PHOENIX (News4usonline) – Jalen Hurts outperformed Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LVII. The way Hurts was playing it would have been just for him to be named the game’s MVP. Hurts rushed for 70 yards and three touchdowns. He also added another 304 yards passing to help the Eagles put 35 points on the scoreboard. It wasn’t enough.
“You either win or you learn, that’s how I feel,” Hurts said after the game. “You either win or you learn. Win, lose, I always reflect on the things I could have done better, anything you could have done better to try and take that next step. That’ll be the same process I always have going on.”
He set Super Bowl records for most rushing yards and rushing TDs by a QB.
— NFL (@NFL) February 13, 2023
Hats off to @JalenHurts for an incredible #SBLVII performance. ? pic.twitter.com/i4icYoLzly
The problem Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles ran into was this guy named Mahomes. Mahomes, the NFL’s regular season most valuable player, showed why he was tabbed as MVP.
He didn’t have his usual Patrick Mahomes outing where all of his passing mastery was on display, but Mahomes did what he does best and that was to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to victory. With the score knotted at 35-35 late in the fourth quarter, Mahomes led Kansas City down the field for the game-winning field goal to lift the Chiefs to a 38-35 win at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona.
“You know, I was expecting to have to go kick a field goal when we got closer down to the endzone, the thought went through my mind of, OK, we are going to score a touchdown,” Kansas City Chiefs placekicker Harrison Butker said about his 27-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining in the game.
“But as soon as ‘MVS’ (wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling) took a knee and then Patrick took a knee, alright, it’s pretty clear that we are kicking a field goal a shorter field goal, so I got a couple more reps in the net and then we went out there and executed and everybody did a great job.”
The win was the second for head coach Andy Reid and Mahomes. The Chiefs would have to get this win with guts and adjustments. By the time the first half ended, Hurts and the Eagles dominated and threatened to turn this game into a rout, something that Reid and Mahomes know something about.
The Chiefs were blasted by Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-9 in Super Bowl 55. And it was going bad for Kansas City in the first two quarters with Philadelphia taking command of the game with a 24-14 lead going into halftime. By that point, the Eagles already had 17 first downs to Kansas City’s six. Mahomes only had 89 passing yards in that first half.
Hurts was putting on a show, rushing for 63 of his total of 70 yards on the ground and going 183 yards in the air. Whatever was said in the Chiefs’ locker room at halftime worked. Kansas City outscored Philadelphia 24-11 in the second half to make this Super Bowl win No. 2 for Reid and Mahomes.
Mahomes would finish the game going for an efficient 21 of 27 for 182 yards and three touchdowns. For his comeback efforts, Mahomes was named the game’s MVP. During his postgame press conference, Mahomes talked about what it means to win his second Super Bowl.
“It’s hard, it hasn’t even sunk in I don’t even think yet,” Mahomes said. “I mean, I appreciate it. I appreciate it because of the failures. I mean the failure of losing a Super Bowl and losing the AFC championship game and gives you a greater appreciation to be standing here as a champion. Luckily, I’m going to Disneyland now, so I have Disney World and Disneyland crossed off and they will have to make some more parks so I can go around everywhere and do a world tour.”
Kansas City’s victory was especially sweet for Reid. As the longtime head coach of the Eagles, before he was fired by the team and then hired by the Chiefs, Reid led the Eagles to numerous playoff appearances, five NFC Championships (1-4) and a trip to the Super Bowl. With Mahomes as his hired gunslinger, Reid has made it to five AFC title games and three Super Bowls. He is now 2-2 all-time in his four Super Bowl appearances.
Reid talked about his appreciation for the city of Philadelphia and for the Eagles organization.
“You know this. We go way back,” Reid said. “I love Philadelphia. I love my time in Philadelphia. Phenomenal people, and we had some great years. I left the organization on a positive note with Jeff Lurie and really everybody there. There’s still three of their real good players. There’s still guys that I had a chance to coach and I’m so proud of them for the careers that they’ve had. It’s a great city. It’s a great city. As is Kansas City. I’ve been very fortunate, man. Very, very fortunate.”
Dennis has covered and written about politics, crime, social justice, sports, and entertainment. Dennis currently covers the NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAA, and Olympic sports. Dennis is the editor of News4usonline.com and serves as the publisher of the Compton Bulletin newspaper. He earned a journalism degree from Howard University.