The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have solidified a spot alongside the best groups of all time.
In Tremendous Bowl LVII from Las Vegas, the Chiefs defended the crown, successful an exhilarating time beyond regulation battle with the San Francisco 49ers, 25-22, to clinch back-to-back championships.
Listed below are three takeaways from the Chiefs’ historic victory.
Mahomes was Mahomes when it mattered most
Patrick Mahomes wasn’t good, and for elements of the sport, he appeared sluggish and not sure, practically committing a number of pricey turnovers within the course of. Nonetheless, 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.
Extremely, Mahomes orchestrated a double-digit comeback for the third time within the Tremendous Bowl. First, he eradicated a 10-point first-half deficit, main the Chiefs to scores on the workforce’s remaining three possessions of the second half, together with an 11-play, 64-yard area purpose drive to pressure time beyond regulation with three ticks remaining on the fourth-quarter clock.
Then, after the protection gave him an opportunity by forcing a 49ers area purpose 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 Metropolis 34 to maintain the sequence alive. Mahomes capped it off with a three-yard landing go to wideout Mecole Hardman to seal the title for the Chiefs.
Mahomes earned Tremendous 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 Corridor of Famers Terry Bradshaw and Bart Starr.
In the meantime, he joins Tom Brady and Joe Montana as the one QBs with three Tremendous Bowl titles and two league MVPs.
Chiefs’ protection and particular groups had been the true MVP
The Chiefs offense will garner the headlines, and rightly so. Nonetheless, if not for a gutsy effort from the protection and particular groups, it is likely to be the 49ers celebrating a Tremendous Bowl victory as an alternative.
The Chiefs’ protection dominated the road of scrimmage and stored 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.
In the meantime, cornerback Jaylen Watson recovered a muffed punt on particular groups within the third quarter, resulting in a landing that gave Kansas Metropolis its first lead on the following play. Additionally, after the 49ers had retaken the lead within the fourth quarter, linebacker Leo Chenal blocked a 49ers’ further level, which stored the deficit to solely three factors.
With out third-down holds by the protection late and a well timed blocked further level, Mahomes and firm most likely do not have an opportunity to work their magic.
Chiefs are formally a dynasty
Following a 3rd Tremendous Bowl victory in 5 seasons, the Chiefs are an undisputed dynasty. Moreover, they’re the league’s first back-to-back champions for the reason that New England Patriots completed the feat in 2003-04.
Together with three Tremendous Bowl victories, the Chiefs have primarily dominated the NFL during the last six seasons. Since 2018, they’ve gained the AFC West and gone to the convention championship recreation yearly, successful it 4 occasions.
After successful all of it for a 3rd time, many groups would discover it onerous to hold on that sort of success. Nonetheless, the Chiefs could solely be getting began. At this second, they boast the seventh-youngest roster within the NFL, and the elite group main the way in which is seemingly solely getting higher.
After the Tremendous Bowl win, Mahomes stated it wasn’t a dynasty but however “the beginning of 1.”
“We’re not completed. I do know we will rejoice tonight — however we’re not completed,” Mahomes stated by way of the NFL. “We have got a younger workforce, we will hold this factor going.”
