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Tim McManus, ESPN workers author
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Philadelphia Eagles heart Jason Kelce earned his first skilled victory in opposition to brother Travis Kelce and his longtime coach Andy Reid, however he and a few of his teammates left Arrowhead Stadium feeling much less glad after a 21-17 win over the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs within the Tremendous Bowl LVII rematch Monday night time.
“Hear, I am actually glad,” Jason Kelce mentioned. “I most likely would have been happier if we had put in a extremely dominant efficiency offensively and performed nice. I believe the truth that we did not do this makes it a bit bit bittersweet. I believe the protection is an enormous a part of why we bought the gained the match.” Right now. Hats off to these guys, and I am actually glad to be 9-1.”
With wind and rain being fixed all through the night time, not one of the assaults went notably effectively. Jalen Hurts threw for 150 yards and an interception and was sacked 5 instances, whereas Patrick Mahomes handed for 177 yards with two touchdowns and a decide.
Hurts breathed life into Philly’s passing sport halfway by means of the fourth quarter when he hit DeVonta Smith for a 41-yard completion down the fitting sideline, organising a Hurts speeding rating — his second of the night time — to place the Eagles forward for good. .
“I do not suppose we performed clear tonight. I do not suppose we performed to our stage – not practically our stage,” Hurts mentioned. However I believe what you may’t take a look at or quantify is the resilience {that a} workforce has, the power to persevere, see issues by means of and overcome issues, and this workforce has that.
“Whenever you win video games like we gained video games, it builds numerous character. We’re, I believe, in a personality improvement mode with the video games we performed and the way we gained. It might probably solely serve us for nice issues sooner or later.”
The Chiefs, in the meantime, had been held scoreless within the second half for the third straight sport. They’re averaging 5.3 factors per sport within the league within the second half.
Broad receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling may have put up factors on the Chiefs’ remaining possession, however he dropped a wonderfully positioned cross contained in the Eagles’ 5. That was the most important of 4 drops by the Chiefs within the fourth quarter.
Chiefs receivers are dropping 9% of the passes thrown their approach this season, the best share by means of any workforce’s first ten video games within the final ten seasons.
“Guys I’ve seen catch earlier than have not essentially made the catch,” Reid mentioned. “These are good gamers and we’re doing effectively. We have to make that clear.”
Mahomes equally misplaced a landing cross in a Week 8 loss to the Denver Broncos when huge receiver Skyy Moore dropped a deep cross into the tip zone.
“They know I’ll hold capturing,” Mahomes mentioned. ‘That is simply who I’m. I’ll hearth it on the man who’s open and often they’ll make the performs.
“Offensively, we’re simply not the place I wish to be at this level within the season, and that goes for everybody. It begins with me.”
Nonetheless, the Chiefs (7-3) are tied for the fewest losses within the AFC, whereas the Eagles personal the most effective file in soccer. The chance stays that they may conflict once more in Tremendous Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
“These guys shall be on the market searching identical to us, so we’ll see the way it seems,” Kelce mentioned. “Possibly it is going to be one thing related in February.”
ESPN’s Adam Teicher contributed to this report.
