Hey, NFL: Just move the Super Bowl to Arizona permanently. The games are better here
It was February football in Glendale, which meant hearts pounded, sweat beaded and television channels didn’t change.
The Super Bowls don’t come to the Valley often, but when they do, they make memories, and the 57th version of the game, played at State Farm Stadium on Sunday, didn’t disappoint. They’ve been as memorable as a first kiss or a bicycle under the Christmas tree.
The Chiefs' 38-35 victory over the Eagles ranks up there with the Giants upsetting the Patriots 15 years ago, although no one had to pin a football against their head in a critical drive, as did the Giants' David Tyree.
It rivaled the Patriots beating the Seahawks eight years ago, although no one blundered as the Seahawks coaches did when they decided to pass, not run, in an attempt to score in the final seconds.
If future Super Bowls ever becoming boring because of blowouts, the NFL has an easy solution: award Arizona the bid and just stand back and watch.
Only occasionally has a winning Super Bowl team been in as much trouble as the Chiefs appeared to be in the first half. The Eagles dominated nearly every facet, led by 10, and seemed to be a touchdown from putting the game away.
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The Cardinals' decision to interview Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon on Monday seemed like a very good idea.
"They're known for getting a lead on teams and kind of finishing them off," Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. Coming back from a 10-point deficit "hasn't sunk in yet," he said.
The Chiefs had other plans. They scored touchdowns on their first three possessions of the second half, took the lead briefly, and had the ball with the score tied at 35 and 5:15 remaining. They used all but eight seconds of it to set Harrison Butker up for a go-ahead field goal.
Gannon, whose defense didn't force a punt or turnover in the second half, no longer looked like a shiny candidate for one of the NFL’s last two coaching openings.
What happened in the second half? Two future Chiefs’ candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame took over.
Coach Andy Reid didn’t panic. He never does. He’s been around a long time, and he also has the league’s MVP, Mahomes, at quarterback.
Mahomes, voted the game's most valuable player, only passed for 182 yards. But he threw for three touchdowns, rushed for 44 yards and didn't commit a turnover. The Eagles, who led the NFL with 70 sacks and had four players with 10 or more, did not have a sack.
Reid and Mahomes will receive a lot of attention for the victory, and they should. But the Chiefs’ defensive pivot was just as remarkable. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts put them in a Cuisinart in the first half via run-pass options plays.
In the first half, Mahomes mostly had to stand on the sideline and watch as the Eagles offense moved and scored via various speeds and methods.
Quickly. Methodically. Surgically.
Running, passing and kicking.
They beat the Chiefs at nearly everything that mattered and led, 24-14, a score that could have been much worse had Hurts not dropped the ball while being pressured, leading to a fumble return for a touchdown by the Chiefs.
That had something to do with the Eagles possessing the ball nearly 14 more minutes than the Chiefs in the first half, but just a little. After scoring on their opening possession, the Chiefs offense did little else in the half, except drive for a 42-yard field goal attempt that Butker missed.
The Eagles established the tone early and kept playing in the same key throughout first half.
They kept it up in the second half. After the Chiefs scored a touchdown to make it 24-21, the Eagles went on a 17-play drive that consumed almost eight minutes. They ended up with a field goal, but at that point they had snapped the ball 30 more times than Kansas City.
But they were only ahead by six points, and that perhaps was a little disheartening, given how well they had played. And then the Chiefs defense clamped down. Over the next few days, details will emerge about the adjustments coordinator Steve Spagnuolo made, but they had to be considerable. And the Chiefs' dominance in the second half was a reminder of how the Giants shut down the undefeated Patriots 15 years ago here, with Spagnuolo coordinating the attack.
Super Bowl losses often take therapy to overcome, or at least the losing team should be open to asking or help.
Tears flowed down the cheeks of Eagles coach Nick Sirianni as Chris Stapleton sang the national anthem prior to the game, and they likely will flow for awhile afterward for him. And for thousands of Eagles fans.
Reid knows the pain all too well. Before this season, he had taken teams to nine conference championships games, yet won only one Super Bowl.
Under his guidance, the Chiefs have now won two in the last four seasons. At halftime, that seemed improbable. But it's the Super Bowl in Arizona where the magical has become commonplace.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Somers: A thrilling Super Bowl in Arizona? It's become a cliche
