Winning Super Bowl LIV changed my life. I'm serious. It took me from a place of bitter jealousy and feeling left out to a place of gratitude. I didn't do anything to deserve it, but it gave me real peace in an area of my life that I deeply care about.
I only ever wanted one. When the Patriots were reeling off SB win #5 or #6, it never occurred to me to dream for more than one.
If the NFL had gone bankrupt after Super Bowl LIV, I would have been so content to say we got our trophy and parade and now we can all go do something else, like watch movies and play chess.
But the NFL didn't close up shop. Time marches on. The Chiefs went back to Super Bowl LV and got blown out. I got to know what it feels like to lose in the Super Bowl. And it sucks.
And then you're on the verge of going back to another Super Bowl and your team chokes away a big second half lead at home to the Bengals. And it sucks.
And then you see and hear things from all these different places.
Keenan Allen says that losing Tyreek is going to expose Mahomes.
The media starts saying that Josh Allen is better than Mahomes.
The narrative becomes that Burrow always beats Mahomes.
A
Bills fan says that "There isn't a fanbase more uninvited to a party but still shows up than Chiefs Kingdom."
My reaction was at first, we already got a trophy! We won it all. You can't keep doubting us. But that only works for so long. Then it becomes a point of pride. You want to shut them up again. You want to beat everyone again.
You still care.
And it still sucks to lose in the playoffs. It still sucks to lose in the Super Bowl.
So you get dressed up, make all the food, tune in. And everyone is picking the Eagles.
And within a few minutes the Eagles just went 75 yards and took a 7-0 lead.
Now there's a pit in your stomach. A headache will arrive in the 4th quarter. You're so nervous that your back starts to hurt.
Even with everything you've ever dreamed of already hanging on your wall (LIV posters) on in your closet (LIV shirts), it feels like you've gotta win this one too. So now there's a football game to watch and a new trophy to play for.
The Eagles bulldozed their way down the field on their opening drive.
The Chiefs answered right back. Didn't even face a third down. And a beautiful throw to Kelce for the score.
Two drives. 75 yards of offense for both teams. 7-7. Had all the makings of a shootout where no one could get a stop.
And then the Chiefs got a stop. An offensive pass interference call backed up the Eagles and they punted 3 and out.
Chiefs roll down and face the first true decision of the game. 4th and 3 from the Eagles 24. Even if you get 5 yards, you could easily end up kicking a field goal in a few plays. I think kicking to take the lead on a run-dominant team is a good call. Butker doinks it from 42.
Still tied.
That doink, plus Frank Clark offside on 3rd and 4, leads to a A.J. Brown deep shot and the Eagles scored quickly.
Chiefs go 3 and out and Eagles have the momentum.
They're driving down the field and threatening to make it 21-7.
But then Nick Bolton makes an incredible play. Hurts is running with the ball until he's not, and all of a sudden Nick Bolton picks it up and is running into a golden end zone.
My memory was that it was an unforced error from Hurts dropping the ball, but I just watched the replay. Nick Bolton is one on one with Hurts. Bolton goes to wrap him up and Hurts tries to juke. As Hurts is juking the ball slips out. Bolton goes from wrapping him up, to pushing him down and scooping up the ball.
14-14. There is nothing more exciting then a defensive touchdown because it's both so unexpected, and you know that no one can catch him so you're free to celebrate early.
If you thought the Chiefs stole the momentum in that moment, you forgot to mention it to the Eagles. They bully their way down the field. They convert TWO fourth down conversions, 4th and 5, 4th and 2. It's now 21-14 with 2:20 to go in the first half. Mahomes has a chance to tie it up.
Instead, disaster.
On 3rd and 15, Mahomes is forced out of the pocket and is tackled by the ankle. Reaggravates his ankle injury. Comes up hobbling.
At this point, the Eagles seemed dominant, particularly on defense. Chiefs had only scored on 1 of 4 possessions. Meanwhile, the Eagles offense had been aggressive when the Chiefs were conservative.
KC has to punt it away AND Mahomes looks seriously hurt. Henne starts warming up.
The Eagles execute the two-minute drive and add a field goal.
Halftime: Eagles 24, Chiefs 14.
My pregame prediction was Chiefs 27, Eagles 24. So all KC has to do is shut them out in the second half. No worries.
- - -
Receiving the 2nd half kickoff down ten, I knew the Chiefs had to be perfect from here on out. TDs not field goals.
The Chiefs drive down the field with small plays and a 14 yard Mahomes scramble. We saw how much pain he was in right before halftime. I'm guessing the long Rihanna halftime show helped him with pain management.
But you still need a stop.
The Eagles roll into a 17 play drive over 60 yards, tied for longest in terms of plays in SB history. It started with what was almost Nick Bolton's second defensive TD—it was ruled that way on the field. But replay determined the Eagle didn't have possession long enough for it to be a catch. The Eagles convert 3rd and 6, 3rd and 2, 3rd and 14, and 4th and 1 on the same drive.
After wisely taking a delay of game to hold on to a timeout, the Eagles do end up burning one of their 2nd half timeouts on this drive. It might be important.
It's the 4th quarter and the Eagles are up 6.
Juju is making tough catches. Pacheco is exploding up the middle.
3rd and 3 at the Eagles 5 yard line. Chiefs have a chance to take the lead.
Here's the formation when the ball is snapped. Toney is in motion, man coverage. His defender, #2 is running with him.
One second later, Mahomes is ready to release the ball. Toney has put on the brakes and is heading toward the pylon. #2 in green has not gotten the memo, has continued to almost the hashmarks.
When Toney catches the ball, it's a literal walk in.
Chiefs 28 - Eagles 27.
This could so easily come down to who has the ball last. You need a stop and you haven't gotten one yet.
It's 3rd and 3 even if Fox is showing that it's 3rd and 2.
Willie Gay comes on a blitz and forces Hurts out of the pocket retreating all the way to his own 15, 17 yards behind the line of scrimmage before throwing it away.
Eagles face a 4th and 3 from their 32. They are 2 for 2 on 4th down so far.
They decide to punt.
Kadarius Toney, fresh off of scoring a touchdown, rips off the longest punt return in Super Bowl history. 65 yards. It's a thing of beauty.
On 3rd and goal from the 4, KC runs the same play that worked for Toney, this time with Skyy Moore. Motion in, spin and release back to same corner you started. Defender is lost in the middle. Wide open score.
It's now 34-27, pending the XP. I desperately want Andy to go for two. Make it a 9-point game with 9 minutes to go.
But he doesn't. 35-27.
The Eagles do a slow plodding drive until they unleash a bomb. They score. And get the two-point conversion. 35-35.
I'm staring at the score and getting flashbacks to the Illinois-UNC title game when it was 70-70 in the final minutes. I know this is going to go one way or the other real soon. I'll remember this moment as either how close it was, or the game winning drive.
5:15 seconds to glory.
Mahomes to Juju for a first down.
Big Pacheco run on 3rd down for a first down.
Chiefs snap the ball from the Eagles 43 on 1st and 10.
Mahomes takes a 10-yard drop. From here anything is possible. He could complete a pass to get the Chiefs in field goal range. He could throw an interception.
But the guy on a busted ankle decided to take off. From his own 47 to the Eagles 17. He ran up the middle officially for 26, but was running for 36 yards. Doesn't slide. Gets as many yards as he can before getting tackled. Comes up in pain. But he knows it was worth it.
It was an amazing Super Bowl for 58 minutes. And then just when it looked like Eagles had gotten their first 2nd half stop on the Chiefs, the refs throw a ticky-tack penalty for defensive holding. Easily could have gone uncalled. But they called it.
Even after the penalty, there was too much time to run the clock out. If only the Eagles had one more timeout, they could have had a full minute. Would have changed everything. Burning that timeout in the 3rd quarter cost them big.
So Chiefs get to run out the clock and set up for a game winning field goal. And the announcers are doing everything to jinx it. Talking about the doink earlier. Talking about the slippery field.
But Harrison delivered. 38-35. And there's only 8 seconds left.
Hurts ends up slipping on the hail mary attempt but they were 65 yards away.
An anti-climatic end to a great game. But a win is a freaking win.
Cue the Gatorade.
Cue the freaking red and gold confetti.
Cue the MVP presentation.
Mahomes gets the MVP, and he is. Andy Reid gets credited with being an offensive genius, and he is. But Bieniemy installed the play that worked twice inside the 5.
- - -
The first one changed my life. This one did not.
True story. Nothing can compare to that first one. It was climbing a mountain. Getting back to the same summit is great, but not as amazing as the first time.
As for all the opposing fans, haters, trolls, whatever...I guess I should ignore them. I guess I should block everything they say out.
Well, it will be easier now with two Super Bowl rings in four years. I can put one in each ear.
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