February 11, 2025

Game ball, three stars, and snap count analysis: Super Bowl, Eagles vs. Chiefs

The Eagles dominated the Chiefs up and down the field in Super Bowl LIX.

By Jimmy Kempski
PhillyVoice Staff

Geoff Burke/Imagn Images

The Eagles' defense crushed the Chiefs' souls in the Super Bowl.

In their Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs, the Philadelphia Eagles played 74 snaps on offense and 56 on defense. Let's just get right to the snap counts, and some notes.

Quarterback

• 67 snaps: Jalen Hurts

• 7 snaps: Kenny Pickett

Notes: Hurts made one bad throw under pressure on his INT, but he was otherwise stellar, completing 17 of 22 passes for 222 yards, and 2 TDs. He was accurate to all areas of the field, but especially on deep throws when the Eagles took shots. He also had a massive day as a runner, gobbling up 72 yards and a TD on 11 carries. His ability to make plays with his legs is often underappreciated, and it helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl.

Running back

• 60 snaps: Saquon Barkley

• 14 snaps: Kenny Gainwell

• 3 snaps: Will Shipley

• 3 snaps: Khari Blasingame

Notes: Barkley was bottled up all night, as he ran 25 times for just 57 yards. But he was also a reason that the offense got so many favorable looks and matchups in the passing game. Steve Spagnuolo sold out to stop Barkley, a reasonable approach, but Hurts and his receivers made him pay.

Wide receiver

• 65 snaps: A.J. Brown

• 57 snaps: DeVonta Smith

• 44 snaps: Jahan Dotson

• 16 snaps: Parris Campbell

• 8 snaps: Johnny Wilson

Notes: Smith has only been in the NFL for four seasons, and he already has 43 playoff receptions. He has made bigtime plays on the brightest stage in college.

And now also in the NFL:

Brown also scored on a crosser, and would've had a prettier stat line if he didn't have a deep ball down the sideline negated by a soft offensive pass interference call.

Dotson was also a surprise contributor, making the first big offensive play of the game, a 28-yard reception that set up a Brotherly Shove from the 1.

Tight end

• 62 snaps: Dallas Goedert

• 32 snaps: Grant Calcaterra

• 6 snaps: E.J. Jenkins

Notes: Goedert caught both of his targets for 27 yards. He had a big 20-yard reception on a 2nd and 8 play on the Eagles' first scoring drive.

Offensive line

• 74 snaps each: Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson

• 67 snaps each: Cam Jurgens and Lane Johnson

• 61 snaps: Mehki Becton

• 13 snaps: Tyler Steen

• 7 snaps: Fred Johnson and Brett Toth

Notes: The Eagles probably had the best offensive line in the NFL when they won it all in 2017, and they did again in 2024. The only lineman to start for both of those teams was Lane Johnson. He's going to have a very strong case to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer whenever he retires.

During the Super Bowl, the Chiefs' clear plan was to focus heavily on shutting down Barkley, which they did, while also blitzing Hurts. The line did an outstanding job of giving Hurts time to throw the ball down the field against that added pressure.

MORE: The Eagles' dominant romp to a Super Bowl title by the numbers

Edge defenders

• 46 snaps: Josh Sweat

• 30 snaps: Nolan Smith

• 23 snaps: Jalyx Hunt

• 13 snaps: Brandon Graham

Notes: Sweat (2.5 sacks), Smith, Hunt (0.5 sacks), and Graham sacked, hit, and buzzed around Patrick Mahomes all night. There was a point in the season when the edge rushers were thought to be the weakest part of the Eagles' defense, but Smith's ascension to a budding star player and Hunt's increasing contributions changed that perception. Sweat was a part of 3 sacks, and he affected the Mahomes throw that was picked off by Zack Baun. Via @dlinevids1:

Graham very likely played his final game in the NFL. Earl Thomas played his last game more than five years ago.

Interior defensive line

• 41 snaps: Jalen Carter

• 25 snaps each: Milton Williams and Moro Ojomo

• 14 snaps: Jordan Davis

• 7 snaps: Thomas Booker

Notes: Carter drew double teams all night, allowing the Eagles' edge rushers and other interior defenders to get favorable one-on-ones against the Chiefs' weak spots at LT, LG, and RT.

Williams capitalized with 2 sacks and a forced fumble. His play in the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl probably raised his asking price in free agency this offseason.

Ojomo had a strong game after an encouraging second season, while Davis collected a sack in each of the Eagles' wins against the Commanders and Chiefs.

Linebacker

• 55 snaps: Oren Burks

• 54 snaps: Zack Baun

• 2 snaps: Jeremiah Trotter

Notes: Baun punctuated his incredible season with a diving INT of Mahomes that led to an Eagles TD. In one year he went from role player who didn't start to star player. Burks had a miserable Super Bowl against the Chiefs while playing for the 49ers last season, but he played well this time around and earned a ring. After Nakobe Dean went down with a torn patellar tendon, the linebacker position became a significant concern. As it turned out, it didn't matter, as Burks was up to the challenge of replacing Dean.

Cornerback and safety

• 54 snaps each: Quinyon Mitchell and Reed Blankenship

• 52 snaps: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson

• 51 snaps: Cooper DeJean

• 49 snaps: Darius Slay

• 8 snaps: Isaiah Rodgers

• 7 snaps: Avonte Maddox

• 2 snaps: Kelee Ringo, Tristin McCollum, and Sydney Brown

Notes: DeJean's pick-six was the moment where Mahomes really looked not only mortal, but overmatched.

Mitchell blanketed receivers down the field all night, as he did all season.

Slay may have gone out on top, just like Graham. We'll see.

CJGJ and Blankenship were physical on the back end, as always.

Even Maddox came in and broke up a crucial pass on 4th down that gave the ball back to the Eagles' offense.

Three stars 🤩

⭐⭐⭐: Jalen Hurts

🌟🌟: Josh Sweat

✨: Milton Williams

Eagles game ball 🏈

🏈: Vic Fangio: Fangio didn't roll out some sort of tricky game plan in the Super Bowl against Patrick Mahomes. He just played his defense and allowed his players to play fast and execute. His brilliance in 2024 was getting such a young defense to get on the same page and play as a team, culminating in a thorough beatdown of the Chiefs' offense.