As if BVB were giving FC Bayern a slap in the face
The Kansas City Chiefs stumble in the game of the year in the NFL: The champions lose the rematch of the Super Bowl after a dramatic ending against the Philadelphia Eagles. While both defenses excel, the Chiefs fumble their way to defeat seconds before the end.
What was at stake?
It's the game of the year in the NFL regular season. The Kansas City Chiefs host the Philadelphia Eagles for the rematch of Super Bowl LVII, where quarterback Patrick Mahomes (No. 1 in last season's MVP race) dramatically defeated Jalen Hurts (No. 2) 38-35. For the first time in NFL history, there will be a Super Bowl rematch in the season following the final game, with both teams entering with the best record in their conference.
The Eagles go into the game with eight wins and one loss, while the Chiefs have a 7-2 record. Overall, it is only the ninth Super Bowl rematch to be played in the following season. The Super Bowl winner won six out of eight games, but this time things turned out differently and Philadelphia managed to get revenge. Due to many bitter mistakes and a strong Eagles defense, the Chiefs end up losing dramatically 17-21. For the second year in a row, the Eagles move to 9-1.
Chiefs versus Eagles is like Bayern Munich versus Borussia Dortmund. Mahomes' team is currently in the process of building a real dynasty: This one, of course, doesn't come close to FC Bayern's in the Bundesliga in the balanced NFL, but Kansas City is the team to beat again this year. The team you have to beat if you want to climb the football table.
BVB have been desperately trying to knock Munich off the top spot for years, only to fail time and time again and get a beating in the head-to-head duels. The Black & Yellows have not been able to beat Bayern since 2019 (Super Cup) (ten defeats, one draw). That is reminiscent of the Eagles, who have not won against the Chiefs since 2009 (albeit only four duels since then). Until today. With their statement win, Jalen Hurts' team showed that they are once again the first challengers to the champions this year.
While Bayern, with star striker Harry Kane and Co., have the best attack in the league and swept BVB off the pitch 4-0 earlier this month, the Eagles managed to avenge their narrow Super Bowl defeat. But it's also because the Chiefs' offense, which has yet to find a clear-cut number-one receiver, isn't as explosive compared to previous years. In fact, it's the worst in the Mahomes era since 2018. The champions' offense is scoring less than 23 points per game this year, faltering badly against Philadelphia time and time again - and putting zero points on the scoreboard in the second half for the third straight game.
How do the Chiefs let victory slip from their grasp?
Into the incredibly loud Arrowhead Stadium instead of the Allianz Arena. Drizzle, 7 degrees Celsius, windy: It smells like a game for the defense and a lot of running. And that's how it turned out.
Before the game, the focus may be on the Eagles' defensive line against the Chiefs' offensive line, as Philadelphia's D-line became the first since the 2013-14 Bills to record 100 sacks in 26 games. And on Mahomes' first possession of the game, the Eagles also managed their first sack, one more than in the Super Bowl in February. But the Chiefs' D-line dominated until shortly before the end. Added to this are incredibly explosive runs from running back Isiah Pacheco.
Five and a half minutes before the end of the first quarter, a little Mahomes magic leads to the first lead. Under pressure, the quarterback dances past several defensive players. He sprints a few yards forward, leaps into the air - and throws a perfect touchdown pass to Justin Watson on the hop, who is completely forgotten by the Eagles in the end zone because two defenders are concentrating on Travis Kelce. Ten plays, 80 yards, not bad for a sputtering Chiefs offensive machine.
But the Eagles promptly respond with the motto: What you can do, we can do. Nine plays, 75 yards and then running back D'Andre Swift scores a touchdown with two strong runs. The score was 7:7 shortly before the end of the first quarter.
After interceptions on both sides, Pacheco in particular celebrates a terrific night and picks apart the best run defense in the NFL time and time again. The Eagles only allow an average of 66 running yards per game. Pacheco accomplishes this in the first half. Alone. With twelve runs. Wow. In the first 30 minutes, the Chiefs run for a total of 121 yards. Then Mahomes finds his congenial partner Travis Kelce, who runs his way to his fifth touchdown of the season. No other duo has scored more touchdowns (41) and yards since 2019. Mahomes then leads his team to another field goal attempt. Harrison Butker makes no mistake from 43 yards to make it 17-7 at half-time.
After the break, however, Philadelphia's Hurts, whose running game has always been excellent, shows what he is made of: the 25-year-old scores a rushing touchdown to tie the game. The score is 14:17, meaning that the quarterback has already scored more rushing touchdowns in the middle of the season in his first four seasons than any other playmaker in NFL history. He takes the record from Cam Newton.
Can the NFL's BVB really still upset the Bavarians of American football? It looks like it. Also because the Chiefs let the game slip out of their hands with their own mistakes. First, superstar Kelce allowed himself a bad fumble shortly before the end zone at the start of the fourth quarter, then Watson also dropped a pass for a first down. Hurts then pulled off the all-important big play: DeVonta Smith caught his mega 41-yard pass centimetres from the end zone. Hurts then scores the touchdown himself with the unstoppable"tush push". Six minutes before the end, Philadelphia suddenly leads 21:17.
And then the Chiefs again failed to score any points in the second half. The Eagles' defense excels, but Kansas City loses the game due to many of its own mistakes and penalties. Very bitter seconds before the final whistle: Mahomes attempts the very long throw, but wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling lets the ball slip out of his hands a few meters before the certain touchdown. Then the victory is gone, the Chiefs have to accept a bitter defeat and take a good look at themselves.
Scene of the game?
The 41-yard rush by Jalen Hurts. With two great plays in a row, the quarterback and his pass receiver DeVonta Smith turned the game on its head. First, a 13-yard pass along the sideline on third down secures an important first down. And then Hurts lets his mega pass fly with six minutes to go. Smith makes a terrific catch on the drop to get the Eagles to the 1-yard line. Philadelphia suddenly snatches the momentum and the first lead of the game. That's enough for the win.
Player of the game?
The defenses on both sides. Actually, it's the Chiefs' D-line that deserves the credit first. First and foremost, the extremely aggressive defensive tackle Chris Jones, to whom the Eagles never found an answer in the first half. Especially against the strong Eagles offense, his two sacks in three plays are very impressive. Cornerback Trent McDuffie is also all over the place. Jalen Hurts is sacked five times in the first 30 minutes - the most in a first half in his career and the most this season.
But then the Eagles and their stout defense come out after the break and end up shining the most. After allowing 38 points against Mahomes and Co. in the Super Bowl, this time they don't give up a single point in the second half. Two forced turnovers in the Eagles' redzone help Hurts immensely in his comeback for revenge. But mention must also be made of the quarterback, who kept his cool until the end despite the Chiefs' aggressive defense. He has now won seven games in a row when trailing by ten points or more. More than any other playmaker in the NFL since the statistic was first recorded in 1991.
Despite their strong defense and impressive runs from Pacheco, the Chiefs falter in the second half against the Eagles, just as Borussia Dortmund have struggled to beat Bayern Munich in recent years. Similarly, the Eagles manage to down the Chiefs 17-21, much like how FC Bayern Munich defeated Borussia Dortmund 4-0 earlier this month. The American Football Super Bowl rematch serves as an unexpected parallel to the Bundesliga rivalry between these two German clubs.
Source: www.ntv.de
