Philadelphia Eagles dominate Kansas City Chiefs to win Super Bowl

The Philadelphia Eagles ended the Kansas City Chiefs’ bid to win an unprecedented three straight Super Bowls as they ran out 40-22 winners in New Orleans.

The Eagles defence dominated and pressured Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throughout the evening, sacking him a career-high six times and intercepting him twice.

Opposite number Jalen Hurts was named the most valuable player after he threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns, as well as scoring one himself, as the Eagles avenged their defeat to the Chiefs two years ago.

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley broke the NFL season rushing record, including the post-season, beating the record of the Denver Broncos Terrell Davis.

He carried for only 57 yards as both sides struggled to run the ball, but needed only 30 to break the record, ending his first season with the Eagles with 2,504 yards.

No team had previously won back-to-back titles and returned to the Super Bowl, but the Chiefs rarely looked like completing the treble and a fourth win in six years.

The Eagles were denied a promising field position on the opening possession when AJ Brown was adjudged to have fouled cornerback Trent McDuffie after catching a 30-yard pass from Hurts on fourth down.

They went close again midway through the first quarter, but having been ruled down a yard short they opened the scoring when Hurts was driven over from close range.

Hurts looked to stretch the advantage early in the second quarter, but his attempted pass was intercepted by Bryan Cook.

The Chiefs, dogged by a couple of early penalties and their traditional slow Super Bowl start, struggled to make inroads and their offence spent little time on the field with their first three drives ending in punts.

The Eagles stretched their advantage midway through the second quarter, Jake Elliott added a 48-yard field goal after being moved back five yards by another penalty.

Mahomes’ difficult evening continued as he was sacked for a second time on the first down after the score.

It got worse on the next play, Cooper DeJean intercepting his pass and returning it 38 yards for a touchdown on his 22nd birthday, Elliott adding the extra point to make it 17-0.

Mahomes was sacked again as the Chiefs again failed to respond and were forced to punt.

Worse was to come for the quarterback, linebacker Zack Baun intercepting him deep in Chiefs territory and the Eagles took full advantage with Hurts finding Brown for another touchdown.

More penalties dogged the Chiefs’ final drive of the half as they reached the break 24-0 down – the second-highest half-time deficit in the Super Bowl – after a mere 23 yards of offence.

The second half started in much the same fashion, the Eagles sacking Mahomes again as the Chiefs were once more forced to punt. The Eagles were stopped near the Chiefs line, but Elliott was able to stretch the gap with a field goal.

That lead grew even further after another stalled Chiefs drive, Hurts finding DeVonta Smith from 46 yards for another touchdown.

The Chiefs finally got on the scoreboard just before the end of the third quarter, Mahomes finding Xavier Worth to get them into Eagles territory and then connecting with the same player from almost on the sideline. The two-point conversion attempt failed.

Another Elliott field goal stretched the gap to 37-6 and he struck again from 50 yards after the Chiefs defence once more sacked Mahomes and recovered the ball.

A seven-yard touchdown catch by DeAndre Hopkins and a 50-yard effort from Xavier Worthy late on, both with two-point conversions, gave the scoreline a less lopsided appearance.