Super Bowl LVIII | A dynasty is born

The men in red, like princes of hell, have never attracted any sympathy in this world, over which they reign as kings and masters since the arrival of the all-powerful Mahomes. But this hostility must stop because in the face of excellence, no one is required to remain indifferent.

Replay our live coverage

By winning the Super Bowl by a score of 25-22 in overtime on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs achieved an extremely rare form of perfection.

Winston Churchill, a great poet before the eternal, already suggested that we must change to improve and that we must change very often to be perfect.

But while adjusting, the Chiefs never forgot how much it could pay to be yourself. In a way, it’s a bit of a reflex for big teams. And that’s usually the mark of dynasties. The ones we see once in a generation.

“Let’s say this is the beginning [de la dynastie]. We’re not finished,” Mahomes said on CBS, a few seconds after completing a four-yard pass to Mecole Hardman to secure the title.

Mahomes and the Chiefs arrived in Vegas with a ton of preconceptions in their luggage. Championship rings, division titles and the belief that they are the most accomplished team of the decade. However, you still had to play to win. And the Chiefs were a shadow of themselves only from the second half onwards. It was enough to become the first team in 20 years, since the New England Patriots, to defend their title.

Mahomes again

The 28-year-old quarterback threw himself to the ground once his winning pass was caught by his receiver. No doubt out of euphoria, or because the weight of being the worthy heir of Tom Brady and Joe Montana suddenly became very heavy to bear. With 34 completions on 46 attempts, 333 passing yards, two touchdown passes and 66 rushing yards, Mahomes received the game’s MVP award for the third time in his career, like Montana. Only Brady is ahead of them in this regard.

This other triumph will go down in history, but History will also have to remember that Mahomes started the game on his heels. After one quarter, the Chiefs had generated just 16 yards of offense. After a half, the eventual champions had yet to score a touchdown. They were almost counted as beaten. “This part was a reflection of our season,” said the quarterback. We must never underestimate ourselves. »

Mahomes was disoriented and often left to his own devices. The Chiefs looked extremely fragile. To the point where Travis Kelce physically and verbally attacked his head coach Andy Reid. The tight end was obviously dissatisfied with the way the game went. He had caught just one ball, for just one small yard, at the very start of the game.

To explain this slow start to the match, we must inevitably return to the work of the 49ers defense. The California Bay players were inspired and ruthless.

Chase Young, who was no longer expected, woke up at the most important moment of the season. He made the first sack of the quarter of the game. Nick Bosa, a sure bet, offered a return equal to his talent and reputation. His stats aren’t crazy, but throughout the game, he took advantage of Kansas City’s weak offensive line to annoy Mahomes. Like pests around a hot, juicy piece of meat, the two Ohio State alumni were very useful for the Niners.

Steve Wilks’ unit has nothing to be ashamed of. The defense held up for a long time, but a match of this magnitude is played out in all facets of the game.

Coming back from far away

Mahomes and the Chiefs were clearly dominated in the first half of the game. Even the first touchdown pass of the game didn’t even come from the arm of Brock Purdy. The 49ers quarterback initiated a trick play that allowed Jauan Jennings to throw the ball toward Christian McCaffrey to take a 10-0 lead.

As soon as Usher’s show returned, which will never become a classic, the Niners continued to exert constant pressure on the Chiefs’ offense. Ji’Ayir Brown intercepted a Mahomes throw to Kelce 90 seconds into the second half. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, Mahomes couldn’t rely on the ground game, as running back Isiah Pacheco had a second appearance at the big football party very difficult. He dropped the ball at the goal gate, he mishandled a back throw from his quarterback and he failed while trying to convert a third down and a yard, in particular.

With seven minutes left in the third quarter, Mahomes took charge with his legs. Then, a successful 57-yard field goal from Harrison Butker really got the Chiefs going for good. Besides, if this sport were not one in which quarterbacks had to triumph at all costs, Butker could have been considered the most useful player for his team. The kicker still scored 13 points alone.

Know how to win

Both teams sent jabs at each other at the end of the match. Take your favorite Rocky series as an example and imagine each of the quarterbacks in a corner of the ring to capture the desired image. A touchdown pass from Mahomes to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. A touchdown pass from Purdy to Jennings, out of the catacombs for the biggest game of his life.

Then, at 19-19, regulation time had still offered no winner. Like exhausted knights, but eager to win, they removed their armor to return better.

With ultimately adequate usage of McCaffrey on the ground, the Niners broke through Kansas City’s defense. However, unable to capitalize, the Californian attack had to settle for three points. Chris Jones and Nick Bolton did their part, limiting Purdy’s harvest to 255 yards.

But giving Patrick Mahomes 7:25 is way too much, because the greatest always find a way to win.

The Chiefs quarterback demonstrated all his splendor, his aplomb, his judgment and his temerity during this end of the game where each second fell like a guillotine on the Niners’ chances of winning. On his own, he converted a third down and a fourth down.

Thunderous during the first 60 minutes of the game, the 49ers defense was hypnotized. Mahomes was masterful in his management of the dial and impeccable in crucial moments. With three seconds left, Reid called his blockers to the right and his receivers to run left, only to have his quarterback throw a ball with the weight of a dynasty to a late Hardman alone. “I just wanted to catch the ball,” the receiver said after the game.

A catch which gave the Chiefs a third coronation in five years. “We’re aiming for three in a row. But to have three, you had to start with two,” Kelce rightly mentioned. Immediately after rasping his voice with “Viva Las Vegas!” “.

What will remain of this conquest is a fumbled punt return recovered by the Chiefs, a failed conversion by Jake Moody and Trent McDuffie’s blitz on Purdy on third and four with two minutes left in the game. But above all there will remain an indelible trace of this training in the history of this discipline defining America and the appeal of the collective at its peak. It took a great team to redefine the contours of this great and wonderful sport. And the Chiefs did it in the best way by becoming a whole new dynasty.

They said

It’s the start of a dynasty. But we’re not finished. We have a young team. We must continue.

Patrick Mahomes, interviewed on the sidelines on CBS

Well done to the team. What an incredible performance. One of the most exciting Super Bowls I’ve seen.

Clark Hunt, owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, during the presentation of the Vince Lombardi Trophy

The guys were good, the defense was incredible. No, but this defense, right? I’m so proud of the whole group. The special teams dominated in the end.

Andy Reid, head coach of the Chiefs, during the presentation of the Vince Lombardi Trophy

The whole match was like the season. The defense kept us in the game, and the offense made key plays. And [Harrison] Butker who makes a 70-yard field goal! It was a microcosm of our season.

Patrick Mahomes, during the presentation of the Vince-Lombardi trophy

Know that the Kansas City Chiefs are never overlooked.

Patrick Mahomes, during the presentation of the Vince-Lombardi trophy

We had a target on our backs all year. We now have the chance to win three in a row. What do you think ?

Travis Kelce, during the presentation of the Vince-Lombardi trophy

See you next year!

Travis Kelce, during the presentation of the Vince-Lombardi trophy

I lost consciousness. I forgot we won the match!

Mecole Hardman son

I threw him the touchdown pass to win the game, and he looked at me. He had no idea. I told him, “Dude, we just won the Super Bowl.” He had no idea. He didn’t even celebrate at first!

Patrick Mahomes, on Mecole Hardman Jr.