second TD. Referee Carl Cheffers overruled and called it incomplete after a review. Big Red was furious.
With 1:45 left in the third quarter the Eagles settled for a 33-yard field goal by Jake Elliott and a 27-21 lead.
When Mahomes threw a 5-yard scoring pass to Kadarius Toney (who walked in) giving the Chiefs a 28-27 advantage with 12:08 left in the game, their first lead of the day, the Eagles were tired and began looking at the clock.
The Chiefs finally got a break when Aaryn Siposs, who had punted just once in a month, booted a 38yard knuckler that Toney ran back 65 yards to the 5 of the Eagles.
Three plays later Mahomes threw his third TD pass, a 4-yarder to Skyy Moore. James Bradberry decided to cover the inside receiver slanting over the middle which allowed the undrafted rookie to walk in for a 35-27 lead.
Hurts rallied the Eagles again. After connecting with Smith on
a 45-yarder, he went the final two yards for his third rushing score of the day. With all 67,827 in attendance knowing Hurts was going to run on the two-point play, he did exactly that, reading the defense and circling to the left to knot the game at 35 with 5:15 to go.
Naturally, there was an answer from Mahomes. On a long, winding drive, he burst 26 yards up the middle to the 17-yard line of the Eagles. Shortly thereafter Bradberry was questionably flagged for holding JuJu SmithSchuster.
Finally, with 1:48 left and shades of Brian Westbrook, one of Big Red’s favorite backs, running back Jerrick McKinnon burst toward the end zone put the brakes on, and stayed inbounds as he fell to the ground.
Reid killed the clock the rest of the way with a variety of quarterback kneel-downs. He used his last timeout after draining as much time as possible from the clock. With eight ticks left Harrison Butker kicked the gamewinning 27-yard field goal. Hurts’ final desperation throw fell incomplete.
Virtually run out of Philadelphia, Reid became the first coach to win the Super Bowl against a franchise he previously led to the game. He’s 2-2 in Super Bowls and also has 22 playoff victory, second alltime to Bill Belichick and further cementing his Hall of Fame candidacy. Belichick also is the only other active head coach with multiple Super Bowl titles.