Super Bowl LIX Rematch: Can the Eagles Ground Mahomes and the Chiefs?

The echoes of Super Bowl LVII still reverberated as the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs clashed once more in Super Bowl LIX. This time, however, the script was flipped. Instead of a nail-biting finish, the Eagles soared to a dominant 40-22 victory, leaving Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs searching for answers. The question now isn’t just about avenging a loss, but about whether the Eagles have discovered the blueprint to consistently contain the Mahomes-led Chiefs.

The Eagles’ Defensive Masterclass

The Eagles’ victory in Super Bowl LIX wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio crafted a game plan that flustered Mahomes like never before. The strategy was simple in theory, yet devastating in execution: generate pressure with the front four and blanket the receivers in coverage.

Relentless Pressure: The Eagles’ defensive line, spearheaded by Jalen Carter and Josh Sweat, was a force to be reckoned with. Mahomes was sacked six times, a career-high, and pressured on nearly 43% of his dropbacks. What made this performance even more remarkable was that Fangio didn’t blitz once. This allowed the Eagles to keep extra defenders in coverage, eliminating easy passing lanes for Mahomes.
Zonal Coverage Success: Rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean highlighted the effectiveness of the Eagles’ well-rehearsed defensive strategy. Dominating forces like Carter and Sweat allowed the secondary to play zone coverage and match routes. This made things easier on the back end, especially when the defensive line generated pressure without blitzing the quarterback.
The “No-Blitz” Philosophy: The decision to forgo blitzing was a calculated risk that paid off handsomely. By trusting their defensive line to win their matchups, the Eagles forced Mahomes to hold onto the ball, leading to sacks, errant throws, and two crucial interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by DeJean.

Cracks in the Chiefs’ Kingdom?

While the Eagles’ defense deserves immense credit, the Chiefs’ performance in Super Bowl LIX exposed some vulnerabilities that need addressing this offseason.

Offensive Line Woes: The offensive line struggled mightily against the Eagles’ pass rush. According to CBS Sports, the offensive line proved to be Kansas City’s fatal flaw in the Super Bowl, and the offensive tackle positions have particularly been a thorn in their side. With Kingsley Suamataia, Wayna Morris, nor D.J. Humphries able to hold up at left tackle, K.C. needed to kick left guard Joe Thuney out to blindside tackle, which further stressed the O-line as a whole. Addressing the offensive line will be paramount to protecting Mahomes and opening up the running game.
Mahomes Under Duress: Mahomes, accustomed to making plays under pressure, looked uncharacteristically rattled. According to kckingdom.com, Mahomes was under constant pressure from the Eagles’ defensive line as he was sacked six times. The superstar quarterback tossed three touchdowns and two interceptions in the shocking Super Bowl loss. One of those interceptions was returned for a touchdown by Eagles rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean. It wasn’t one of Mahomes’ best performances, as the Eagles’ defense made sure he did not have time in the pocket to find his receivers.
Receiving Corps Inconsistency: The Chiefs’ receiving corps, while talented, lacked a consistent playmaker outside of Travis Kelce. According to kckingdom.com, Hopkins and the rest of the wide receivers struggled to help out their star quarterback, who was running for his life from the Eagles’ defensive line. The veteran wide receiver had two receptions (five targets) for 18 yards and a touchdown. Hopkins’ touchdown happened late in the fourth quarter as the Chiefs were down 40-6. The veteran wide receiver also had a key drop late in the second quarter on third down, which could’ve given the Chiefs great field position to score before the half was over.

Offseason Moves and Future Outlook

Both the Eagles and the Chiefs face crucial offseason decisions that will shape their fortunes in the coming years.

Eagles’ Priorities: For the Eagles, the focus will be on retaining key free agents, particularly on the defensive line. According to nbcsportsphiladelphia.com, two of the Eagles best players from the Super Bowl LIX win — Sweat and Williams — are set to become free agents in March. They didn’t get easier to sign after this game.
Chiefs’ Rebuild: The Chiefs, on the other hand, need to address their offensive line and find more reliable receiving targets for Mahomes. According to clutchpoints.com, the Chiefs must address the offensive line this offseason. The Chiefs feel like they are in a similar spot after this Super Bowl as they were after their 31-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl 55. Kansas City was blown out in both of its losses on the biggest stage, and the offensive line was the primary weakness in both games.
Salary Cap Boost: The Chiefs received good news with the NFL salary cap increasing more than expected. According to kckingdom.com, the NFL informed teams today that the 2025 salary cap will be roughly $277.5M-$281.5M, per @DanGrazianoESPN. That’s an increase of $22.1M-$26.1M from last year — and beats what most executives were anticipating. This will give them more flexibility to address their needs in free agency.

The Road Ahead

The Super Bowl LIX rematch was a resounding victory for the Eagles, but it doesn’t signal the end of the Chiefs’ reign. Mahomes is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and Andy Reid is a coaching mastermind. However, the Eagles have shown that with a dominant defensive line and a smart game plan, even the mighty Chiefs can be grounded. As both teams head into the offseason, the chess match continues, with each side looking for ways to gain an edge in what promises to be a captivating rivalry for years to come.