• The Chiefs’ motion was the difference: Kansas City averaged 7.1 yards per play when a player went in motion pre-snap.

• Jalen Hurts‘ legs were a weapon: As part of a stellar all-around outing, Hurts gashed the Chiefs with three runs of 10 or more yards.

• 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.

Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

After 271 NFL games, the meeting of teams in the 272nd and final contest isn’t all that surprising. The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles were two of the NFL’s best squads from start to finish and will now battle for the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in three seasons.

While there can assuredly be some fan fatigue regarding Super Bowl 59, it still offers a titan-on-titan battle in what feels like a high-level boxing rematch not long after the initial marquee showdown. Sure, many players and coaches from both sides are no longer part of the same organizations, but several key figures on both sides still don the same colors.

How did the Chiefs dethrone the Eagles the first time around in Super Bowl 57? Which tendencies and players stood out on each side, and can we expect similar aspects to repeat in New Orleans? After rewatching the game and analyzing the advanced data, here are several notable observations and patterns from Chiefs-Eagles I.

The Chiefs’ motion decimated the Eagles

From start to finish, Andy Reid put together a rather remarkable gameplan against an Eagles defense that entered the game ranked second in expected points added per play and 10th in success rate. The crux of that revolved around motion, as Kansas City utilized either shifts or motion on 77.8% of its offensive snaps. The result was a prolific 45.2% success rate and an average of 0.439 EPA per play.

Two of the Chiefs’ pivotal touchdown passes — to Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore — involved return motion, which made waves in the aftermath of the game. But the broader copy of the tape underscores just how essential motion was to Kansas City’s offense in both the pass and run.

Consider this play in the fourth quarter, where Toney was sent in motion. Linebacker T.J. Edwards and cornerback Avonte Maddox (neither of whom is still an Eagles starter, for what it’s worth) both followed Toney in the flat, leaving JuJu Smith-Schuster wide open for a chunk play on a hole shot.

Likewise, the Chiefs exploited the Eagles’ defense with motion on the ground. Moving players laterally helped create eye candy for defenders, particularly removing them from the box or the direction of the run. Such was the case on this counter, where Skyy Moore’s jet motion led to an easier score for Isiah Pacheco. You can see both Darius Slay and C.J. Gardner-Johnson affected by the motion, giving the Eagles fewer bodies in position.

The Chiefs implemented motion on 77.3% or more of their offensive plays in each of their 2024 playoff games. Expect that trend to continue in Caesars Superdome, with Xavier Worthy playing a focal role — and being more dangerous than Moore two years prior.

Jalen Hurts thrived vs. the blitz

There aren’t many certainties in life, but one is seemingly Steve Spagnuolo’s blitz packages dictating games every January. Such was the case again in the 2024 AFC Championship game, with the Bills’ last-dash fourth-down try thwarted by Kansas City’s pressure look.

In Super Bowl 57, Hurts played a fantastic overall game, and blitz recognition was a big component. While being blitzed on 42.9% of his dropbacks, Hurts completed 13 of his 18 passes for a 90.8 PFF passing grade, three big-time throws and zero turnover-worthy plays.

Hurts was better against the blitz two years ago (74.5 PFF passing grade) than in 2024 (65.5), something that reflects his waning overall play. Whether or not Spagnuolo elects to blitz at the same frequency — or if he holds back because of how well Hurts did in Super Bowl 57 — will be telling.

Chiefs found creative ways to deploy Travis Kelce

Much like Spagnuolo, Kelce’s playoff dominance is an undeniable phenomenon. Over the past four postseasons, Kelce’s 90.3 PFF receiving grade sits third among qualifiers. The best way to describe Kelce might be that even though opposing defensive coordinators try ceaselessly to stop him, they simply can’t — and Reid had a big say in determining why.

Patrick Mahomes’ first touchdown pass in Super Bowl 57 was a strong concept from Reid, as the Chiefs motioned Kelce inside to get him one-on-one with safety Marcus Epps inside. A go route from Marquez Valdes-Scantling and bad range by Gardner-Johnson left Kelce with a prime opportunity to separate on a stellar out-and-up route.

Kelce is traditionally known as more of an upright tight end, but he still put his hand in the dirt to throw off the Eagles. Working as the inline tight end here helped disguise Kelce before snapping off an out-breaking route against Philadelphia’s Cover 3. Reid knew he had a mismatch between Kelce and the Eagles’ linebackers, and the storied coach regularly went back to that well in 2023.

Reid was so intent on getting his superstar the ball that he even turned to this concept, in which Kelce slipped across the formation, albeit for a minimal gain.

Against the Texans in the 2024 divisional round, Kelce looked unguardable yet again, compiling a 91.1 PFF receiving grade and 117 yards. However, the Bills slowed down the future Hall of Famer, holding him to two catches for 19 yards and a 54.0 PFF receiving grade. Vic Fangio will need to find a way to replicate what Buffalo did to avoid getting gashed like the Eagles two Super Bowls ago.

The Chiefs’ run defense excelled — except against Jalen Hurts

In 2022, the Eagles’ run game was elite, ranking first in both EPA per play and success rate going into Super Bowl 57. But Kansas City rose to the challenge on almost every down, containing Miles Sanders and Kenneth Gainwell to just 14 carries for 37 yards.

Linebackers Nick Bolton and Leo Chenal were particularly terrific against the run. The two combined for five run-defense stops, and each posted PFF run-defense grades above 82.8.

Moreover, Chiefs cornerbacks regularly got their noses dirty to help slow Philadelphia’s ground attack. Trent McDuffie generated an elite 88.8 PFF run-defense grade, while L’Jarius Sneed, Juan Thornhill and Joshua Williams also added impactful tackles.

Altogether, Kansas City missed only two tackles in run defense, securing a 48.4% positively graded play rate and a 68.8 team run-defense mark.

The reason those numbers aren’t as high as one might’ve expected is because of how well Hurts fared on the ground. He ran 15 times for 70 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 3.00 yards after contact per attempt, picking up 10 first downs and securing a 68.5 PFF rushing grade. Hurts’ legs on designed runs, like this power, were generally highly effective.

The same goes for the Eagles’ signature Tush Push, which the Chiefs — even with the monstrous Chris Jones — didn’t slow down much at all. Philadelphia converted on five of six late-down rushing attempts from 1 or 2 yards out, keeping drives alive in the process.

If the Eagles can receive better rushing production from Saquon Barkley and still sustain possessions with their tried-and-true weapon, they could very well produce a different outcome in this year’s Big Game.

Patrick Mahomes’ scrambles proved killer yet again

Last week, PFF’s Ben Linsey explained how Mahomes ups his scramble rate and effectiveness in the postseason, and that narrative was certainly on display in Super Bowl 57. In State Farm Stadium, Mahomes scrambled four times for 51 yards, picking up two first downs and amassing an 85.7 PFF rushing grade.

When Mahomes took off and dashed, it netted the Chiefs a 75% success rate. This scramble, done in quintessential Mahomes fashion, was one of the nails in the coffin in a very close game.

As Ben offered, Mahomes will probably turn to the same scramble-heavier approach against the Eagles in this rematch, especially given how well it worked two seasons ago. Zack Baun and Oren Burks will have their work cut out for them in the middle of the field, and Eagles pass-rushers have to maintain rush lane discipline as best as possible.

The Eagles neutralized Chris Jones

The first order of business for any offensive coordinator playing the Chiefs is to circle No. 95. In 2022, Shane Steichen’s offense did what few can achieve: slow down Jones. The three-time All-Pro mustered only a 59.4 PFF pass-rushing grade against the Eagles in Super Bowl 57, which was powered by an 11.1% pass-rush win rate — good for most players but below Jones’ traditional numbers.

Most interesting is that the Eagles didn’t seem to overly invest in Jones, not sending a tremendous number of double teams or chip help. On 18 pass-blocking matchups with Isaac Seumalo, Jones registered an elevated 17% pass-rush win rate and 11.1% pressure rate. But against the other four Eagles starting offensive linemen, Jones produced only one pressure and no individual win rates above 9%.

Even without Jason Kelce and Seumalo in Round 2, the Eagles still possess tremendous interior talent in Cam Jurgens and Mekhi Becton. At the same time, neither has posted a PFF pass-blocking grade above 62.0 this season, which could leave offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in a bind by needing to double Jones.

Chiefs Pass-Rushing Grades from Super Bowl 57

A.J. Brown dominated on underneath routes

Brown is one of the best all-around receivers in the league, as told by his 91.0 PFF receiving grade and 2.69 yards per route run — both of which rank third among qualified receivers. While Brown can win deep, he specializes in beating cornerbacks on short routes, and he did just that against the Chiefs.

In Super Bowl 57, Brown caught all five of his short (1-to-9-yard) targets, racking up 51 yards, three first downs and an 81.4 PFF receiving grade. Brown’s ability to quickly swipe away the hands of players like Sneed was critical, particularly on conversion downs and when Spagnuolo sent the blitz.

Brown was slightly more dominant on deep passes by producing a 45-yard touchdown, but it’s notable that he caught only one of three attempts over 20 yards downfield. Anticipate that Hurts will keep feeding Brown from short range, whether he’s guarded in man or zone, because his 96.9 PFF receiving grade on such throws led the league this year.