NEW ORLEANS — One benefit of being the designated dwelling workforce within the Tremendous Bowl is that you just usually get to get pleasure from higher amenities than your opponent. Given the sport is performed in an NFL metropolis, the designated away workforce will get to apply at an area school whereas the “home” workforce makes use of the host NFL workforce’s amenities.
After spending all week among the many Saints‘ amenities, the Eagles received to make the most of yet one more once they gathered Saturday for his or her workforce image within the Caesars Superdome the place Tremendous Bowl LIX could be contested the subsequent day.
The group was unfastened, tossing the soccer across the subject. There was no nervous vitality, sources mentioned. Some throughout the Eagles group believed this mind-set could be a bonus in opposition to the Chiefs.
All week, the Eagles expressed a quiet confidence regardless of being 60 minutes away from residing on the fallacious finish of a possible trivia query: What workforce gave up the primary three-peat in NFL historical past?
In Philadelphia’s 40-22 thrashing of a proud Kansas Metropolis workforce, the Eagles confirmed they had been the extra gifted group by dealing with enterprise precisely as they at all times knew they’d.
Patrick Mahomes, the most effective younger quarterback in NFL historical past, had arguably the worst recreation of his profession. Sure, he received stalked by the Buccaneers 4 years in the past, however he was injured and motionless in that recreation — unable to assist his weakened offensive line. On Sunday, there was no excuse.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio didn’t Mahomes even as soon as within the recreation, in response to NFL’s Subsequent Gen Stats. He didn’t must — the Eagles generated strain on 38.1% of snaps anyway.
“We just adjusted with coverages,” mentioned Fangio within the postgame having lastly received a Tremendous Bowl for the primary time in his 66 years. “We didn’t strain a lot. He confirmed good in opposition to strain that I hoped we might play the sport with out having to strain a lot, and that occurred.
“I thought several times [about blitzing], but our guys were playing so good with what we were doing mixing the coverages that I wasn’t going to risk it.”
Take away the fourth quarter — when the premade three-peat shirts and hats had doubtless been loaded on a truck by no means to be seen once more (on this nation) — and Mahomes compiled simply 148 yards passing whereas finishing 50% of his throws with two interceptions, together with a expensive decide six to Cooper DeJean.
The Eagles had been by no means afraid of Mahomes regardless of what he did to them two years in the past: getting back from double digits within the second half to win in Arizona. A part of that motive? Lots of the guys on this Eagles workforce weren’t on the roster two years in the past.
DeJean was at Iowa when Mahomes led the comeback within the desert. The final two weeks, he and the remainder of the younger defensive backs studied the Chiefs’ tendencies. They knew, when Mahomes scrambled, they wanted to seek out the receivers’ routes and hover of their landmarks.
Joe Kasper, the Eagles safeties coach in each Tremendous Bowls in opposition to the Chiefs, labored this week along with his group on a route idea they noticed within the second quarter. Down 10-0 — normally the precise state of affairs during which Mahomes thrives in opposition to opponents within the playoffs, (trailing by double digits) — the Chiefs quarterback took the shotgun snap, moved to his proper and threw what was sure to be an incomplete go to DeAndre Hopkins. As an alternative, the rookie, DeJean, stepped in entrance of it for his first profession interception.
Thirty-eight yards later, the 22-year-old birthday boy had the primary decide six in a Tremendous Bowl since 2017.
“Cooper’s got really good feel in our zone coverages. He had a great feel for how to play that technique,” Kasper mentioned. “He plays so well in space, and it’s tough to find nickels who can play well in space. We’re fortunate to have two with him and Avonte [Maddox]. There are few defensive backs at his age — a 22-year-old rookie — who can seize an opportunity like that, and he did. That’s one of the things that makes him special.”
LOOK: Eagles rookie Cooper DeJean will get first profession INT for decide six vs. Chiefs in 2025 Tremendous Bowl
Cody Benjamin
The Eagles defensive backs began a brand new celebration this season the place they’d put their palms up and wave them down. It is called chill chill. Up 24-0 at halftime, those self same defensive backs did that movement to one another popping out for the second half.
“It was like, ‘Chill chill, we’ve got more left,’” Kasper mentioned. “No moment is too big for us. We know we’re young. We leaned on the vets, and they instilled in us that chill chill mindset.”
Coming into New Orleans, Fangio advised his protection that the taking part in floor would give them a bonus. Within the Tremendous Bowl two years in the past, the Eagles go rush struggled to seek out its footing on the moist subject. That wasn’t the case within the Superdome.
In 5 video games on turf this season heading into Sunday’s recreation, the Eagles had — by far — the most effective protection within the NFL. They averaged season-lows in factors allowed (11.6), yards allowed (211), yards passing allowed (128) and sack price (10.3%) on artificial surfaces.
Sacking Mahomes six instances wasn’t precisely a shock to Fangio. Properly … not solely.
“Now … they exceeded my hopes and expectations,” he admitted, “but I did believe we could have a good pass rush game.”
From workforce footage on the Superdome to the Hilton Riverside on Saturday night, that quiet confidence could possibly be felt all through the Eagles group. Jeremiah Washburn, the workforce’s defensive ends and out of doors linebackers coach, believed the consequence two years in the past was a number one issue.
“Even the speeches last night were very non-emotional,” Washburn mentioned. “It was just like, ‘This is what we have to do, so let’s get it done.’ It was a little different than it was two years ago. The sting of two years ago was always in the recess of everybody’s [mind], and they treated it like that.”
No person on the workforce — test that, nobody within the NFL — embodies quiet confidence fairly like Jalen Hurts. The Eagles star quarterback performed Sunday night time like he knew he’d win. When the Chiefs bought out to remove Saquon Barkley, he determined to placed on an MVP efficiency.
Hurts was the final participant to affix the Eagles’ postgame locker room. The cigar smoke hit him as quickly as he crossed the brink, and he instantly went to his locker to get his lighter. He understood the second, as media huddled round, would go viral.
Hurts flicked his lighter rapidly … nothing.
A dozen extra flicks … nonetheless nothing. He shook it a number of instances to get the fluid going, sure his lighter would lastly work. Finally, he borrowed one from a teammate.
The lighter could be the one instrument that failed Hurts on Sunday night time.
