Sports Then and Now

The Kansas City Chiefs are on the doorstep of National Football League history. No team has ever won three straight Super Bowls and the back-to-back defending world champion Chiefs could become the first as they prepare to play the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. In fact, Kansas City is the first and only team in the history of the Super Bowl to reach a third straight Super Bowl having won the prior two. Thus, the Chiefs, champions of the American Football Conference, are in unprecedented territory which has never been explored before in the 105-year history of the NFL. Kansas City’s quest for a third straight Super Bowl win will take place Sunday Feb. 9 with kickoff set for 6:30 pm EST in the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA. The game will be broadcast on FOX Sports and the most recent line has the Chiefs (-1.5) a slight favorite. The over/under for total points to be scored in the game is at 49 after opening at 49.5 With a victory, Kansas City would create a new standard for an NFL championship reign as well as a new mark for consistency at the highest level of football.

The Chiefs are in the Super Bowl for the fifth time in the last six seasons and are 3-1 in their prior four trips since the 2019 season. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes has the Chiefs on the brink of history and will be the most important player on the field on Sunday. Mahomes, a two-time NFL most valuable player, is the top quarterback in the game today largely due to his ability to consistently execute plays with his arm and legs. If a play should break down in some way, Mahomes draws on his experience by using his mind, creativity, and talents to deliver, especially in the clutch moments of games. His prime target is veteran tight end Travis Kelce who has the same ability to come up big in the biggest of moments. Look for those two to connect in some big moments on Sunday. Named to the Pro Bowl six times thus far in his career, Mahomes is one of only three players in NFL history with three Super Bowl MVP awards. The other two are Joe Montana with three and Tom Brady who holds the record with five such honors.

Along with masterful coaching by Kansas City head coach Andy Reid, Mahomes has the Chiefs at the top of their game. Kansas City won their ninth straight AFC west division title this season and set a single-season franchise record for most regular season wins with a 15-2 mark. Over this nine-season span, the Chiefs have gone 46-8 in division play and had a 6-0 record in three of the seasons, two of which culminated with a Super Bowl championship following the 2019 and 2022 seasons. While they have dominated their division and been the team others are targeting in the Mahomes era, they have done so not just by winning by big margins. In fact, it has been just the opposite this year. Kansas City enters the Super Bowl having won 17 straight one-possession games dating back to the 2023 season. This includes five postseason games, one of which was the classic 32-29 win over Buffalo in the AFC Championship game on Jan. 26 that sent them to New Orleans. The Chiefs just play above their opponents in the important moments throughout the game as well as in the biggest moments in the late stages of the fourth quarter or overtime. Reid and Mahomes have a lot to do with that along with the rest of the Kansas City players who provide a proven supporting cast. The Chiefs have succeeded time and time again in either pulling out a victory or preserving a small lead. Such was the case this season back on Nov. 10 when linebacker Leo Chenal blocked a potential game-winning field goal attempt by Denver with :01 left to play, preserving a 16-14 victory that moved Kansas City to 9-0. The Chiefs have so much moxie that when a big play or must have situation arises for them, they almost always make the play that gives them the edge. This is what the Eagles will have to monitor and be ready for from Kansas City as the game progresses on Sunday. Philadelphia will need to be very alert at all times.

The Eagles and Chiefs are playing in the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons. Kansas City rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat Philadelphia 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII in 2023 in Glendale, AZ. There, the Chiefs stormed back in the second half to take a 35-27 lead with 9:02 left to play in the fourth quarter. The Eagles responded with an eight-play 75-yard drive capped by Jalen Hurts’ two-yard touchdown run. Hurts added the two-point conversion to force a 35-35 tie with 5:15 left to play. That’s when Kansas City turned to Mahomes for his leadership and clutch ability. Hobbled by a high right ankle sprain, which he had reaggravated in the first half, Mahomes lead the Chiefs down the field, going 3-for-3 for 17 yards and adding a critical 26-yard run to get deep into Philadelphia territory. Three plays later after Mahomes’ big run, Mahomes threw a short pass to the left side looking for JuJu Smith-Schuster on third-and-eight. Officials called a defensive holding penalty on the play against Eagles’ defensive back James Bradberry nullifying the play and giving Kansas City a first-and-10 at the Eagles 11-yard line with 1:54 left to play. Philadelphia was forced to use its’ remaining timeouts and the Chiefs ran the clock down to :11. Harrison Butker’s 27-yard field goal clinched the win for Kansas City. Only :08 remained as the Eagles took the kickoff back to their own 36-yard line. Six seconds remained for the Eagles and Hurts’ pass down the middle fell incomplete to end the game.

Neither quarterback threw an interception in Super Bowl LVII and Hurts had a better statistical performance than Mahomes. Hurts went 27-for-38 for 304 yards and one touchdown while also running for 70 yards on 15 carries, three of which were touchdowns. Mahomes finished 21-for-27 for 182 yards and three touchdowns and was not sacked. Hurts was sacked twice and committed a costly fumble which was returned 36 yards for a touchdown by Chiefs’ linebacker Nick Bolton to force a 14-14 tie in the second quarter.

While most of Philadelphia’s roster is the same as two years ago, they have a new look on defense and it starts on the defensive line with second-year defensive tackle Jalen Carter. The 6-3 and 314-pound lineman wreaks havoc in the middle of the defensive front and makes life difficult for opposing runners. Carter teams with his former Georgia teammate Jordan Davis who is 6-6 and 336 pounds giving the Eagles the ability to clog the middle of the line of scrimmage with imposing size. Behind them lie linebackers Zach Baun and Oren Burks who are solid tacklers. Baun leads Philadelphia with 93 tackles and also has 3.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and 1 interception this season. Baun was a finalist for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year at the NFL Honors ceremony held this week in New Orleans. The Eagles boosted their secondary in last spring’s NFL Draft, selecting cornerbacks Quniyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Both are first on the depth chart and have joined veterans Darius Slay, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Reed Blankenship to form a strong secondary.

The tandem of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith give Hurts two of the top wide receivers in the game to throw to along with tight end Dallas Goedert. Brown had 67 catches for 1,079 yards and 7 touchdowns this season while Smith had 68 reception for 833 yards and 8 touchdowns. Some new faces on the offensive line have given Philadelphia perhaps the best offensive line in the league this year as Cam Jurgens has taken over nicely for the retired Jason Kelce at center. The 6-7 and 363-pound Mekhi Becton was acquired from the NY Jets to fortify right guard. This duo has teammed with veterans Landon Dickerson, Jordan Mailata, and five-time Pro Bowler Lane Johnson to form a top unit.

That unit has imposed their will at the line of scrimmage leading to one of the best seasons the NFL has ever season by a running back. Acquired from the division rival New York Giants last offseason, Saquon Barkley finished the regular season with 2,005 yards rushing on 345 carries with 13 touchdowns while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Barkley came within 101 yards of breaking Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards which he set in 1984. Barkley is one of only nine players in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, joining the likes of O.J. Simpson, Dickerson, Barry Sanders, and Terrell Davis who are all in the Hall-of-Fame. Named a first-team All-Pro and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year at NFL Honors this week, Barkley will be the most important player on the field for the Eagles this Sunday. The three-time Pro Bowler will be getting a lot of attention from Kansas City’s defense in the form of eight-man fronts to try to limit his production. Barkley has five touchdown runs of 60-yards or more this season, two coming in the postseason so far. Barkley getting loose with 20-plus yard runs a few times could be Philadelphia’s best formula for dethroning the Chiefs and their bid for a three-peat.

The outcome of the game will largely hinge on how well Kansas City’s defense contains Barkley and the Eagles’ running game to include what Hurts can do on the ground. The Chiefs surrendered 1,731 rushing yards this season, good for eighth fewest in the league this season and allowed 4.1 yards per carry, tied for fourth fewest in the league. With Barkley averaging nearly six yards per carry and posing a constant threat, Kansas City will have to be aware of where he is at all times.

Philadelphia ranked second in the league to Baltimore in rushing offense this season with 3,048 yards while the Chiefs ranked 21st with 1,790 yards. The Eagles have a big advantage here with Barkley and a jumbo sized offensive line. Hurts can also be a factor on the ground as he rushed for 630 yards on 150 carries and 14 touchdowns this season. Barkley is the biggest difference between this Philadelphia team and the one that lost to Kansas City two years ago in the Super Bowl. He gives the offense much more balance and makes Hurts a more effective passer. Hurts threw for 2,903 yards and 18 touchdowns this season while completing 248-of-361 passes, good for a 68.7 completion percentage.

On the other side, Mahomes is the centerpiece of the Chiefs offense. The eight-year veteran is in his prime and chasing unchartered territory. While his legacy has already been established, it can take a significant step forward should Kansas City win a third straight Super Bowl. A two-time First-team All-Pro, Mahomes ranked seventh in the league this year with 3,928 passing yards. He also threw 26 touchdown passes, good for seventh most in the league. In the Mahomes era, the Chiefs have been able to out perform their opponent when it has mattered the most. When the stakes are the highest, Kansas City is at their best with Mahomes making the critical decision by being the trigger man with a successful pass or run. His receiving corps has changed over the years but the results have stayed largely the same. After trading speedster Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins following the 2021 season for draft capital, they have acquired other wide receiver talent such as veteran DeAndre Hopkins and the speedy rookie in Xavier Worthy to bolster their receiving corps. They haven’t missed a beat. Kelce has such a strong connection to Mahomes that both are so reliable to each other and can be depended on by their teammates. Worthy had 59 catches for 638 yards and 6 touchdowns on the season while Hopkins had 56 catches for 610 yards and 5 touchdowns. Kelce, Mahomes’ favorite target, had 97 catches for 823 yards and 3 touchdowns. Although Mahomes had 11 interceptions on the season, he has not thrown an interception in the playoffs thus far. The Chiefs have committed less penalties than their opponents in each of their two playoff wins.

Running the ball for Kansas City will be the duo of Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt. Both are capable runners in support of Mahomes. Pacheco rushed 83 times for 310 yards on the season with one touchdown while Hunt tallied 728 yards on 200 carries with 7 touchdowns. Samaje Perine is a threat on third downs and short yardage situations. Perine only rushed for 92 yards on 20 carries this season with 1 touchdown. However he is valuable as an outlet receiver coming out of the backfield. Nowhere was this more evident than in the AFC Championship game. Perine’s 17-yard catch and run from Mahomes on third-and-nine was the clinching play that allowed the Chiefs to run out the clock and beat Buffalo to advance to the Super Bowl. The blockers up front include Creed Humphrey at center along with Joe Thuney and Jawan Taylor at tackle. Mike Caliendo and Trey Smith are the starting guards. Humphrey and Thuney are each two-time Pro Bowlers. This unit will be challenged by the size and strength of Philadelphia’s defensive front.

Kansas City’s defense will be tested by Barkley. Chiefs’ defensive tackle Chris Jones along with defensive end George Karlaftis will be integral pieces and look for Kansas City to run some stunts to interchange the two in hopes of getting pressure on Hurts and slowing down Barkley. Linebackers Drue Tranquill and Nick Bolton will also have to be sure handed tacklers, especially on Barkley. Trent McDuffie is one of the best cornerbacks in the league and Justin Reid is an experienced safety. They will be challenged by Brown and Smith and the Eagles passing attack especially in play-action situations should Barkley be getting loose for big yards.

With all this in mind, both teams have what it takes to win on Sunday. In these situations, time has told us that the team that makes the least mistakes has the best chance at winning. Thus turnovers, penalties, and dropped passes are going to play a big factor in determining the outcome. The Chiefs have the edge in experience but Philadelphia is not far behind and has the better rushing attack. This has the makings of a close game. Should it be a one-possession game in the fourth quarter, the edge could very well go to the team that has the ball last. Even if Kansas City is down by more than one possession, history will still be on their side as they have overcome 10-point deficits in all three of their prior Super Bowl wins in the Mahomes era. If Super Bowl LIX plays out like this with no bigger than a 10-point margin throughout the game, the winner will have really earned it. Either way, history will be made on Sunday with a first-ever Super Bowl three-peat or a first-ever denial of it.

As the National Football League prepares for its 100^th season, the top NFL betting sites are making predictions for which team will lift the Lombardi Trophy at the end of Super Bowl LIV.

Given that they have appeared in each of the last three Super Bowls (winning two), you can never go wrong putting your money on the New England Patriots.

Conventional wisdom tells us that at some point the amazing reign of the Patriots will end, but every time it looks like the magic run is over, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick pull another rabbit out of the hat. In a league where parody and volatility from year-to-year is the norm, New England has posted double digits victories for 16 straight years and won 10 straight division titles.

Even though Brady is 41-years old and will be without one of his favorite targets in recently retiree Rob Gronkowski, there is little reason to doubt that the Patriots offense will again be among the best in the NFL. Last year they scored the fourth most points in the league and ranked in the top 10 in both passing and rushing yards.

Solid defense is typically a key to the success of the Patriots. Last year they were seventh in the league in points allowed, but ranked 22^nd in passing yards allowed. In a conference that boasts some great quarterbacks, the Patriots have to improve their pass defense this season.

Most prognosticators are jumping on the band wagon of the team guided by one of those young quarterbacks, the Kansas City Chiefs. Pat Mahomes nearly led the Chiefs past the Patriots in the AFC title game last season and appear to be positioned to make another run in 2019.

It might have been better if Richard Sherman had let his play on the field do all his talking.

Much was made on social media of the unsportsmanlike display of Seattle Seahawks defensive back Richard Sherman after he made a game-saving play in the final seconds of the NFC Championship Game between Seattle and the San Francisco 49ers.

While there is no question that Sherman’s gestures and trash talking at the end of the game were certainly un-called for and slightly diminish the greatness of his play, they are in no way original.

In fact, loud-mouthed defensive backs playing in the Super Bowl dates back to the very first NFL-AFL Championship Game when Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Fred “the Hammer” Williamson garnered headlines for his boasts about how he would handle the receivers for the NFL Champion Green Bay Packers.

“Two hammers to (Boyd) Dowler, one to (Carroll) Dale should be enough,” Williamson claimed.

Interestingly, Williamson and Sherman actually have more in common than just their bravado.

Both players attended schools known more for their academics than their football, Williamson at Northwestern and Sherman at Stanford.

They also were both lightly regarded coming into the NFL.

Williamson was an undrafted free agent and originally signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After spending one season in Pittsburgh, Williamson developed into an All-AFL defensive back during four seasons with the Oakland Raiders. He then moved to Kansas City where he ultimately played three seasons. Read the rest of this entry →

Otis Taylor

The December Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month was once famously shuffled out of a window during the AFL-NFL player wars and went on to become one of the top big-play receivers of his era.

After playing college football at the tiny, historically black, Prairie View A&M University, Otis Taylor was selected in the 1965 draft by both the Kansas City Chiefs of the AFL and Philadelphia Eagles from the NFL. He ultimately signed with the Chiefs and became a key weapon for a Kansas City team that appeared in two of the first four Super Bowls. Read the rest of this entry →

With a 9-0 record to start the season, Alex Smith has the Kansas City Chiefs pointing in the right direction.

With the NFL season now officially past the mid-point, there has been quite a lot of unpredictability. Some based on off-season player and coaching changes and some that can be attributed to injuries and on the field successes and failures.

So far no team has benefited more from adding a new player and a new coach than the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. Head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Alex Smith have proven to be a great combination as the Chiefs have gone from two victories and the first overall draft pick in 2012 to nine wins and counting in 2013. Granted their success is due as much to their defense and running game as it is to Smith, but he has definitely provided the stability needed under center. Reid has also proven that leaving Philadelphia was the right tonic he needed to get back to his role as one of the best coaches in the NFL.

In a league where 12 teams have either four or five victories after nine weeks (either eight or nine games depending on whether the team has already had their bye week), one or two players can make a huge difference.

A week ago the Green Bay Packers seemed poised to take control of the NFC Central and solidify themselves as a Super Bowl contender. One of the big reasons for that was the play of rookie running back Eddie Lacy. Lacy ranks in the top ten in the NFL with 596 yards rushing in his first seven games. However, after All Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collar bone early in their Monday Night loss to the Chicago Bears, the Packers are now considered a long shot to overcome the loss of their quarterback and make the playoffs.
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As we took off into the second quarter of the season (for most teams), the fascinating phenomena kept rolling in. Included in this week’s list is something that hasn’t happened to the New England offense in seven years, a first for any quarterback since the merger, the continuation of home dominance for one NFC North team, a record-tying day for one tight end and an offensive outburst in Dallas. Here are your Week 5 NFL headlines.

Travis Benjamin had a career night in the return game for the red-hot Browns.

The Browns scored their first rushing touchdown of the season (and it wasn’t Trent Richardson) in their fifth game and stayed perfect when starting quarterback Brian Hoyer as they beat the Bills, 37-24, on Thursday night. They did, however, lose Hoyer for the season with a partially torn ACL suffered early in the game. Cleveland punt returner, Travis Benjamin, tied a franchise record with 166 punt return yards in the win for the first-place Browns. Their 37 points were the most they have scored in a game since putting up 41 back in 2009. Since Week 3, they are averaging 28.3 points per game after averaging eight points per game in the first two weeks.

The Patriots fell from the ranks of the unbeaten and the Bengals improved to 6-22 against the AFC East since 1998 as New England managed only six points in the 13-6 loss. The six points were the fewest for the high-powered New England offense since being shut out on Dec. 10, 2006, 21-0, in Week 14 against Miami. The Bengals’ 5-22 record had been the third-worst against one division in that span. Andy Dalton’s first-quarter interception in the red zone was the first red-zone pick of his career. Tom Brady fell two short of the all-time record for consecutive games with a touchdown pass as he failed to record one in game No. 53. The Pats had won 63 straight games when allowing 13 points or less with their last such loss coming in 2001. Read the rest of this entry →