How Sacks and Interceptions Defined Patrick Mahomes’ Struggles in Super Bowl LIX

Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback, was the betting favorite to win Super Bowl LIX MVP on Sunday as he sought a historic third consecutive championship. However, by halftime, the records Mahomes had set seemed far from a testament to his greatness. The Philadelphia Eagles relentlessly pressured Mahomes throughout the game, leading to a 40-22 victory. The Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts was named Super Bowl MVP.

Mahomes found some success in the second half when the game was already out of reach. He finished the game 21-of-32 for 257 yards, with three touchdowns and two interceptions, along with one fumble.

Mahomes Struggles Early On

Mahomes started the game with a disappointing 17 yards, the fewest of his career in the first quarter this season. The Chiefs gained only 14 yards in their first five drives, marking the lowest yardage in the opening drives of any game Mahomes has started, including both regular season and playoffs.

The first interception came when Cooper Dejean intercepted a 38-yard pass from Mahomes, which allowed the Eagles to take a commanding 17-0 lead with 7:03 remaining in the first half. Mahomes became the first Super Bowl quarterback to take back-to-back sacks before throwing an interception in three consecutive plays.

For the first time in his career, Mahomes threw two interceptions in the first half of a playoff game. His completion rate of 43% in the first half was his second-lowest, just ahead of a 42% completion rate against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2 of 2020. He finished the first half with only 33 yards, the lowest first-half total of his career.

Pressure and Sacks Take a Toll

Mahomes was 1-of-6 on passes over five yards, with two interceptions on those attempts. In previous seasons, Mahomes had been 14-of-22 with one touchdown on similar passes, but the Eagles’ defense was unrelenting. He became the second Super Bowl quarterback in history to throw an interception on consecutive passing attempts, following Craig Morton, who did so first with the Dallas Cowboys and later with the Denver Broncos.

The Chiefs did not move the ball past midfield until their 10th drive, which ended with a series of nine plays, the longest such drive in Super Bowl history. Mahomes endured six sacks during the game, the most he has faced in any career game, whether regular season or playoffs.

Mahomes Faces Historic Pressure in Super Bowl LIX

Mahomes became the second Super Bowl quarterback in history to be sacked six times while facing four or fewer pass rushers, following Roger Staubach of the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl X. Despite the constant pressure, Mahomes remained poised, managing to avoid being blitzed 42 times, marking the second-most in Super Bowl history.

Under immense pressure, Mahomes completed 3-of-8 passes for 43 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.