Coaches and players love to trot out the old “just another game, just another opponent” line, but no one was buying that from the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles. In Game of Thrones, they say “The North Remembers.” Well, the City of Brotherly Love remembers too.
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They may have acted like it was just another game, but after falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 57, taking the belt from that same Chiefs team in Super Bowl 59 was sweet, sweet retribution for Jordan Mailata and the Birds.
In February 2023, the Eagles lost a heartbreaker 38-35 to the Chiefs in Super Bowl 57. They had a 24-14 lead in that game, only for Patrick Mahomes and company to engineer a comeback. Not this time.
This time, the Eagles took the lead early and they not only stayed on top, but they really ran it up on the two-time defending champs, too. Guys like Mailata, who were there in 2022, had to admit that there had been a feeling of “unfinished business” against K.C.
“I can’t speak for guys who were a part of that team two years ago, but certainly for me, I had a lot of reasons for wanting to win this game. But yeah, definitely draw from the experiences from the last time we were here. I think it was very important for… the guys who were here two years ago… for us to finish the job,” Mailata told Michael Strahan.
While some animosity was inevitable given the opponent, what truly pushed the Eagles over the top was their own approach. Their focus was on their identity and how they liked to win games. And above all else, Mailata credited the victory to the team’s meticulous preparation and attention to detail.
“I think it comes down to preparation, and detail, and that starts with coaching. I think the coaches did a great job the last two weeks preparing us for every single look we could see on offense. And also preparing our defense for… whatever they put on film, we’ve seen it… And I think the culture in that locker room, guys wanting to play and win for each other, and that was it.”
The unity of that locker room this season was a sight to behold. Despite way more drama than you’d expect from a 14-3 team, they stayed together. Whether it was big-time trade acquisitions like A.J. Brown or Darius Slay, top draft picks like Jalen Carter or Quinyon Mitchell, splashy signings like Saquon Barkley, under-the-radar free agents like Zack Baun, or 7th-round selections like Jordan Mailata.
Eagles built Super Bowl 59 roster through the trenches
The Aussie, who mans the ever-important left tackle spot, was a diamond in the rough. But make no mistake—he is the exception to the rule in Philly. This Eagles team is built through the trenches, and their roster construction proves it.
Jordan Mailata was a late pick, but left guard Landon Dickerson and center Cam Jurgens were both recent second-round selections. 2024 free-agent right guard signee Mekhi Becton was a first-round pick, as was veteran right tackle Lane Johnson. That group averages a whopping 6’6″ and 338 pounds, setting records for a starting Super Bowl O-line.
No wonder the Chiefs’ front four had such a hard time creating havoc in the backfield: Chris Jones, Tershawn Wharton, and Mike Danna average a measly 6’3″ and 277.5 pounds.
While QB and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts was sacked just twice, even those mammoths couldn’t get Philly’s vaunted running game going. It was the beef on Philly’s defensive line that truly made the difference on Sunday. All three of their starting interior defensive linemen stand at 6’3″ or taller and weigh over 290 pounds. Two of them—Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis—were also top-15 picks in recent years.”
Along with edge rushers Nolan Smith and Josh Sweat, they wreaked havoc on Mahomes and the Chiefs so consistently that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio didn’t need to call a single blitz all night. Still, they sacked Mahomes six times, forced a fumble, and pressured him into two bad throws that led to interceptions—one of which was a pick-six.
Just when you think it’s over, that old “defense wins championships” maxim always seems to make a comeback, doesn’t it?
