The Chiefs are back atop the NFL world.
On Sunday, a one-legged Patrick Mahomes powered the Chiefs to yet another comeback victory in the Super Bowl, this time overcoming a 10-point deficit at halftime to defeat the Eagles 38-35 and add a second ring to his growing Hall of Fame resume.
Fans expected an offensive display, and that's exactly what they got, as the Chiefs and Eagles, the two teams that scored the most points during the regular season, combined to score the third-most points in a Super Bowl in NFL history at 73, trailing only the 49ers' win over the Chargers in Super Bowl 29 and the Eagles' victory over New England in Super Bowl 52.
In any game, there are many numbers that can paint the picture for why a game played out the way it did. Here are a few key stats from Sunday's game that help explain how the Chiefs were able to beat the Eagles at State Farm Stadium.
MORE: Mahomes leads Chiefs to Super Bowl 57 victory
Super Bowl 57, by the numbers
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Patrick Mahomes' healthy ankles
This number would be one. And in spite of that, Mahomes was playing as well as he has at any point in his career.
During the second quarter, Mahomes appeared to aggravate his high ankle sprain and appeared to be in considerable pain.
Patrick Mahomes gets up limping on his ankle after the sack.#SBLVII pic.twitter.com/KEbwCRuGe3
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 13, 2023
But after that injury, Mahomes went 13 for 14 for 93 yards and threw a pair of touchdowns. In the second half, each of the Chiefs' four drives ended in points, helping them overcome a 10-point deficit at the half.
It wasn't just his arm that was carrying the Chiefs. Mahomes was gashing the Eagles defense with his legs. On the first drive of the third quarter, Mahomes scrambled to the Eagles 4 for a pickup of 14 yards, on what proved to be a touchdown-scoring drive. On the game-winning drive, he kept the Chiefs' drive alive by rushing for 26 yards to the Eagles' 17 on a third-and-1, setting the Chiefs up to head into the two-minute warning with possession and a chance to keep the clock ticking down.
— NFL (@NFL) February 13, 2023Fighting for every inch. @PatrickMahomes
📺: #SBLVII on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/d8gBDzRt2m pic.twitter.com/NOgZ9jH3JI
Next Gen Stats tracked his run as bumping up Kansas City's win probability from 69.1 percent to 81.2 percent.
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) February 13, 2023Patrick Mahomes scrambled 26 yards for a first down, increasing the Chiefs win probability from 69.1% to 81.2% (+12.1%).
Mahomes has picked up 24 first downs on scramble runs in the postseason since 2018, more than double any other QB.#SBLVII | #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/UK8xNIjB5j
MORE: Super Bowl 2023 winners & losers-- Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid solidify Chiefs dynasty; Eagles flop in second half
(Getty Images)
Jalen Hurts rushing success
Mahomes might have come out of Super Bowl 57 the winner, but no one can deny the effort put in by Hurts. As he has for much of the season, the Eagles quarterback willed his squad to first downs and touchdowns throughout the game, fighting through piles on countless QB sneaks, evading pressure to either use his legs or find an open guy down field, or showing off the arm strength with a few deep shots.
It was his legs that particularly carried the night for Hurts.He tied Terrell Davis with three rushing touchdowns for the most by a player in the Super Bowl, setting the record for the most by a quarterback. He also rushed 15 times for 70 yards, with both numbers also setting new Super Bowl records.
Hurts led his team in rushing on a night where one of the league's best rushing offenses struggled, with the rest of the team combining for 45 yards on 17 carries (2.6 yards per carry). Only Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (15 rushes for 76 yards) had more yards on the ground than Hurts.
MORE: Did the Fox broadcast jinx the Eagles?
That isn't to take anything away from his arm, which was also fantastic. He completed 27 of 38 passes for 304 yards with a touchdown. He joined Colin Kaepernick and Joe Montana as the only quarterbacks in Super Bowl history with at least 50 rushing yards and 300 passing yards in a game, according to Stathead.
Hurts did all he could to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Philadelphia. On Sunday, it just wasn't enough.
Chiefs rookies' historic nights
Speaking of Pacheco, he and rookie Skyy Moore shared in a bit of history together. Pacheco scored a rushing touchdown in the third quarter, while Moore caught a four-yard, go-ahead touchdown from Mahomes in the fourth, his lone catch of the day.
While Moore's performance wasn't exactly an earth-shattering performance, it did mark only the second time a pair of rookies scored touchdowns for the same team in the Super Bowl, joining the 1985 Bears' William Perry and Reggie Phillips, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 13, 2023Rookies Isiah Pacheco and Skyy Moore each have a TD tonight.
The Chiefs are the 2nd team to have 2 different rookies score a TD in the Super Bowl, joining the 1985 Bears (William Perry & Reggie Phillips). pic.twitter.com/BAc3ynywqD
Pacheco and Moore each scoring on Sunday also highlighted, in part, just how the Chiefs moved past the loss of Tyreek Hill. Pacheco emerged as a legitimate weapon for Kansas City down the stretch of the season and gave the team a dangerous rushing attack to add to its already potent passing game. And on Sunday, he was a major reason why the Chiefs out-rushed the Eagles 158 yards to 115.
MORE: Explaining controversial penalty that helped Chiefs late
Moore finished eighth on the team in receiving yards at 250, and didn't catch a touchdown in his rookie year until that fourth quarter play against the Eagles. But as the Chiefs moved forward without a true star like Hill at wide receiver, the rest of the team got involved during the season as they became just the 20th team in NFL history to have at least eight different players record at least 250 receiving yards in a season, per Stathead.
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Travis Kelce's continued heroics
The Chiefs might not have had a star at wide receiver, but they have long had one at tight end. And he was at it again in the Super Bowl.
Kelce caught six passes for 81 yards and a touchdown, making the catch on the first Chiefs drive of the game. The touchdown reception moved him past Rob Gronkowski with his 16th playoff receiving touchdown, trailing now only Jerry Rice's 22.
— NFL (@NFL) February 13, 2023Mahomes to Kelce but make it Super.
📺: #SBLVII on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/d8gBDzRt2m pic.twitter.com/2O8sClXZIM
There aren't a lot of teams that have found ways to cover Kelce, and the Eagles struggled with that as well on Sunday. Kelce found himself facing man coverage several times throughout the game, with Next Gen Stats tracking him as having caught four of six passes against man for 39 yards, including his touchdown.
MORE: Travis Kelce claims no one thought Chiefs could beat Eagles
The score he had in the first quarter came when he found himself covered by safety Marcus Epps in single man, and he took advantage with the grab. According to Next Gen Stats, he had 13 touchdowns against man coverage in 2022, tied for the most in a single year since 2018.
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) February 13, 2023Travis Kelce motions into the slot, creating a matchup with Marcus Epps, who he beats for an 18-yard TD.
Kelce has scored 13 TD vs man coverage this season including the playoffs, tied for the most in a season since 2018.#SBLVII | #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/Ufco*k306XB
MORE:Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes overcomes ankle injury, logs pristine second half in Super Bowl 57 win
Eagles' pass-rush woes
Not since the 1985 Bears had a team sacked the opposition more than the Eagles in 2022. From the start of the regular season to the NFC championship game, Philadelphia had brought down the opposing QB 78 times, third-most in NFL history behind the 1984 Bears' 82 and the 1985 Bears' 80. Facing a hobbled Mahomes, getting pressure would be imperative.
But that wasn't the case. The ballyhooed pass-rush of the Eagles failed to sack Mahomes once during the game, and rarely put pressure on the Chiefs star quarterback.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the Eagles pressured Mahomes on only 25.9 percent of his dropbacks, the first time they had not exceeded 34 percent since Week 12.
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) February 13, 2023The Chiefs linebackers were active today, with Willie Gay, Nick Bolton, and Leo Chenal each recording 5 defensive stops.
Their 15 total defensive stops is tied for the 4th-most by a Chiefs LB unit in a game since 2016.#SBLVII | #ChiefsKingdom
MORE: Everything to know about Chiefs' Super Bowl parade
Time of possession battle
All season, the Eagles have won by draining the time of possession, scoring on long drives and preventing opponents from having too many chances to score. That was still the case on Sunday, as the Eagles dominated the time of possession. The problem? The Chiefs didn't need that extra time of possession.
Philadelphia finished the game having held onto the ball for 35:47. In the history of the Super Bowl, only the Titans in Super Bowl 34 had more time of possession in a losing effort to the Rams at 36:26. The Eagles now also become only the 14th team in the 57 editions of the Super Bowl to win the possession battle and lose the game.
Sunday proved to be a question of what each team did with their time. In the first half, the Chiefs had the ball for just 8:06 compared to a whopping 21:54 by the Eagles. But in the second half, the Chiefs won the time of possession battle at 16:07 to 13:53 by the Eagles. Kansas City ended all four second-half drives with points, while the Eagles had just two drives end in scores.
Certainly, the Super Bowl 57 matchup between the Chiefs and Eagles was a thrilling game that showcased remarkable performances and pivotal statistics. Here's an overview of the concepts and players involved:
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Patrick Mahomes' Performance: Despite a high ankle sprain, Mahomes demonstrated remarkable resilience and skill throughout the game. He showcased his passing prowess, completing 13 of 14 passes for 93 yards after his injury. Moreover, his mobility played a crucial role, especially during key drives in the second half, exemplified by a 26-yard scramble that significantly increased the Chiefs' win probability. His ability to perform under physical duress and contribute both through passing and rushing was crucial to the Chiefs' victory.
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Jalen Hurts' Contributions: Although on the losing side, Hurts' performance was exceptional. He showcased his versatility by setting records for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a Super Bowl and also led his team in rushing yards. His passing game was solid as well, joining a select group of quarterbacks in Super Bowl history with at least 50 rushing yards and 300 passing yards in a game. Despite his efforts, the Eagles fell short in the end.
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Chiefs Rookies' Impact: Isiah Pacheco and Skyy Moore, both rookies, made significant contributions to the Chiefs' victory. Pacheco's rushing touchdown and Moore's crucial catch for a touchdown marked a historic moment as only the second time rookies from the same team scored touchdowns in a Super Bowl. Their performances highlighted the team's depth and ability to compensate for the absence of key players.
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Travis Kelce's Dominance: Kelce, a star tight end for the Chiefs, continued his playoff heroics with a strong performance in the Super Bowl. He caught a touchdown pass, adding to his playoff receiving touchdown tally, and showcased his ability to exploit man coverage effectively, which was crucial in the Chiefs' offensive strategy.
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Eagles' Pass-Rush Struggles: Despite a strong pass-rush reputation during the season, the Eagles failed to sack Mahomes throughout the game. This inability to pressure the opposing quarterback, especially one dealing with an injury, proved detrimental to their defensive strategy.
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Time of Possession Battle: The Eagles dominated time of possession, similar to their regular-season strategy, but the Chiefs made more of their opportunities in the second half. The Chiefs' ability to convert possessions into points during the latter half of the game played a decisive role in securing their victory, despite having less time of possession overall.
These elements contributed significantly to the outcome of Super Bowl 57, showcasing individual performances, team strategies, and critical statistics that defined the Chiefs' triumph over the Eagles in a high-scoring and thrilling contest.
