Super Bowl 2023 Score: Final Box Score and Analysis from Chiefs vs. Eagles
Patrick Mahomes won his second Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award by leading the Kansas City Chiefs to a 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57.
Mahomes had 104 fewer passing yards than he did in Super Bowl 54, but he was more effective in the pocket compared to the win over the San Francisco 49ers.
The two-time MVP completed 21 of his 27 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 44 yards on six carries.
Two of Mahomes' three passing touchdowns occurred in the fourth quarter. He hooked up with Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore on similar plays to opposite parts of the end zones to put the Chiefs ahead in the fourth.
Mahomes used a few key completions and a 26-yard run to help set up Harrison Butker's game-winning field goal.
Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith had strong performances for the Eagles as well, but they did not receive enough support from their teammates on defense.
Philadelphia recorded zero sacks inside State Farm Stadium, and that turned out to be one of the key difference-making statistics that swung in favor of Kansas City.
Mahomes led the Chiefs back from a 24-14 halftime deficit to secure the franchise's second title in four years.
Mahomes led four second-half scoring drives. Two ended in touchdown passes to Toney and Moore, one resulted in an Isiah Pacheco touchdown run and the last one ended with Butker's game-winning field goal.
The two-time Super Bowl MVP was effective in the pocket against an Eagles pass rush that led the NFL in sacks this season.
Mahomes broke loose for a few key runs in the second half, including his 26-yard dart down the middle of the field in the fourth quarter.
The agility in the rushing game was a bit surprising since Mahomes limped off the field at the end of the second quarter with an apparent ankle injury.
You would think that a comeback of that magnitude would result in a high yardage total, but Mahomes recorded the lowest passing-yard total of his postseason career.
Mahomes only had one other playoff start in which he recorded under 200 passing yards.
Philadelphia's interior pressure was supposed to give it the edge over Kansas City's offensive line.
However, the Eagles were unable to take down Mahomes at any point of the contest.
The Kansas City offensive line contained Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, Fletcher Cox and Co. and that turned out to be the matchup that made the difference.
Kansas City kept Mahomes clean in the pocket, especially in the second half, and that allowed the quarterback to pick apart the Eagles secondary.
Philadelphia left the field with one tackle for loss as well. Not only did the Eagles fail to take down Mahomes, they were unable to contain Pacheco on early downs.
The Chiefs had two third downs of six yards or longer in the second half. Both of those plays came on their final offensive drive.
The Eagles committed a defensive holding on 3rd-and-8 and then Mahomes kneeled on 3rd-and-6 to set up Butker's game-winning field goal.
Philadelphia's inability to get pressure in the backfield and lack of adjustments to Kansas City's success ultimately cost it in the second half.
The best pass-catchers on both rosters led the receiving yard columns.
Kelce hauled in six catches for 81 yards and he scored the team's first touchdown.
The Kansas City tight end was one of four players to average over 10 yards per catch in Super Bowl 57.
Smith, A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert all averaged over 10 yards per catch as well. Smith led all players with 100 receiving yards. He tied JuJu Smith-Schuster for the most receptions in the game with seven.
Brown and Goedert had six catches each from Hurts. Brown recorded 96 yards and a touchdown catch, while Goedert had 60 yards. Hurts finished with 304 passing yards on 27 completions.
Smith, Brown and Goedert all had more receiving yards than Kansas City's second-best pass-catcher. Smith-Schuster had 53 receiving yards.
Nine other players on both teams caught a pass, but none of them had more than 20 receiving yards.
