Eagles Deny Chiefs Super Bowl Revenge in Week Two

In just Week Two, NFL fans watched the highly anticipated Super Bowl rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. From the first snap of the game, it was obvious that the Chiefs were out for blood, and the Eagles weren’t going to let up easily. The game was certainly a storyline of two strong defenses battling it out. The game was lacking major, game-altering plays, but instead was full of small and steady moments that built on each other for the Eagles to pull away with a win. The final score of the hard-fought brawl was 20-17 in favor of the Super Bowl champs. 

The Chiefs’ defense set the tone early with disciplined aggressiveness. The front line was successful as they all helped to keep lots of pressure on Jalen Hurts, forcing him to make quick decisions. The pass rush is usually led by Chris Jones, but tonight, Omarr Norman-Lott walked away with a sack. The secondary was strong against the wideouts, either preventing catches or tackling quickly after them to slow the Eagles ’ momentum. The Chiefs’ ability to limit rushing yards and force turnovers was a major contributor, though they couldn't find enough success to stop the versatile Philly offense.

The Birds’ most notable asset is their top-ranked defense. The young defense built on momentum, and their efforts were just enough to stop Patrick Mahomes and the revenge-seeking Chiefs. In today’s game, Philadelphia’s defensive coach Vic Fangio's ability to adjust the defense based on his players and Kansas City’s offensive strategy supplied the Eagles with all the tools needed to win, though it was not an easy feat. Early in the second half, the Birds forced a timely turnover on the Chiefs’ 35, which they were able to convert to a field goal to get ahead. Many expected Jalen Carter to be the disruptive difference this game, but the pressure came from a more collective effort. The standout player for the Eagles’ defense in Week Two was Andrew Makuba.

Hurts felt the pressure from the first drive. His legs were a key factor in their Week One win but the trend did not continue this week. Instead, Hurts focused on the dependable run game from Saquon Barkley, who ended with 88 yards rushing and one touchdown. Hurts put up only 15 yards on the ground but used his legs to get multiple first downs and one touchdown. Philly’s wide receivers saw some more action this week, with AJ Brown receiving for 27 yards over five completions and DeVonta Smith receiving for 53 yards over four completions. Outside of a deep ball to Smith, Hurts' passing game was underwhelming, with 101 total passing yards.

With both Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice absent for week two, Patrick Mahomes had to get crafty against the Birds’ defense. Mahomes' scrambling ability came in clutch for the Chiefs when yards were needed, and he put up 66 rushing yards. Travis Kelce acts as Mahomes’ safety blanket, and he finished with 61 receiving yards but caught only four of his six targets. Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt was also valuable to Mahomes despite the loss, with 31 rushing yards. Mahomes’ most utilized receiver this Sunday was Marquise Brown, who caught all of his targets for 30 receiving yards. 

An energy shift seemed to occur late in the third quarter when Mahomes seemed to find a much better rhythm with his offense. However, this ended abruptly early in the fourth when Kelce missed a catch in the red zone. The ball deflected into the hands of Andrew Makuba for a touchdown-saving interception. In the following drive, Hurts sent a 28-yard pass that was completed by Smith. This was followed by the signature tush-push into the endzone, awarding the Eagles a touchdown. Despite an impressive 49-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Tyquan Thornton late in the fourth quarter, it was this drive that ultimately set the fate of the game. 

With the win, the Eagles not only stopped the Chiefs from the chance at Super Bowl redemption but also reinforced the strength of their defense and the integrity of the team. The loss leaves Kansas City in poor standing, making them 0-2 early in their campaign, which is damaging for playoff odds in the AFC. Next week, the Eagles return home to face a formidable NFC opponent, the Los Angeles Rams. If this win tells us anything, it is that the Birds will not succumb to the Super Bowl hangover but will be avid in defending their title despite the difficulty of their schedule this season.