Five things that stood out about the Chiefs’ loss to Eagles in Super Bowl rematch
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Eagles defeat Chiefs 20-17 in Super Bowl rematch at Arrowhead Stadium
- Chiefs' passing game struggles despite Patrick Mahomes under center
- Travis Kelce's deflected goal-line catch leads to decisive interception
The Super Bowl rematch had a better scoring margin than its original copy.
It might leave even more irritation.
The Eagles beat the Chiefs on Sunday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, same as they did in February in New Orleans. The 20-17 final looked better, but it shouldn’t leave the Chiefs feeling much better.
Here are five observations from immediately after the game.
1. The passing game
Yes, the Chiefs are playing without their top best weapons — Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy — and man if watching their offense doesn’t remind us of who they’re playing without.
Think of this sentence: A passing game led by Patrick Mahomes stinks. And he has so little to do with the truth of that sentence.
There are few open receivers. There is even less time to find them.
And Mahomes’ most trusted ally of all failed him in the game’s biggest moment.
He hit Travis Kelce with a pass at the goal line, but the problem is that’s meant literally — the pass hit Kelce and popped into the air, and safety Andrew Mukuba pounced on the deflection for an easy interception.
Rather than scoring a go-ahead touchdown, somehow finding a fourth-quarter lead in the most frustrating of offensive performances, the Eagles flipped the turnover into a two-possession lead.
It was one play, but it was not remotely the entire story of the passing game.
Mahomes completed just one pass that traveled at least 10 yards past the line of scrimmage in the air until the final four minutes of the game. That deep shot to Tyquan Thornton in the fourth quarter makes the final numbers look better — but it shouldn’t make the Chiefs feel much better about their passing game.
2. That fourth-down play
The decision is fine. Better than fine, actually. The ESPN Analytics tool suggests the Chiefs should have left the offense on the field, even their own half of the field, for that third-quarter fourth down.
The play itself? Confusing.
This is a combination I try to avoid — claiming you like the decision but not the call, only after it fails — but let me explain why I’m making an exception.
They Chiefs needed one yard, and they asked Kareem Hunt, a 30-year-old running back not exactly known for his speed, to carry the ball on a slow-developing play across the face of a defensive line that would quite obviously be charging downhill.
That’s the first part. The second: They didn’t need to trick the Eagles.
Even among its downturn over the past year-plus, the Chiefs’ offense has been really good in one area: converting third- and fourth-and-short. And they’ve executed those plays, because they’ve taken the most basic of approaches.
Just let Kareem Hunt find a yard up the middle. Quickly.
Hunt is 17 of 20 on third- or fourth-and-short since his return to Kansas City last September. He’s the right choice. As was the decision to go for it. But the guy is successful for a reason — it doesn’t matter if the defense knows it’s coming, he can muscle his way to a yard.
The Chiefs asked him to use his speed, not his muscle. That’s the baffling part.
And if you’re going to criticize the decision itself, by the way, you’re obligated to mention the Chiefs converted two other fourth downs in the game.
3. The Chiefs defense
There was a bright spot in that game. Really.
After last week’s outing in Brazil, there were more reasons to worry about the defense than the offense, because there is no Rashee Rice or Xavier Worthy return looming.
It will get lost in the result, but it’s found in this column, at least: The Chiefs’ defense was quite good. That should be the story of the game, if not for how inept the other side of the ball was.
Cornerbacks Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie had forgettable games the Super Bowl in February, but the Kansas City secondary held the Eagles to only 101 passing yards. DeVonta Smith did have a key third-down catch, but he and AJ Brown needed 14 targets to combine for 80 yards.
Saquon Barkley had 22 carries for 88 yards.
The blame doesn’t fall here.
4. A dual-threat quarterback
A week ago in Brazil, Mahomes lowered his shoulder into a defender for the purpose of igniting a little energy into this team.
This week, it came by a different necessity — to gain a yard.
They were hard to come by through the air, leaving Mahomes to do much, and nearly most, of the work with his legs. He rushed five times for 60 yards and a touchdown in the first half alone.
Which is great, right?
Well, not really.
Mahomes put his body on the line because the Chiefs’ offense had no other way of moving the ball. He has led the team in rushing in each of the initial two weeks.
It’s just not a recipe for long-term success — or, heck, even short-term success.
5. The Tush Push
It’s the play you know you’re going to see.
And it’s still effective.
The Eagles lined up in their bread-and-butter short-yardage formation multiple times and they turned them all into first downs (eventually).
One try turned a fourth-down into a game-sealing touchdown. Another bled out the clock.
Another gained just two yards — but it led to seven points. It prolonged a drive that concluded with a Saquon Barkley rushing touchdown.
Let me just state what you all are thinking: Yes, it helps the execution when your guards move early.
I’ve never been a proponent of the NFL even discussing banning the play. You don’t ban plays simply because a team is good at it.
But if it’s going to remain part of the game, it has to be called correctly.
Let me just finish with what I’m thinking: If the Chiefs spend any time focusing on the false starts, they’re missing the story entirely.
This story was originally published September 14, 2025 at 6:25 PM with the headline "Five things that stood out about the Chiefs’ loss to Eagles in Super Bowl rematch."