The Chiefs overcame two huge mistakes to win the Super Bowl
The Kansas City Chiefs are basking in the glory of their third Super Bowl title in franchise history, the second in the last four seasons. It took a game-winning drive engineered by quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the final seconds to get it done. However, it was what they overcame in the first half that makes […]
The Kansas City Chiefs are basking in the glory of their third Super Bowl title in franchise history, the second in the last four seasons.
It took a game-winning drive engineered by quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the final seconds to get it done. However, it was what they overcame in the first half that makes their victory over the Philadelphia Eagles even sweeter.
With about two and a half minutes left in the first quarter, the Chiefs and Eagles were tied 7-7. Philadelphia had four yards to go on a third down at their 38, and Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark was called for offsides, extending the drive. The Eagles scored on a 45-yard pass from Jalen Hurts to A.J Brown three plays later, shifting the momentum back the Philadelphia.
Just before halftime, the Chiefs committed another egregious penalty. On a fourth and two at the eight-yard line, Chiefs' defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi was flagged for a neutral zone infraction and Hurts scored a rushing touchdown on the next play.
These were backbreaking penalties for the Chiefs and aided the Eagles in establishing a 24-14 lead at halftime. But the Chiefs didn't fold, thanks to an epic second-half showing.
On the defensive side of the ball, before the Eagles scored with just over five minutes left in the game, the Chiefs only surrendered three points which came on a 17-play drive by Philadelphia, setting a Super Bowl record.
Kansas City's offense caught fire as well.
The Chiefs generated 24 points in the second half, but it was the way they did that was so impressive. Kansas City didn't commit a single penalty on either side of the ball, had no turnovers, didn't punt the football or allow a sack, and Mahomes only had one incompletion.
Needless to say, that's pretty much a flawless half of football by the Chiefs.
The two huge defensive penalties in the first half by the Chiefs pretty much handed the Eagles 14 points, which is something most teams don't recover from in the NFL. So, the resilience the Chiefs showed offensively and defensively, especially on the biggest stage in football, can't be talked about enough, because things could have easily gone completely wrong for them.
Feature image via Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
