Chiefs fall short of three-peat on Bourbon Street: What went wrong in blowout Super Bowl loss for Andy Reid’s offense
Coming into Sunday night, the Green Bay Packers were the last team to win three consecutive championships in the NFL.
As of Monday, that record still stands as the Chiefs were blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles 40-22 in the Superdome in New Orleans.
Despite Jalen Hurts' MVP performance, and Philadelphia’s overall offensive explosion that lead to a 40-point performance, the spotlight should be placed on Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and the Chiefs’ offensive line — and what went wrong.
1. Early deficit forces Reid into pass-heavy play-calling
Eagles defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, was previously 0-8 against the Kansas City Chiefs as a coach in the NFL before Sunday night’s game. However, Fangio came into this one with more talent at all three levels (defensive line, linebackers, and secondary) than he has ever had in his coaching career. His scheme throughout this game included a heavy dose of four-man rushes and cover four zone defense.
Note: This type of zone defense calls for a more conservative approach in order to prevent “the big play.”
With that being said, Reid’s offense managed only one first down in the first half, and it came on the very first play from scrimmage — a quick 11-yard pass from Mahomes to JuJu Smith-Schuster. Following that, the Chiefs went failed to convert on six consecutive possessions, each one ending in either a punt or a turnover.
The offensive struggles and early deficit forced Reid to move away from what the Chiefs do best — mixing up the run and pass. With the Eagles in steady control early into the second quarter, Reid didn’t have many options in terms of play-calling, and Mahomes was consistently forced into tough decisions under pressure.
2. Mahomes' magic runs out
Mahomes had not thrown an interception since November.
He threw two in the first half against Philadelphia — one of which was into double coverage, and returned for a touchdown by rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean.
Both came inside Kansas City territory and directly lead to 14 points off of turnovers for Philadelphia, leading to a 24-0 lead at the first half.
What at one time seemed like a manageable hill for a player of Mahomes' caliber, quickly turned into an unclimbable mountain.
3. Makeshift offensive line crumbles
The Chiefs' offensive line had been a major concern for much of the 2024 season, but somehow they found a way to conquer the AFC.
However, an Eagles defensive line loaded with young, ascending stars like Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, and Milton Williams, caused Kansas City’s protection to fall apart
The front four for Philadelphia generated 16 pressures, six sacks and a fumble recovery on 42 drop backs.
Even more concerning, Fangio never called a single blitz.
Looking ahead, it’s back to the drawing board for Reid and the Chiefs. He and general manager Brett Veach will undoubtedly look make offensive improvements in free agency and the upcoming NFL Draft with hopes of once again raising the Lombardi trophy in 2026.