Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs were unstoppable in the second half of Super Bowl LVII. They scored on all four of their drives after going just one-for-four in the first half.
Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid are rightfully getting a lot of the praise for the victory, but the Chiefs were also able to get a key three-and-out early in the fourth quarter after taking a 28-27 lead.
NFL insider Brian Baldinger of the Audacy Original Podcast “In The Huddle” broke down the key series of plays where the Chiefs took control of the game in Super Bowl LVII.
“There was a moment when Kansas City really took control of the game,” Baldinger said (10:22 in player above). So they’re up 28-27, the Eagles get the ball back. They get five yards on first down. Second down was second and five. This is where Spags – Steve Spagnuolo, defensive coordinator of the Chiefs – kind of helped in this moment.”
Spagnuolo started his NFL coaching career with the Eagles under Andy Reid from 1999 to 2006. He reunited with Reid in Kansas City for the 2019 season. While he didn’t find success as a head coach, he is now a three-time Super Bowl champion – one with the New York Giants and two with the Chiefs.
He showed why he’s been so successful during a series of plays in the second half.
“On second and five, Spags throws what we call a ‘trap defense,’” Baldinger continued. “They blitzed Trent McDuffie and they’re anticipating that the response by the Eagles on the corner blitz is they’re going to throw hot to that receiver who’s now being departed by the corner. That’s exactly what they do. Jalen sees it. Zach Pascal sees it. He throws the pass, it’s a two-yard catch, the safety tackles the catch right there so it’s now third and two.
“Now Spags, he designs a defense where Willie Gay comes off the edge free. Now whether the Eagles blew the protection or not … he chases Jalen Hurts and he throws it away. Now it’s fourth down, so it’s a three-and-out, and they punt to Kadarius Toney.”
That’s not where the scheming stopped, however. The Chiefs stymied the Eagles’ punt coverage and it resulted in the longest punt return in Super Bowl history.
“They double both gunners, Carl, the gunners are nowhere near the ball. It’s a bad punt by Siposs, there’s not an Eagle player within 16 yards when Toney catches it,” Baldinger said. “He was going to get 20 no matter what. They were going to have great field position up 28-27. But he reverses the field and he goes 65 yards to the 5-yard line. Two plays later it’s now 35-27.”
The Eagles had a chance to drive down the field and retake the lead after the Chiefs drove 75 yards for the second-straight possession. Instead, it was a three-and-out that the Chiefs capitalized on immediately.
“I thought in that moment, Kansas City really took control of the game when they did that,” Baldinger said.
Although Hurts led the Eagles offense down the field on the next drive – and converted the two-point conversion – to tie the game, those two defensive plays were the first dominos to fall in the Chiefs’ comeback win. If the Eagles were able to sustain a long drive there and perhaps score, we could very well be talking about a completely different outcome.
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