Fly, Oh My — Blowout Birds

02/10/2025

By: Jeff Yoder

Fly, Oh My!

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a Super Bowl blowout, but that’s what we got last night in New Orleans. The Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX in a runaway that was even worse than the score looks, and we’ve got some big birds soaring into the history books.

“What we saw tonight was the Philadelphia Eagles defense taking their belt off and putting it on the tail of the Kansas City Chiefs.” — Ryan Clark (ESPN)

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SBLIX

Fly, Oh My!

Eagles Roll Chiefs (40-22) in No-Doubter to Win Super Bowl LIX & Franchise’s 2nd Title

Move over, Chiefs Kingdom. There will be no three-peat in the first 60 years of Super Bowl history. The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl LIX champs after one of the most dominant big-game performances we’ve ever witnessed. Not only did Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending champs lose Sunday night in New Orleans, they got… Bossed. Trampled. Obliterated. Molly-Whopped. Insert your own favorite word or phrase. I heard a lot of ‘em last night.

The Eagles ran roughshod over KC in an eye-opening Super Bowl that was hard to believe. A Jalen Hurts tush-push TD was followed by a field goal. Then, a pick-six. Another interception. An A.J. Brown touchdown. It was 24-0 in 28 minutes. What?! The Chiefs had 16 yards of offense on their first 14 plays.

Once the score hit 34-0, the parade plans were underway. Grease the poles!

SBLIX 1st-Half Moments

Jalen Hurts 1-Yard TD (Q1: 6:15) — 7-0

Jake Elliot 48-Yard FG (Q2: 8:32) — 10-0

Cooper DeJean Pick-6 (Q2: 7:03) — 17-0

Zack Baun INT (Q2: 1:49) — X

A.J. Brown 12-Yard TD (Q2: 1:35) — 24-0

With a 27-0 score late in the third quarter, the game effectively ended with a two-play knockout punch. The Chiefs went for it on 4th-and-3 at midfield and failed. The Eagles threw the kill-shot on the very next play — a 46-yard dime to WR DeVonta Smith. It was 34-0 and time for the mercy rule.

The Chiefs clearly entered Sunday with a game plan to minimize Eagles RB Saquon Barkley, and it worked (he had just 57 yards rushing). But Jalen Hurts and the passing game were flying high while the Philly defense had a heyday to put the kibosh on the Chiefs’ dynastic rule.

“This is the ultimate team game. You can’t be great without the greatness of others.” — Nick Sirianni (Eagles Head Coach)

Watch: Eagles Defeat Chiefs (40-22) to Win Super Bowl LIX

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Offense: Bird Bath & A Blowout

For anyone curious (or if you bet on it), the Gatorade bath was yellow. Sirianni got the baptism before the two-minute warning, and this photo belongs in a magazine. The offensive stars — Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith — played chicken with their head coach on the sideline until the perfect photo op.

Super Bowl MVP: QB Jalen Hurts

11 Carries, 72 Yards, 1 TD

17/22, 221 Passing Yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT

Doubt no more. Jalen Hurts is a Super Bowl champion, and the Super Bowl MVP. Hurts was nearly perfect with the exception of one bad interception due to pressure up in the middle. He set the Super Bowl record for rushing yards by a quarterback (72) and found the end zone three times.

Super Saquon’s 29th Birthday: Eagles RB Saquon Barkley (31 touches, 97 yards) was held out of the end zone on his 29th birthday, but he set the NFL’s all-time rushing record for combined yards in the regular season and playoffs (2,503). He passed Terrell Davis’s 1998 mark (2,476) by just 27 yards.

Hurts & Barkley are the first pair of teammates in NFL history with 5+ rushing touchdowns each in a single postseason.

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Defense: Dynasty Deniers

Fangio’s Ferocious Front-4: We said it in Friday’s edition. If the Eagles could rush four (without blitzing) and get home, it would be a long night for Patrick Mahomes. Eagles DC Vic Fangio didn’t call a single blitz in SBLIX (that’s absurd!), and the Eagles still pressured Mahomes on 38 percent of his drop-backs with six sacks, one forced fumble and two interceptions.

Philly won the turnover battle by +13 through four playoff games (tied NFL record), and they allowed just one first down in the first half (tied Super Bowl record). The Eagles have also beaten two of the greatest dynasties/quarterbacks of all-time in both of their Super Bowl victories, denying potential three-peats.

2017-2019

LI: Patriots

LII: Eagles

LIII: Patriots

2023-2025

LVII: Chiefs

LVIII: Chiefs

LVIX: Eagles

4 Months of Flying High: That Philly defense flipped a switch back in early October that never shut off. After starting the season 2-2 and hitting the bye week, the Eagles won 16 of their last 17 games. The only loss came against the Commanders in December (36-33) when Hurts was knocked out with a concussion.

We don’t have time to drop all the stats, but the Eagles defense was one of the best in football history over the last four months.

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Broad Street Goes Bonkers

I had fireworks, lightpole-climbing, and E-A-G-L-E-S chants on my Broad Street bingo card, but there were a few things I didn’t have. Ordinary citizens running the tush-push 20-v-20 can’t be safe. The scenes are both delightful and terrifying. I can’t imagine the aftermath this morning in downtown Philly. The City of Brotherly Love will host its second championship parade later this week (TBD).

What’s scarier than Broad Street chaos? This Eagles roster won’t change much next season. Only a few players will hit free agency, and their defense is loaded with rookie contracts. They’re the early favorites to win Super Bowl 60.

Congrats to the Philadelphia Eagles, SBLIX champions!

More Super Bowl LIX Reads

SI: 21 Moments That Helped the Eagles Win Their Second Super Bowl

Yahoo! Sports: Philadelphia Predictably Loses Its Mind After Eagles’ 2nd Championship

CBS Sports: Eagles’ Quiet Confidence, Defensive Prowess Sees Young Talent Deflate Mahomes

ESPN: Way-Too-Early NFL Power Rankings for 2025: How Do Eagles, Chiefs Stack Up?

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OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

NBA

Lakers’ Austin Reaves Scores Career-High 45

Zion Williamson Hangs 40 in Pelicans’ Loss

Devin Booker Notches 47 in Suns’ OT Win