NEW ORLEANS — When requested how a lot he was once stunned via the level of his group’s Super Bowl LIX loss, Kansas City Chiefs vast receiver DeAndre Hopkins supplied a quite risk free reaction: “A loss is a loss. It’s a ‘W’ or an ‘L’ at the end of the day.”
Nearest, Hopkins branched off inside of the similar resolution, clearly wanting to get something off his chest following Sunday night time’s 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I saw a lot of things in the media about the refs but, obviously, (expletive), what y’all gonna say now about the refs and us when there was a lot of touchy calls?” Hopkins stated. “Are y’all gonna report that? Are y’all gonna talk about the refs now?”
It wasn’t officiating that doomed the Chiefs, despite the fact that. For the entire blame that can land on Patrick Mahomes for the Chiefs’ failed struggle at a three-peat (and any blame Hopkins sought after to leave at the officers), the makeshift items state Kansas Town’s celebrity quarterback alongside the offensive wrinkle and vast receiver room didn’t backup issues towards an Eagles squad that owned the Chiefs in each and every segment.
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It was once sunlit the Eagles’ cross quicken, generated fully via the group’s defensive entrance, made Mahomes extra uncomfortable than any protection in contemporary reminiscence. Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat sped across the Chiefs’ tackles for two 1/2 sacks, future defensive lineman Milton Williams bullied his manner thru Kansas Town’s in most cases potent inside wrinkle for 2 extra, together with a second-half strip-sack.
Mahomes stated he felt the Eagles blitzed him perhaps a couple of times Sunday; in line with TruMedia, the unedited choice of Eagles blitzes in Tremendous Bowl LIX was once 0. With out ever desiring in order excess defenders, Philadelphia piled up six sacks on 18 pressures with a 40.9 p.c power price.
“In order to make a team blitz, you have to be able to beat what they’re showing, and that’s what we didn’t do — especially in the first half,” Mahomes stated. “We made some good adjustments (at) halftime and came out better, but it was almost too late. The momentum had kind of flipped in (the Eagles’) favor, (because of) how they play and how they can run the football and control the clock with Jalen (Hurts) making big third-down conversions. It kind of put our defense in a really bad spot.
“And so, when you’re in these big games, you have to play better from the beginning. And that’s stuff that I hope to continue to work on and continue to get better at.”
There’s 0 query the Eagles’ power affected Mahomes on either one of his interceptions Sunday night time, together with a pick-six via Cooper DeJean that driven Philadelphia’s top out to 17-0 in the second one quarter.
“He’s human,” stated Hopkins of his QB.
That constant power is helping give an explanation for why on DeJean’s interception, Mahomes moved outdoor the region to his proper on a designed rollout. However even with a slight sunlit dimension sooner than some past due power arrived, Mahomes — having already been sacked more than one occasions via that time — pressed and threw a penniless cross. DeJean picked off the errant ball, next took it again for an Eagles TD.
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Mahomes’ moment interception additionally happened deep in Kansas Town field, this week from a clogged region. Mahomes stated a defender strike his arm at the play games, which caused a trim cross that Eagles linebacker Zack Baun nabbed as he dove to the turf.
“They didn’t show any different looks,” heart Creed Humphrey stated. “They didn’t show anything unscouted. It just came down to them coming out and playing harder.”
That may well be essentially the most telling phase.
Joe Thuney has been one of the crucial league’s very best guards for a few years — there’s a explanation why the Chiefs signed him in 2021, and why he’s been a first-team All-Professional the occasion two seasons. However Thuney was once the group’s latter hotel to offer protection to Mahomes’ casual aspect later Kingsley Suamataia, Wanya Morris and D.J. Humphries proved to not be the solutions there, and that revolving door was once destined to catch as much as the Chiefs at some time.
Thuney ended the habitual season with an 11.5 p.c power price allowed at left take on on 131 pass-block snaps. His numbers had advanced throughout the Chiefs’ two prior playoff video games (4.6 p.c power price), however they reverted (11.9 p.c) on Sunday night time.
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Mahomes put the warmth on himself for the Chiefs’ miscues and incapacity to care for the Eagles’ cross quicken, holding the complaint clear of his entrance 5. He stated he’s going to review be higher provided towards opposing groups’ skills to throw isolated defenders at him within the region.
“These defenses are going to continue to get better and better, and so I have to get better, and so I take a lot of ownership in that,” Mahomes stated. “… I can’t make bad plays worse, and I think that’s something that you saw (Sunday) is that there’s times when guys aren’t open and I need to throw the ball away or check it down and let the other guys make plays happen.”
True. However Mahomes wishes backup, too.
There’s a prime prospect Thuney returns to his common barricade spot for the 2025 season, that means the Chiefs will desire a left take on — badly. Plus, some other Kansas Town barricade, Trey Smith, could also be one of the crucial extra coveted isolated brokers eager to strike the marketplace in March.
The Chiefs’ offensive wrinkle problems are slightly untouched. Mahomes’ deficit of viable choices at vast receiver, at the alternative hand, started latter season.
Even with Rashee Rice wholesome in 2023, Mahomes produced the worst EPA-per-dropback price of his occupation. The Chiefs gained the Tremendous Bowl that season, after all. However with out Rice (on injured keep since October) for a lot of this season, the Chiefs needed to piece in combination a band of getting older veterans, equivalent to Hopkins, Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, together with rookie Xavier Valuable, who spent the presen looking to jell with Mahomes.
All 3 of the ones veteran receivers are coming near near isolated brokers, however in addition they blended for simply 12 catches for 155 yards and one TD this postseason. Valuable, via himself, eclipsed they all (19 receptions, 287 yards, 3 TDs).
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“This might be my last time playing with them, some of them — might be their last game, trades happen,” stated Valuable, who stuck 8 passes for 157 yards and two TDs in Sunday’s loss. “These guys really helped me out a lot, just on my development as a man and as a player in this league. This knowledge they gave me to learn and keep building my rookie year, I just really appreciate them for that.”
Given what number of similar wins the Chiefs escaped with this season, it all the time was once honest to surprise how some distance a few of these place teams may just tug them. The Tremendous Bowl LIX drubbing must pressure Mahomes and the Chiefs to inspect intently how they’ll want to strengthen to store day shifting ahead.
(Photograph: Patrick Smith / Getty Photographs)