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Arrowheadlines: How the Eagles erased Patrick Mahomes from the Super Bowl

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Super Bowl LIX: Kansas City Chiefs v Philadelphia Eagles
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Chiefs headlines for Friday, February 14

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How the Eagles Erased Patrick Mahomes From Super Bowl LIX | The Ringer

This game wasn’t just a crowning achievement for Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and his system; it was arguably the best defensive performance in a Super Bowl in the modern era. Before garbage time, Philadelphia held the Chiefs to a 25 percent success rate, the second worst in a Super Bowl since 2000 (when an all-time-great Ravens defense destroyed the Giants). The six sacks Mahomes took were a career high (regular season or playoffs) and one away from the Super Bowl record of seven.

Fangio’s defense won this game at every level and in every one-on-one matchup. Up front, the Chiefs couldn’t block a single member of Philadelphia’s pass rushing rotation—surrendering a quarterback hit to seven different defenders and allowing a 41 percent pressure rate without the Eagles even blitzing. The Chiefs couldn’t move enough bodies on the interior of the offensive line to find yardage in the run game either, nor did they make much of an effort to do so. Outside of Mahomes’s scrambles, the Chiefs attempted only seven rushes for 24 yards.

Because the Eagles dominated the game this thoroughly in the trenches, they allowed the secondary to do what it’s been better at than any other team this season—taking away easy passes for the opposing quarterback. Mahomes’s first read in the progression never felt open throughout the course of the game, and his 2.99-second average time to throw was the 20th longest in his pro career. Slot defender Cooper DeJean and linebacker Zack Baun each had an interception (DeJean’s was a pick-six), and those two were all over Kansas City’s receivers in the middle of the field.

Pennsylvania sports books lose $6.5 million on Super Bowl betting | NBC Sports

Nevada sports books won a record $22.1 million on Super Bowl LIX. Pennsylvania sports books did not.

Via David Purdum of ESPN.com, Pennsylvania sports books suffered a net loss of $6.5 million on Super Bowl LIX. With a record $101.5 million bet on the game — a 20.4 percent bump over the prior high from two years earlier — a high percentage were placed on the Eagles.

For ESPN Bet’s Pennsylvania operation, 73 percent of the bets and 79 percent of the handle landed on the Eagles.

If running back Saquon Barkley had scored a touchdown in the game, it would have been worse. He was one of the top picks in the anytime-touchdown market.

Myles Garrett trade fits: Which teams make sense for star? | ESPN

WR Tyreek Hill, 2022

What the Chiefs got in return from the Dolphins: 2022 first-, second- and fourth-round picks, 2023 fourth- and sixth-round picks

Hill only gets here on a technicality, as the first of his All-Pro nods came as a special-teamer during his rookie season. With that in mind, he’s not too far off from the logic we’re considering with Garrett: This is a player who was perennially expected to land as one of the league’s best players at a critical, highly valued position. Hill wasn’t quite as accomplished as Garrett, but he was also two years younger at the time of his deal to the Dolphins.

Like Garrett, Hill wanted a new contract as part of his trade. And while the Dolphins grossly inflated the back end of the deal, he landed a contract that reset the market at wide receiver alongside Davante Adams. Even with Hill coming off a 1,239-yard season, the Chiefs were only able to land the No. 29 pick as the focal point of their package. The Jets, who were the runner-up in the Hill sweepstakes, were reportedly going to send two picks toward the top of the second round and a pick swap in which they would move down 34 spots the third round to acquire him.

This ended up being something close to a success for both teams. Hill pieced together back-to-back 1,700-plus-yard seasons during his first two years in Miami, although his numbers fell off precipitously in Year 3 before he refused to play in the second half of the Dolphins’ final game of the season. The Chiefs used the No. 29 pick to trade up for cornerback Trent McDuffie, who has been a critical player since joining their defensive backfield. They have been to the Super Bowl in all three seasons without Hill, winning two titles.

The biggest roster decision for every NFL team entering 2025 | PFF

Kansas City Chiefs: Fixing the state of the offensive line

Kansas City’s ragtag offensive line didn’t seem to be that glaring of a problem throughout the team’s run to a third straight Super Bowl, but the Eagles indicated otherwise during Super Bowl 59. Now, the Chiefs have the opportunity to shore up the unit for good, which might not be an easy task.

The biggest question mark will probably be at right guard, as Trey Smith will be a free agent. Few have done a better job retaining talent than general manager Brett Veach, but the Chiefs wield around only $11 million in cap space and might not be able to effectively counter massive offers from teams like the Patriots or Bears. The other qualms are at tackle, where Jawaan Taylor (60.1 PFF overall grade) isn’t a star and the left tackle spot is still wide open.

Ultimately, the Chiefs could have two holes to fill along their offensive line but not much by way of cap space to address that. Going offensive line in the first round seems plausible, while signing underrated free agents like James Daniels, Patrick Mekari or Dan Moore Jr. might also work.

2025 NFL Free Agency: Predicting This Year’s Mega-Contracts | The 33rd Team

Trey Smith, OG, Kansas City Chiefs

Projected Contract: 4 years, $84 million ($21M/year)

The top offensive lineman in free agency is none other than Trey Smith, who fell to the sixth round in the 2021 NFL Draft due to some injury concerns. Since being drafted, he has missed just one start in four years and played a total of 79 games, including 13 playoff starts.

He made the Pro Bowl for the first time during the 2024 season and is just 25, which means his best football could still be ahead of him. Considering all of his experience, play, and age, it’s likely that Smith could end up being one of the highest-paid interior offensive linemen in the league after free agency.

Smith should have plenty of suitors, as teams with young quarterbacks will be willing to overpay to solidify the middle of their offensive line. Expect him to have a robust market early in free agency.

Potential Suitors: Bears, Seahawks, Patriots

5 free agents Chiefs should target in the 2025 offseason | Chiefs Wire

DT Tershawn Wharton

Sep 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (98) celebrates after a victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton is slated to be a free agent this season and is one of the many players the Chiefs should consider bringing back. Wharton doesn’t have the defensive prowess or powerful moves of his sidekick Chris Jones, but the veteran was able to fluster opposing quarterbacks when Jones wasn’t.

Wharton had easily his best season this year and even had more sacks than Jones. At only 26, the former Missouri S&T Miner still has his best years ahead of him. Wharton made just $2.4 million this year and will be a cheap re-signing for general manager Brett Veach.

Around the NFL

Eagles’ A.J. Brown keeps promise, visits boy who was injured protecting sister during Philadelphia plane crash | CBS Sports

The little boy, Andre Howard, was struck in the head by a piece of metal, and required emergency brain surgery, per 6abc in Philadelphia. Howard’s father was told there was a “strong chance” his son may not survive, but thankfully, he did. When Howard was able to speak following surgery, not only did he ask if he saved his sister, but he was also worried about his favorite football team.

“He asked me, ‘Daddy, what’s today?’ I was like, ‘Monday.’ ‘OK, wait. We didn’t play yesterday did we?’ ‘No, you didn’t miss the Super Bowl,’” Howard’s father told ABC News.

When Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown saw this story on social media, he made a post calling Howard a “hero,” and said he was going to pay him a visit after the Super Bowl.

“I’m going to come see you when I get back. Hopefully with some hardware,” Brown posted. “Playing for you on Sunday my man.”

Brown kept his word, as he visited Howard and his family with the Lombardi Trophy following the Eagles’ 40-22 victory over the Chiefs.

Jets announce split with Aaron Rodgers, wish him success | ESPN

Nearly two years after welcoming him with a large-scale news conference, the Jets said goodbye to Rodgers on Thursday with a news release that included statements of gratitude from team officials.

The Jets didn’t give a reason for the decision, saying only they met last week with Rodgers and “shared that our intention was to move in a different direction at quarterback,” coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey said in a joint statement.

“It was important to have this discussion now to provide clarity and enable each of us the proper time to plan for our respective futures,” they said. “We want to thank him for the leadership, passion, and dedication he brought to the organization and wish him success moving forward.”

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

What the Chiefs need at wide receiver this offseason

What this means for the Chiefs’ wide receiver room

Now, every team doesn’t have the zone defenders the Eagles do, but this is a game plan teams will be able to replicate. The Chiefs will need counters.

The Chiefs must find a wide receiver who can win one-on-one in these spots. Mahomes has to be able to trust that receiver to separate and beat what is ostensibly man coverage. If he sees this coverage, he needs to be able to spam targets to this player to get the defense out of the call.

The hope was DeAndre Hopkins could be this player, but his lack of separation and speed made it hard for him to win there. In previous years, Kelce was elite at this isolated spot, but for two years, when he’s aligned backside doesn’t get targeted nor win one-on-one. This isn’t Xavier Worthy or Hollywood Brown’s best traits. The best guy on the roster for this was JuJu Smith-Schuster, and that was a massive problem.

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