The Eagles and Jalen Hurts Got here as Shut as Shut Can Get

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Typically, a staff can win the common season and lose the postseason. That’s what the Philadelphia Eagles realized on Sunday, when the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and their hobbled but transcendent quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, ripped the Lombardi Trophy out of their grasp and gained their second Tremendous Bowl title in 4 years.

The Eagles have been using excessive all 12 months with a top-tier offense led by quarterback Jalen Hurts and receiver A.J. Brown and with a dominant protection. They steamrollered via the common season to earn the highest seed within the N.F.C. and dominated their first two playoff video games. Then they raced out to a 10-point lead within the first half of the Tremendous Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., and appeared to be on their approach to a championship when Mahomes aggravated a right ankle injury simply earlier than halftime.

However within the second half, Mahomes confirmed why he’s one of the best participant within the N.F.L., even on a nasty ankle. He engineered 4 scoring drives with grit, creativity and, presumably, a variety of ache, main Kansas Metropolis to a 38-35 victory. Like a bunch of N.B.A. groups that misplaced to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls within the Nineteen Nineties, the Eagles ran right into a once-in-a-generation participant on the high of his sport.

“They’ve the most effective gamers on the planet, so he’s going to make some large performs,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni mentioned of Mahomes.

The Eagles heart, Jason Kelce, had nothing however admiration for Mahomes and the Chiefs.

“That staff has every part that’s coming to them,” he mentioned in a somber Eagles press zone after the sport.

The Eagles didn’t lose due to an absence of effort. However like in so many title video games, errors can change the trajectory. By all accounts, Hurts had one of the best sport of his skilled profession, and towards one other staff, his effort may need been sufficient to salt away the sport.

“It did damage us, it damage us,” Hurts mentioned afterward.

Nonetheless, the Eagles went into halftime forward by 10 factors, and with their entrance line dominant and Mahomes hobbled, Philadelphia appeared in a great place.

However the 29-minute break gave the Chiefs time to gather themselves, and for trainers to work on Mahomes’s ankle.

“That 29 minutes actually introduced us collectively,” Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster mentioned.

On the opening drive of the second half, Mahomes led Kansas Metropolis on a 10-play drive that included, to the amazement of almost everybody, a 14-yard scramble by Mahomes to the Eagles’ 4-yard line.

“He made some nice performs,” Eagles linebacker Hasson Reddick mentioned of Mahomes. “He dropped some dimes in there.”

The Eagles didn’t go quietly. Hurts engineered an eight-play, 75-yard drive in simply over 4 minutes, capped with him working for a 2-yard landing after which scoring a 2-point conversion by working the ball into the top zone. These efforts tied the sport at 35-35.

In N.F.L. video games with evenly matched opponents, the staff with the ball final usually wins. Mahomes and the Chiefs used almost all the 5:15 remaining after that rating to march down the sector and arrange a game-winning 27-yard discipline aim by kicker Harrison Butker.

After Kansas Metropolis’s late drive and discipline aim, the Eagles had one final probability. However Hurts’s Hail Mary go fell far quick, and the sport ended with purple and yellow confetti falling from the rafters.

Hurts walked slowly to the bench — alone. Then he put his helmet down and paced forwards and backwards — alone. His teammates appeared to sense that he wanted some house. A coach approached him and appeared to say one thing, however solely briefly. For a short time, Hurts watched Kansas Metropolis’s gamers and coaches have a good time amid the falling confetti. Then, he made his method off the sector, breaking right into a sluggish trot on his method out — alone once more.

“You both win otherwise you be taught,” Hurts mentioned. “We had a big-time aim that we wished to perform, and we got here up quick.”

Kurt Streeter contributed reporting.