Crossing Broad
Let’s pour one out for the Kansas City Chiefs’ dynasty, which is dead.
RIP.
The final nail was tush pushed into place by the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, who went out to Arrowhead and dispatched Patrick Mahomes and company for the second time in seven months, this time a 20 to 17 final scoreline. The Chiefs are now 0-2, which is fantastic.
This was a big boy football game and defensive masterclass at the same time. Vic Fangio’s unit allowed 294 yards, a number buoyed by a fugazi deep shot near the end of the 4th quarter. More importantly, the Chiefs were just 4-12 on 3rd down and Mahomes only completed 16 of 29 passes for 187 yards, while Travis “Butterfingers” Kelce dropped one at the goal line that possibly could have won them the game.
Alas, the Eagles prevailed.
As for the Birds’ offense, no, it was not firing on all cylinders. The downfield passing game just isn’t there through two games to begin the 2025 campaign. We’ll get a better look at what’s actually happening when the all-22 film comes out, but the bottom line is that the Birds just stuffed Mahomes and company in their own building, and when you can get a W at Arrowhead, you don’t care what it looks like. Remember, this team was 1-1 at the same point last season.
To the observations! –
1) That was, uh, not an amazing opening drive, but at least A.J. Brown got a target and a catch, so we were able to cross that potential Negadelphia narrative off the list early.
2) Chris Jones and the tush push? He lined up in the neutral zone for a penalty, but at least he didn’t injure his neck by laying down sideways this time around. Later in the game, they tried punching the ball before it was snapped, which also did not work.
3) Eagles 2nd drive: are we sure that wasn’t pass interference on Brown? The ball was thrown a hundred yards in the air because Jalen Hurts banged his arm off Tyler Steen’s helmet, but Brown was clattered into without an opportunity to go up and try to catch it. The announcers didn’t even talk about it. That was a head scratcher. My thought was that the refs thought the ball was tipped, which it was not.
4) Za’Darius Smith – welcome aboard! That TFL on the second Chiefs drive was the key play to force the field goal attempt.
5) Harrison Butker’s first field goal attempt went further right than his political beliefs. Heyo! (don’t worry, we’ll work a lib joke in a little bit later, to be fair and balanced)*
6) Lovely drive to punish the FG miss. Eight plays, 52 yards, 4:08. That little DeVonta Smith screen was the big play to set up a few big runs, and it wasn’t a dreaded bubble screen, it was just a little quick hitter with Jordan Mailata kicking out to seal the DB. That...
