Super Bowl 2025: Eagles defense smothers Patrick Mahomes to worst half of his career

The Chiefs need a miracle to win the Super Bowl, and that may or may not involve the Eagles defense not getting on the field in the 2nd half.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ quest for a three-peat is on life support after just one half of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

Vic Fangio’s Philadelphia Eagles defense was No. 2 in the NFL in fewest points allowed and ranked No. 1 by FTN Fantasy’s DVOA. They have lived up to that billing and then some, completely shutting down Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense at a level we have never seen before.

The Chiefs scored 0 points and were held to 23 total yards and a single first down, which was gained on the opening drive. The next time the Chiefs cross into Eagles territory will be their first.

If you’re wondering how dominant the Eagles defense has been (and, conversely, how ineptly the Chiefs offense has performed), this stat sums it up:

Not only is 23 yards the fewest in the first half of Mahomes’ career, it’s the fewest for any Super Bowl team over the last 35 years.

The Eagles defensive line couldn’t get any meaningful pressure in their previous Super Bowl against Patrick Mahomes. They have sacked Mahomes three times already, pressured him on several other dropbacks, and had him generally flustered and befuddled.

Mahomes is 6/14 for 33 yards and a pair of interceptions, one of which turned into a pick-six for rookie Cooper DeJean, while the other led to an A.J. Brown touchdown.

Mahomes’ passer rating is an abysmal 10.7, putting him on pace to have one of the all-time worst Super Bowl performances of any quarterback.

History has shown us that even the absolute best quarterbacks in the business can be made to look human against a truly vaunted defense, and the Eagles are making life miserable for Mahomes. It’ll require something truly Herculean for the Chiefs to dig themselves out of this massive hole if they want to remain champions.