Arrowhead Pride
What did we learn as Philadelphia blew out Kansas City in 2024’s championship game?
Even if you thought the Philadelphia Eagles could win Super Bowl LIX over the Kansas City Chiefs, you probably didn’t expect Sunday night’s 40-22 beatdown, ending the team’s chance for a record-setting third consecutive Super Bowl win.
Kansas City was completely dominated from the opening whistle. The Chiefs didn’t just lack the answers to the questions the Eagles presented. In many cases, it appeared that they didn’t even know what kind of questions would be on the test.
Here are five things we learned as Kansas City came up short.
I made this same point after the Chiefs’ 32-29 victory over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game.
It’s still true. Except this time, we finally found the moment that was too big for quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his teammates.
Halfway through the second quarter, the game was still in reach. The Chiefs were down 10-0, starting a drive at the 30-yard line. They simply needed to get on the board. But the offensive line gave up back-to-back sacks before Mahomes threw an ill-advised pick-6 to the Eagles’ standout rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean.
The game was full of moments like that one.
Two drives later, Mahomes threw another interception on the first play of a drive deep in his territory. Early in the second half, the Chiefs turned the ball over on downs — and immediately gave up a back-breaking deep touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith.
Championships are defined by how a team responds in critical moments. In this game, the Chiefs repeatedly came up short.
It’s not Chiefs offensive lineman Joe Thuney’s fault that he struggled in this game. He should never have been pressed into service as the starting left tackle in the Super Bowl.
Nor do I blame head coach Andy Reid for choosing to go with Thuney in this game — but I do blame Reid and the front office for putting the team into the position where he had to do it. For the second time in five seasons, a failure on the offensive line cost the Chiefs a shot at winning the championship.
There is no doubt: Joe Thuney is a warrior. Unfortunately, Kansas City didn’t have any choice but to roll with him.
But that’s only because the Chiefs whiffed on the second-round selection of left tackle Kingsley Suamataia — and what’s worse, they misjudged whether would be ready to begin the season as the starting at left tackle.
And just to make it worse: right tackle Jawaan Taylor has proved to be one of the worst signings in Veach’s career.
Mahomes picked an inopportune time to have the worst game of his career.
While the offensive line did him no favors, he was off right from the beginning. He...
