Philadelphia is in full-party mode. The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl LIX champions. Jalen Hurts and company dominated Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in all aspects of the game to help deliver the Eagles their second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. They were confident leading up to the matchup, which showed on the field. Here are six takeaways from the 40-22 dominant performance to prevent a Chiefs three-peat:
If Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ Super Bowl LIX performance wasn’t enough to put his unjustified criticism to rest, then the NFL world has some issues. Time after time, Hurts is criticized for his lack of passing yards or tendency to hold onto the ball for too long. While it’s fair to expect more from him, the blatant disrespect for him compared to the other top quarterbacks in the league must stop.
Hurts showed up on the brightest stage and outplayed Mahomes. He completed 77 percent of his passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns. He had a 119.7 passer rating and rushed for 72 yards with a touchdown, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. Hurts was deservingly named Super Bowl MVP for his stellar performance.
Hurts has an impressive resume through the first five years of his career. The 26-year-old has a 46-20 regular season and 6-3 playoff record, he’s a two-time Pro Bowler, one-time Second-Team All-Pro and now both a Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP. He has two NFC championships and has played in two Super Bowls.
Hurts is a certified winner, and his performance in Super Bowl LIX cemented him as an elite quarterback in the NFL.
The run game was the Eagles’ offensive game plan throughout the 2024 season and the first three games of the playoffs. Saquon Barkley put together one of the best seasons by a running back in NFL history and was named Offensive Player of the Year for his efforts. He became the NFL’s single-season, including the postseason, rushing yards leader with 2,504 yards. Barkley passed Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis, who held the previous record since 1998.
The Chiefs had one of the best-run defenses in 2024. They came into Super Bowl LIX with a game plan to stop Barkley and make the Eagles try to win through Hurts and the passing game. They were successful in stopping Barkley on the ground. He carried the ball 25 times for 57 yards, just 2.28 yards per carry. His longest run was 10 yards.
Although the Chiefs contained Barkley in the run game, the Eagles still found ways to get the dynamic back involved. Hurts connected with him six times through the air for 40 yards. The Eagles signed Barkley before the 2024 season with one goal: winning the Super Bowl. He capped off his historic season with a ring, and his signing with the Eagles may go down as the best free agent signings in NFL history.
The Eagles feature one of the best wide receiver duos in the league. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith may not have had their best statistical seasons in 2024, with the run game being the focal point of the offense, but they made big plays when called upon.
The duo had incredible performances in the Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs during the 2022 season, and they came up big again in Super Bowl LIX against the Chiefs. Brown caught three passes for 43 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown to give the Eagles a 24-0 lead going into halftime. Hurts connected with Smith for a 46-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to give the Eagles a 34-0 lead, a dagger to the Chiefs. He caught four passes for a team-high 69 yards.
Brown and Smith weren’t the only two receivers to make an impact in the receiving game. Jahan Dotson, who the Eagles acquired from the Washington Commanders before the season, caught two passes for 42 yards. His 27-yard catch in the first quarter set up Hurts for the tush push at the one-yard line, the game’s opening touchdown. Dotson, a former first-round pick, caught only 19 passes for 216 yards in his first season as the Eagles’ No. 3 receiver. He doesn’t get many opportunities, but he made the most out of it on the biggest stage in the Super Bowl.
The Eagles had the No. 1 defense in the NFL in 2024. They were able to create many turnovers all season, and that didn’t stop in the playoffs. The Eagles forced three turnovers against the Chiefs. Mahomes threw two interceptions and lost a strip sack to Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams.
One of the most electrifying plays of Super Bowl LIX was Eagles rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean’s pick-six midway through the second quarter. The Eagles put pressure on Mahomes, who tried to find DeAndre Hopkins but found DeJean instead. DeJean returned it for 38 yards to give the Eagles a 17-0 lead. It was his first career interception and came on his 22nd birthday in the Super Bowl against one of the greatest quarterbacks.
Not many people expected Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense to get shut down. The Eagles did.
The Eagles held Mahomes and the Chiefs offense to virtually no yards in the first half. Mahomes was just 6/14 for 33 and threw two interceptions through the first 30 minutes of Super Bowl LIX. His two interceptions led to two Eagles touchdowns. Mahomes’ final numbers looked solid, thanks to three touchdown drives in the game’s final 18 minutes, but he played one of the worst games of his career.
The Eagles’ defense pressured Mahomes all game and made him uncomfortable. They sacked him six times, all by a four-man rush. It was an incredible performance by the top defense in the NFL, led by defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Eagles kicker Jake Elliott had arguably the worst season of his career, but he put his struggles behind in the biggest game of the year. He was a perfect 4-for-4 on field goal attempts, including a 50-yard field goal, and made all four extra points.
There was a possibility that the Eagles would move on from Elliott after the season because of his struggles, but his perfect Super Bowl performance may have saved his job for at least another season.
The party continues, Philly! The Eagles are Super Bowl champions and will get to bring the Lombardi Trophy down Broad Street for the second time in front of their passionate fans.
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