Penton: Chiefs aim for record third straight Super Bowl title
By Bruce Penton
After a couple of surprising upsets in the preliminary rounds, including the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions falling in the first round, the Super Bowl matchup for this Sunday in New Orleans is a sports fan’s dream.
Kansas City Chiefs will be going for a record third consecutive Super Bowl title against NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, who have won 15 of their last 17 games, including their impressive 55-23 thrashing of the upstart Washington Commanders and their phenomenal rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels.
KC and their much-ballyhooed quarterback Patrick Mahomes are slight favourites, but it would surprise no one outside of Missouri if Philadelphia prevailed. KC had a 15-2 regular-season record, which probably would have been 16-1 had they not rested many of their top players in the season’s final game, but their victories were underwhelming, to say the least. Coach Andy Reid’s team was 11-0 in one-score games, and they squeaked out another one in the AFC championship game against Buffalo Bills, 32-29. It was Kansas City’s fourth consecutive playoff victory over the Bills, who haven’t been to a Super Bowl since losing their fourth straight in 1994.
Mahomes is a master scrambler and leans on the running skills of Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt and a talented group of receivers, including tight end Travis Kelce, who is the most famous Chief of all due to his relationship with megastar entertainer Taylor Swift.
But the real reason the Chiefs win so many close games is because they have one of the best defences in the league. Defensive tackle Chris Jones, a three-time first-team all-pro, terrorizes opposing quarterbacks and defensive co-ordinator Steve Spagnuolo seems to know exactly when to blitz and when to fall back.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, is probably the most balanced team in the NFL, with a potent offence led by running back Saquon Barkley and receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Barkley ran roughshod against the Commanders with 118 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Jalen Hurts, reportedly suffering from a banged-up knee, scored three touchdowns himself. On defence, the Eagles have been especially strong, giving up the fewest points of any NFC team during the regular season..
The Eagles were hanging on for dear life against Los Angeles Rams in the divisional playoff game, up six points with a minute to go and facing a Rams’ team that had a third-and-two on Philly’s 13-yard line. One more Matt Stafford to Cooper Kupp TD pass would have killed the Eagles’ hopes. But Jalen Carter of the Eagles put a swim move on Rams’ centre Beaux Limmer and sacked Stafford at the 22-yard line. On fourth down, Carter’s pressure on Stafford led to an incompletion and a Philly win.
The win over Washington gives Philadelphia its third Super Bowl appearance in the past eight years. They defeated New England 41-33 in 2018 and lost to the Chiefs 38-35 in 2023. It’s safe to say that 2023 loss gives the Eagles more than just a little incentive to bring their A game to New Orleans on Sunday.
A cheap shot from RJ Currie: “Shortly before retiring from the NHL, the Sedins visited kids at B.C. Children's Hospital and played air hockey. And they kept playing — right until the puck flew into a corner.”
Headline at fark.com: “Unlike a good neighbour, State Farm won’t be there. The insurance company decides that maybe, just maybe, spending millions on a Super Bowl ad wasn’t a good look for them after cancelling all those homeowners’ policies in California.”
A. Worthtappen, on Bluesky: “Should’ve known the Detroit Lions were in trouble when people started calling them ‘America’s team.” Have you seen America?”
Kyle Porter of Normal Sport: “Things that have stopped Scottie Scheffler over the last 12 months: Blade putter, Officer Gillis, homemade ravioli. (Scheffler needed surgery after cutting his hand making ravioli over Christmas.)”
Baseball writer Mark Bowman of Atlanta: “Should the Falcons call the Dodgers to see if they are interested in Kirk Cousins?”
Comedy guy Torben Rolfsen of Vancouver: “I love watching Wild games on TV. They do the announcements in both English and Minnesotan.”
Rolfsen again: “Mark Davis of the Las Vegas Raiders fired his general manager. I thought if he was going to fire anyone, it would be his hairstylist.”
RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “Controversy has hit curling with several top-tier teams uniting against certain foam heads being allowed for use by World Curling. It's not a doom and broom scenario, but certainly calls for sweeping changes.”
Headline at fark.com: “The Yankees spend $218 million to get Fried. That's one hell of a party”
Another one from fark.com: “Caitlin Clark’s popularity soars; NBA drafts plan to introduce mandatory cornfield backgrounds.“
fark.com headline: “Ohtani expecting his first child, announces their allowance to be deferred to 2045.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca