OTL: Three-Peat Denied

The NFL season has come to an end and there is a new champion on top of the mountain. The Philadelphia Eagles trounced the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in a game that stopped being close before Kendrick Lamar performed at halftime. Look, I picked the Eagles, but who had 40-22 on their Bingo card? The contingent of Ravens fans watching just to see the Chiefs fall got their wish in a very cathartic way. While much of the glory and credit goes to the Eagles, Nick Shook of NFL.com writes that one of the things we learned is that Patrick Mahomes is indeed human. 

“Patrick Mahomes had a total of three snaps in which he looked like himself on Sunday: His first completion of the game on the Chiefs’ first play from scrimmage, his long pass to Xavier Worthy to set up the Chiefs’ first touchdown, and a backhanded flip to Travis Kelce on a scramble when the game had already become a blowout. Otherwise, he looked as if he’d left his superpowers in Kansas City. Early pressures and a variety of coverages made Mahomes incredibly hesitant, removing his pre-snap reads and speeding up his clock. He threw a number of inaccurate passes — some while under pressure, some while free from it — never settled in and made a couple of awful decisions resulting in interceptions. It looked a whole lot like the last time the Chiefs were soundly beaten: Super Bowl LV against the Buccaneers, another game in which a superior defense dominated Kansas City. The problems obviously begin with the offensive line, which has been Kansas City’s weakness all season, but it was almost shocking to see Mahomes reduced to a frantic, uncertain quarterback. It also left no doubt as to who would win this game by the middle of the third quarter.

I said going into this game that the Eagles were the better team and the Chiefs have gotten away without improving from last season. The Eagles were clearly the best team and the Chiefs couldn’t skate to their normal victory. It is quite possible that the Chiefs felt too much confidence going into this game. They weren’t dominant this season, but they almost always won. They have been here and they have won it all. For the Eagles it seemed like completing a season of destiny and finishing with an effort that left a resounding statement; for the Chiefs it felt like they went into this game unaware of the challenge that awaited them. The Chiefs have been skating by on their defense and Mahomes doing just enough.

It should have struck the NFL fan a bit oddly that Mahomes wasn’t in the MVP conversation and that the Chiefs’ play didn’t always reflect their records. Kansas City played with fire and won some games with luck at the end. Mahomes almost robotically always found a way to pull them ahead in the end of these games. If it wasn’t that, it was the defense blocking a last-second field goal attempt, or the opponent completely shooting themselves in the foot when victory looked imminent. It was almost reassuring to watch him lose. It’s not because there’s any ill will towards Mahomes, it’s just nice to see that the Chiefs win wasn’t an inevitability and even the great Patrick Mahomes can struggle.

From dream chaser to Super Bowl MVP pic.twitter.com/77lYdDcLlK

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 10, 2025

It’s hard not to be happy for Jalen Hurts, your Super Bowl MVP. I remember watching Hurts first start with the Alabama Crimson Tide. I remember watching him move on to Oklahoma and having an incredible 2019 season. He’s a quarterback I have always believed in and have rooted for. He’s tough and he’s had to prove a lot along the way. Now he’s a Super Bowl champion.

Jalen Hurts drafted after Burrow, Tua, Herbert, Love… just became Super Bowl
MVP by stopping a 3-peat, beating Mahomes and w Carson Wentz on the other sideline. Benched at Alabama. Shined at Oklahoma. Revenge in SB 59. What a remarkable story.

pic.twitter.com/Apy6OnUnEA

— Kevin Negandhi (@KevinNegandhi) February 10, 2025

The fans salty that they had to watch the Chiefs attempt to win their third Super Bowl won. Now life moves on. The Eagles can look forward to a parade in Philadelphia and all the glory that comes with winning the league’s most important game. One of the side effects from winning is losing key contributors to new opportunities. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Philadelphia offensive coordinator Kellen Moore will be the Saints new head coach. 

Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is expected to become the New Orleans Saints’ head coach, barring any unexpected developments, league sources told ESPN.

Moore has been the top candidate for the vacant Saints job since completing a pair of interviews with New Orleans last month.

This move is actually surprising to me. Moore is a very young 36 years old and has only had a few stops on the road as an offensive coordinator. I understand that the appeal to this move is that it’s not another retread and it feels like a hiring the hot hand that orchestrated a wowing Eagles offense. It still feels like this may be coming a bit early for Moore. I’m rooting for him though; he was fun to watch on the blue field of Boise State going 50-3 as a starter. That was appointment TV College Football, especially 2010-2011. He had some success with the Cowboys and now has really shown a balance of creativity and common sense as a play-caller. I think it might be early but these are the opportunities Super Bowl seasons produce.

The Ravens have to gear up for free agency and the NFL Draft. They move on without the coveted championship the team felt worthy of all season. Lamar Jackson moves on without his third MVP, as Josh Allen was given the award.

“I get it, Josh is a great quarterback, he hadn’t won one, Lamar had two. And they’re like let’s just give him one. But that’s the wrong reason. They made the wrong choice. But that’s all good. He didn’t have the year Lamar had.”

– Former Ravens HOF OT Jonathan Ogden on MVP pic.twitter.com/16YxqHoJdV

— Ravens Nation ð™‡ð™„ð™‘𙀠(@LIVERavenNation) February 9, 2025

Speaking of what the season produced, we have to get into the MVP conversation, at least a little bit. Ravens legend Jonathan Ogden is quoted as saying that Lamar Jackson, not Josh Allen should be the MVP. It’s hard to disagree with Ogden here. The reasons Allen won MVP have a subjective feel to them as he didn’t lead in the statistical categories and Jackson was the first-team All-Pro quarterback. It’s almost like the voters just decided they wanted Allen to get it so they let Jackson be the All-Pro as an early consolation prize. It’s hard to have anything against Allen; in fact he’s an incredibly fun player to watch. I keep going back to one point, that Jackson is one of two unanimous MVPs and he had a better year than when he got his unanimous MVP. Logically, the award would have to go to Jackson.

Josh Allen: UNRECRUITED NFL MVP pic.twitter.com/OpteDTiPbx

— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) February 7, 2025

They said he was overrated

They said he was nothing without Diggs

They said he about to have the worst season

They said Allen nothing without his top WRs
.. once again Allen proved everyone wrong and now he won his first mvp pic.twitter.com/3YNG2Amkjo

— Sai (@EdoSaii) February 7, 2025

A lot of conversation has gone to the idea that Allen made himself from out of nowhere. He didn’t get recruited and ended up being the surprising product out of Wyoming and all that good stuff.  The underdog story is touching… cool… fine. Jackson may have two MVP awards but every team in the league had one chance to draft him and he ended up being the Ravens second first round draft pick in 2018. Jackson was told to move to wide receiver by NFL scouts and got called a running back over and over again. You can play the same heartstrings on your violin for Jackson so the sentimental reason for crowning Allen falls flat for me. I agree with the Hall of Fame left tackle. Ogden is right: the award shouldn’t be awarded this way.

Thank you, Philadelphia, for restoring balance to the league.

Time to hit the reset button on the AFC demolition derby. The #Ravens are right there. In fact they gave the Eagles a game for 3 quarters until they were eventually overwhelmed. #RavensFlock

Need a strong offseason. pic.twitter.com/MeVIGYhhKa

— Dev Panchwagh (@devpanchwagh) February 10, 2025

The Ravens have to move on to the offseason. The moral they need to take from the Super Bowl is that you can never stop trying to be better, you can’t take things for granted even when you’re the Chiefs and the NFL world thinks it’s inevitable that you’ll win the Super Bowl.

We’ll leave you with a fun prediction for the next Super Bowl.

Commanders v Ravens Super Bowl next year.

— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) February 10, 2025

It’s crazy to think how realistic this could be. Lamar Jackson vs. Jayden Daniels for all the marbles just feels like something that has to happen. The Battle of the Beltway is certainly a dream to root for.

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