Eagles defensive star: Chiefs offensive line ‘got blessed’ by poor field at Super Bowl
During the Chiefs’ Super Bowl championship parade and rally, the team’s offensive linemen wore T-shirts that said: “0 Sacks.”
That was in reference to the Chiefs’ line shutting out the Eagles’ stellar defensive line.
The Eagles’ 70 sacks last season were the third-most in NFL history since the statistic became official in 1982 (trailing the 1984 Bears and 1989 Vikings).
Philadelphia added eight sacks in its first two playoff games before coming up empty against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.
During a visit last week on “Sports Take with Derrick Gunn & Rob Ellis,” Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham lamented the poor field conditions at State Farm Stadium.
“You need that traction to be able to get off the block and we were slipping a lot,” Graham said. “I don’t make excuses. I just know that that’s what was being talked about, us trying to get out of our own head a little bit, too. ...
“I’m telling you that O-line, they got blessed, I’ll say that.”
When Graham looked back at film of the Chiefs’ 38-35 win in Super Bowl LVII, he said Josh Sweat nearly blew up quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ first pass of the game.
Instead it went for a 20-yard completion to tight end Travis Kelce.
“When we looked at the film, man, it was a couple of times where it was if Sweaty don’t slip, boy, (there would’ve been a) strip sack,” Graham said. “Oh my God, especially that first drive when he threw it across the middle to Kelce. He was right there. He slipped. We could not believe it.
“When we finally looked at the film, I finally looked at it (and) was just like, ‘Man, oh man.’ ... But you know, like I said, credit to Kansas City. It’s all love, you know what I’m saying. Them boys played too, they played on that surface too.”
Graham was drafted by the Eagles in 2010 when Chiefs coach Andy Reid was still in Philadelphia. Watching the Chiefs’ Super Bowl ring ceremony wasn’t easy on Graham, who noted just how close Philly came to winning the game.
“That’s what we needed. that extra to get us that extra drive we needed to win that game, man,” Graham said. “They took one from us. But you know what? It was just like I said, it’s credit to coach Reid, man. He’s getting everything for his career on the back end, too. So I’m loving that for him.
“It sucked to see that ring ceremony the other day, boy, but it’s fueling us even more to get ready for this Vegas trip we’re making. But you know there aren’t no guarantees. We gotta say we got to put the work in. I’m gonna take it one game at a time, but our sights are on that this season.”
That Vegas trip would be Super Bowl LVIII, which will be held at Allegiant Stadium after the 2023 season.
Graham noted how well Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts played against the Chiefs and still seemed bothered that Philly couldn’t get a second-half stop.
The Chiefs scored on each second-half possession, getting three touchdowns and the game-winning field goal. That came after Mahomes reinjured his ankle late in the first half.
“It was tough because you knew it just took one stop. One stop!” he said. “We were in there the whole time like, ‘One stop y’all. We get one stop and we got this game because Jalen and them boys was on fire.’ But you know, I gotta say Mahomes and his boys was on fire too because them boys scored more than we did.
“So I know that when the first half came we were in (the locker room), I was more thinking like (Mahomes) went in there on the sideline (and) he’s looking like he’s hurt. Get him, we gotta get to him. And he came out, you can tell how tough he is, but that boy acted good. He sure put that face up like (he was injured).”
This story was originally published June 26, 2023 at 8:50 AM.
