Super Bowl 57 was one of the most highly anticipated matchups in recent history. The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles had been two of the best teams in the NFL throughout the season and were set to face off for the Lombardi Trophy.
It was a game that lived up to the hype as a back-and-forth contest ensued. Both teams played at a high level offensively as they combined to score 73 points in what ended up being a 38-35 Chiefs victory.
The teams alternated touchdowns on their first drives of the game. The largest deficit in the game was 10 points, which the Eagles achieved when Jake Elliott kicked a 35-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. That lead wouldn’t last for long as the Chiefs scored touchdowns on their first three drives of the fourth quarter.
Their third touchdown gave them a 35-27 lead, which the Eagles erased on their next drive. Jalen Hurts drove them down the field on a 75-yard touchdown drive and then converted a two-point conversion to tie the game.
Kansas City would put the game away on their final drive, getting Harrison Butker into position for a chip-shot, game-winning 27-yard field goal to win Super Bowl 57. It was a drive that will leave people talking for a long time as many believe the referees got unnecessarily involved late in the game.
Referees are only one of many topics people will discuss from the game, which was an instant classic. What else will be discussed? Here are five takeaways from Super Bowl 57 between the Chiefs and Eagles.
5. Will NFL Outlaw Eagles’ Dominant Formation
It wasn’t too long ago that there were some rules in place that didn’t allow players on offense to push a teammate forward from behind to gain yardage. The rule seems to have been relaxed or removed from the rulebook, as the Eagles took full advantage of it against the Chiefs.
Whenever Philadelphia was in a short-yardage spot, they would line up in something resembling the formation teams use to kneel the ball at the end of games. Two players line up behind Jalen Hurts and at the snap, they push him forward over the first down line.
It is something that the league could look into amending this offseason as they always assess changes that they can make. If not, it is likely a tactic we will see other teams adopt and start using to their own benefit.
4. No Answer For Kelce, Smith-Schuster
The Chiefs’ passing game was not as explosive as we have become accustomed to seeing them. But they didn’t need to be as Kansas City was able to consistently pick up chunk yardage over the middle of the field with Travis Kelce.
Whether he is being double or triple-teamed, Kelce always seems to find an opening in the middle of the field for big plays. He provided Mahomes with a safety net and he came up big in Super Bowl 57, catching all six of his targets for 81 yards and a touchdown.
The Eagles also struggled to contain JuJu Smith-Schuster on the Chiefs’ go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter. After catching one pass for five yards in the first half, he came alive. On that drive alone Smith-Schuster caught four passes for 38 yards. On the game-winning drive, he caught another 10-yard pass and was targeted on the play James Bradberry was called for defensive holding.
Philadelphia had no answer for those two working the middle of the field, exposing their weakness for coverage linebackers. That is an area the Eagles will have to address this off-season.
3. Jalen Hurts Is The Real Deal
Anyone who still doubted if Jalen Hurts was the franchise quarterback of the Eagles got their answer during Super Bowl 57. Hurts put the team on his back and did everything that he could to get them a victory.
His fumble which led to a 36-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Nick Bolton was his only blemish of the night. Hurts ended up putting together one of the single best performances in Super Bowl history.
He completed 27-of-38 pass attempts for 304 yards and one touchdown. The Chiefs could not contain him on the ground as he rushed for 70 yards on 15 attempts, adding three touchdowns on the ground. That tied Terrell Davis for the most rushing touchdowns in a Super Bowl.
Hurts showed that even on the brightest stage, he is more than capable of producing at a high level. The Eagles’ offense is in good hands with him at the helm.
2. Does the NFL Have A Refereeing Problem?
Super Bowl 57 was an excellent game from start to finish. Both teams played at a high level and performed to the best of their abilities. However, all many people are going to focus on is the holding call against James Bradberry on the Chiefs’ final offensive drive of the game. It was a call that Bradberry himself agreed with, but it will still be debated for a long time.
Given the timing and magnitude of the play, there are a lot of people who would have preferred the referee not to throw his flag. Mahomes looked to be throwing the ball away, which is another thing people point to. But, where he threw the ball was irrelevant as it was called holding prior to the pass.
That is just the latest in a long line of penalties that have left teams and their fans scratching their heads. While the league says this is the best refereeing they have had, that is certainly up for debate. Super Bowl 57 essentially being decided on a penalty isn’t how anyone wanted to see such a great game end.
1. Patrick Mahomes Is In A Class Of His Own
If Patrick Mahomes decided to retire today, he would be a surefire, first-ballot Hall of Famer. He has separated himself and joined a class of his own when it comes to being compared to his peers currently playing the quarterback position in the NFL.
He is a two-time MVP, Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP. He has made the Pro Bowl all five seasons that he has been a starter and made the All-Pro team twice. Kansas City has won at least 11 games every season he has started as they are the new pallbearers in the NFL with their consistency and high level of play.
Mahomes didn’t stuff the stat sheet to the extent we have seen, completing 21-of-27 passes for only 182 yards and three touchdowns. But he made the plays when the team needed him most, adding six rushes for 44 yards. Add on top of that the ankle injury that he has been battling through and this was truly another storybook finish and cherry on top of the 2022 season for Mahomes and the Chiefs with a win in Super Bowl 57.
