Many football fans, even those who weren’t fans of the matchup, expected a thrilling game between the dynastic Chiefs and the high-flying Eagles. Unfortunately, that expectation was quickly shattered when the Eagles took a commanding 34-0 lead and never looked back, cruising to a 40-22 victory in Super Bowl LIX. Despite the Chiefs’ ability to win close games throughout the season—even against inferior competition—their efforts fell apart against a well-rounded Eagles team.
The most obvious culprit was the offensive line, which was reminiscent of their disastrous performance in the Super Bowl against the Buccaneers. However, there was more to the story. Here’s a closer look at what went wrong for the Chiefs, preventing them from threepeating and ultimately robbing them of a chance to compete against the league’s top roster.
Offensive Line Collapses at the Worst Possible Time
For most of the season, the Chiefs’ offensive line was solid, but there was a glaring weakness at left tackle. Kansas City started the season with rookie Kingsley Suamataia at the position, followed by second-year player Wanya Morris. Both struggled, prompting the Chiefs to sign former Pro Bowler D.J. Humphries to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blindside. Unfortunately, even Humphries faltered before succumbing to injury, leading Andy Reid to shuffle the line.
All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney moved to left tackle, where he performed admirably, while Mike Caliendo stepped in as left guard. However, Caliendo struggled, and the rest of the line didn’t fare much better, except for center Creed Humphrey. While Thuney, right guard Trey Smith, and right tackle Jawaan Taylor had decent run-blocking grades, their pass-blocking was subpar. This led to Mahomes being sacked, pressured, and forced into errant throws, including a costly fumble deep in his territory.
Photo Cred: PFF
The Eagles’ defensive line was relentless, suffocating Mahomes with little opportunity to scramble or throw effectively from the pocket. While Philadelphia deserves credit for dominating the line of scrimmage without blitzing, the Chiefs must address their offensive line issues—particularly at left tackle. Retaining strong spots like Smith and Humphrey would be ideal, but Kansas City must look to the draft and free agency to improve the line’s outside protection. A repeat of their Super Bowl performance against the Buccaneers was unacceptable, especially with no one expecting it this time around.
Mahomes and the Skill Players Struggle to Find Rhythm
In addition to the offensive line issues, Patrick Mahomes and the skill players had an uncharacteristic down game. Even when Mahomes had time to throw, many of his usually pinpoint passes fell short, too low, or simply off-target. Uncharacteristic drops, particularly from tight end Travis Kelce, summed up the Chiefs’ struggles. Another critical drop came from DeAndre Hopkins, who was wide open and likely would have scored a touchdown to give the Chiefs a fighting chance before halftime. The Eagles’ secondary effectively shut down the Chiefs’ receiving corps, preventing any real separation.
Even when Mahomes bought extra time in the pocket, his passes were often forced into tight coverage, leading to two interceptions. One, a pick-six by cornerback Cooper DeJean, and another, an interception by linebacker Zach Baun, set up a quick Eagles touchdown that buried the Chiefs by 24 points. It wasn’t until garbage time that the Chiefs’ offense began to show signs of life. Mahomes turned into gunslinger Mahomes, lighting up rookie sensation Xavier Worthy for 157 yards and two touchdowns.
Photo Cred: PFF
Worthy’s performance showed the potential he has to become a star, especially alongside Rashee Rice, who is expected to return from injury. Hopkins also caught a touchdown, bringing the Chiefs within 18 points—but that was all the time they had. The Chiefs’ other receivers had a quiet day: Hollywood Brown had just two catches for 15 yards, and Kelce was limited to four catches for 39 yards.
Compounding the issue was the lack of a run game. Despite the struggles in the passing game, the Chiefs couldn’t rely on their backs to provide relief. Kareem Hunt had just three carries for nine yards, and Isiah Pacheco was limited to seven yards on the same number of carries. Mahomes, known for his scrambling ability, led the Chiefs on the ground with 25 yards. The Eagles’ defense was able to focus on the pass because there was no threat of the run game.
The Chiefs fell behind so early that there was little time to establish a ground attack, but even when they tried, Hunt and Pacheco weren’t the same players they once were before injuries, and the offensive line wasn’t able to create running lanes. While Kansas City has been effective at keeping many of their receivers and backs on cost-efficient contracts or replacing them through the draft, they could take a page out of the Eagles’ playbook. Signing an All-Pro running back or receiver could give them the big-play ability they need when it matters most.
