The Kansas City Chiefs have solidified a spot alongside the best teams of all time.
In Super Bowl LVII from Las Vegas, the Chiefs defended the crown, successful an exciting extra time battle with the San Francisco 49ers, 25-22, to clinch back-to-back championships.
Here are three takeaways from the Chiefs’ historic victory.
Mahomes was Mahomes when it mattered most
Patrick Mahomes wasn’t excellent, and for elements of the sport, he appeared sluggish and not sure, almost committing a number of expensive turnovers within the course of. However, when it got here all the way down to the nitty-gritty, he made key throws and transformed huge fourth downs, proving for the thousandth time why he is an all-time nice.
Incredibly, Mahomes orchestrated a double-digit comeback for the third time within the Super Bowl. First, he eradicated a 10-point first-half deficit, main the Chiefs to scores on the crew’s closing three possessions of the second half, together with an 11-play, 64-yard area objective drive to power extra time with three ticks remaining on the fourth-quarter clock.
Then, after the protection gave him an opportunity by forcing a 49ers area objective on the opening possession of the additional body, Mahomes went to work. The Chiefs took 13 performs to march 75 yards for the game-winning rating.
The drive included two huge conversions on third down and a fourth-and-one from the Kansas City 34 to maintain the collection alive. Mahomes capped it off with a three-yard landing go to wideout Mecole Hardman to seal the title for the Chiefs.
Mahomes earned Super Bowl MVP honors for the third time in his younger profession, and he is solely the third participant in NFL historical past to win them back-to-back, becoming a member of Hall of Famers Terry Bradshaw and Bart Starr.
Meanwhile, he joins Tom Brady and Joe Montana as the one QBs with three Super Bowl titles and two league MVPs.
Chiefs’ protection and special teams had been the true MVP
The Chiefs offense will garner the headlines, and rightly so. However, if not for a gutsy effort from the protection and special teams, it is likely to be the 49ers celebrating a Super Bowl victory as a substitute.
The Chiefs’ protection dominated the road of scrimmage and saved the sport inside attain whereas the offense discovered its bearings. The unit stalled a number of 49ers’ scoring drives, holding them to area targets thrice and twice down the stretch, which finally made the distinction.
Meanwhile, cornerback Jaylen Watson recovered a muffed punt on special teams within the third quarter, resulting in a landing that gave Kansas City its first lead on the following play. Also, after the 49ers had retaken the lead within the fourth quarter, linebacker Leo Chenal blocked a 49ers’ additional level, which saved the deficit to solely three factors.
Without third-down holds by the protection late and a well timed blocked additional level, Mahomes and firm most likely do not have an opportunity to work their magic.
Chiefs are formally a dynasty
Following a 3rd Super Bowl victory in 5 seasons, the Chiefs are an undisputed dynasty. Furthermore, they’re the league’s first back-to-back champions because the New England Patriots completed the feat in 2003-04.
Along with three Super Bowl victories, the Chiefs have primarily dominated the NFL over the past six seasons. Since 2018, they’ve gained the AFC West and gone to the convention championship recreation yearly, successful it 4 instances.
After successful all of it for a 3rd time, many teams would discover it arduous to hold on that form of success. However, the Chiefs might solely be getting began. At this second, they boast the seventh-youngest roster within the NFL, and the elite group main the best way is seemingly solely getting higher.
After the Super Bowl win, Mahomes stated it wasn’t a dynasty but however “the start of one.”
“We’re not done. I know we’re going to celebrate tonight — but we’re not done,” Mahomes stated through the NFL. “We’ve got a young team, we’re going to keep this thing going.”
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