Super Bowl LVII marked one of the most competitive games in recent years. The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 after a controversial holding call in the 4th quarter which sparked strong opinions from fans on both sides.
At the beginning of the game, both teams were aggressive on offense. The Eagles quarterback, Jalen Hurts, scored the first touchdown of the game. Travis Kelce scored with the help of Patrick Mahomes, who worked the ball up the field for Kelce to score on an 18-yard touchdown pass. The first quarter ended tied 7-7.
The Eagles kept the pressure on in an exciting 2nd quarter with Hurts moving quickly to score points against the cautious playing style of the Chiefs. The work of Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown and Hurts concluded the drive, which resulted in a 45-yard touchdown pass and kicked off the Eagles’ highest-scoring quarter.
Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton tied the score at 14 after a Hurts fumble, which resulted in a scoop and score. Hurts responded to the Chiefs with another touchdown drive. The intense quarter left Mahomes exiting the field with a high ankle sprain as the Eagles scored a field goal, going into halftime 24-14.
Halftime brought Rihanna to the field. The singer performed many of her greatest hits in an unconventional announcement of her pregnancy with her second child. The performance enthralled people across social media, and Rihanna said she drew on her own experience with motherhood prior to the performance.
“When you become a mom, there is something that just happens where you feel like you can take on the world,” she said during an interview.
Mahomes was energetic and consistent early in the second half despite his injury in the first half. Another touchdown began to close the gap with the Eagles leading 24-21. The Eagles fought hard against this advancement, as Dallas Goedert made a 34-yard play. Goedert’s control of the ball was challenged by the Chiefs, but referees upheld the Eagles possession. The Eagles were able to complete the drive with a field goal, entering the 4th quarter with a six-point lead.
The 4th quarter brought out the Chiefs’ offensive power, in comparison to a shortcoming of the Eagles defense during pivotal moments throughout the final minutes. The energetic and quick passes the Chiefs made left the Eagles struggling to keep up. Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney completed a drive and scored a touchdown, giving the Chiefs their first lead of the game at 28-27.
In a drive similar to the first of the quarter, the Chiefs’ Skye Moore completed another successful drive leading to a touchdown. Hurts fought back with a rushing touchdown and a two-point conversion to tie the score.
Mahomes drove down the field, pushing the ball into the field goal territory and running down the clock. Eagles cornerback James Bradberry was hit with a controversial holding call. With just under two minutes left in the game, this call ushered in the Chiefs with an opportunity to gain yardage, leading them to a game-winning field goal.
The Chiefs tacked on a final field goal. The last seconds of the game were met with an underthrown pass by Hurts, closing out with the Chiefs on top.
The controversial call was crucial to the Chiefs’ win. The Super Bowl head referee Carl Cheffers commented on the aforementioned penalty in a post-game interview.
“It was a clear case of a jersey grab that caused restriction,” said Cheffers.
Mahomes was awarded Super Bowl LVII MVP, marking the Chiefs’ third Super Bowl win and their second with Mahomes as the quarterback.
“It didn’t come from one person. Our defense played their ass off in that second half. And our offense found a way. Man, I just wanna thank everybody,” said Mahomes in his post-game remarks.
