Did we all watch that game or did we not? MVP was the Eagles’ defense. Hurts did his part. It wasn’t him who won the game. WTH.
Eh, Hurts was pretty great. Issue with “the defense” is who do you pick? You can’t name “the entire D line” as MVP
Just cut it into four pieces and give it to the front four. Those guys blew up every play for 75% of the game.
You pick someone from the defensive line. It was the defensive line that dominated the game. They disrupted everything that Chiefs and Mahomes did so much Chiefs couldn’t do anything - not with his arms, not the timely runs he usually has with his legs. Mahomes was sacked 6 times during the game. He was sacked 36 times the entire season. Mahomes had 11 QBR rating, the 2nd lowest of his HOF career. Mahomes gave up 2 INTs. He had 11 all year.
Furthermore, they did all of that rushing JUST 4 most of the game! Heck I don’t remember one time Eagles blitzed. They shut down one of the all-time great QBs. With just 4 RUSHERS. I would have picked Josh Sweat who had 2.5 sacks on the D line. That’s who!
The defense was phenomenal. Which player was the most valuable, though? Six sacks, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery, and nearly three scoreless quarters. The defense fucking nailed it. But it wasn’t one player who was carrying the defense.
Meanwhile, Hurts put on a masterclass on dismantling the Chiefs defense. He threw 17/22 for 210 yards and 2 TDs (and one interception that was entirely his fault), not including the perfect dime to Brown that was blanked because the refs suck. Oh, and he ran for more yards than Barkley, with a Brotherly Shove TD as a cherry on top.
The defense definitely won this game. But no single player was more valuable than Hurts.
210 yards is a game manager’s yards. It wasn’t master class by ANY means. This was like the 2001 Ravens Superbowl QB performance - just managed the game. The stupid press didn’t name a defensive MVP because none had a big name like Ray Lewis. The only reason Hurts won was because there wasn’t a “name guy” on defense. But Hurts’ performance didn’t win them. It wasn’t a masterclass. It was competent.
He “only” had 210 yards in the air because the defense kept getting him short fields. But he also ran for 72 yards, the most by a QB in the SuperBowl, beating the record of 70 set by Jalen Hurts two year ago. Kenny Pickett finished the game because it was entirely out of reach by the end of the third quarter. Don’t tell me his stats contain more truth than what I saw with my own eyes.
I’m not arguing with you whether the defense won this game. The defense won this game. But there are several “name guys” on the defense that each contributed. Even the players who didn’t show up on the stats were locking down receivers and putting pressure on the pocket. It was a total team effort on both sides of the ball. Everyone played well.
And Jalen was the most valuable player on the field. He played against the best quarterback in the league on the best team with the best coach, and he beat them like an outdated metaphor from a time when physical abuse was socially acceptable. He made the dominant Kasas City Chiefs look like a JV squad.
And the Chiefs played well. They were pressuring the quarterback. They shut down the OPOTY Saquon Barkley. Their down field coverage was good against a dynamic receiving corps. 17/22. 119.7 QB passer rating. No, he wasn’t perfect. He made mistakes, he threw that interception, but he did what Mahomes couldn’t and avoided repeating them.
So which player was more valuable? Who had a bigger impact on the game than Jalen Hurts? Name somebody who was on the field and contributed more, on either team.
You said it! The game was “out of reach” because of the defense, not because of what Hurts did. His runs were helpful in keeping the ball, but he had short fields to work with entire game - due to Defense! It was defense who rescued Hurts from an early turnover, one where Chiefs usually capitalize on. There aren’t any “name guys” on this defense. They haven’t made a name themselves. Hurts had a few moments. 2 big throws. That’s it. The defense made way more plays. I know the league markets based on QB, and you’re buying it hook sinker and line. THIS was not one where he made the Eagles win. This is where he contributed to a defensive win.
Do you know how dominant that Eagles’ line was? They pressured Mahomes on 50% of dropbacks without ONE SINGLE BLITZ. Article quote: “Vic Fangio put on a clinic. He didn’t blitz one time on Sunday”. Do you know how UBER RARE that is? It is UNHEARD OF in this day and age. To play an entire playoff game dominating on defense without ONE single blitz. The greatest defenses of all time blitzed - like the Bears’ 46 D or the Ravens when they won in 2001. This was a superlative ALL-TIME performance by a D-line, and the whole NFL press missed giving them credit in the most obvious way. They will talk about this defensive line in the days to come. More so than Hurts’ performance.
Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Zach Baun, CJGJ, Brandon Graham, and Slay are all nationally recognized named defensive players. Not all of them are famous for good reasons, but they are names what inspire fear in the hearts of Quarterbacks what hear them.
Super Bowl MVP is just the “winning QB award” in most cases anyway. If a single player doesn’t stand out head-and-shouldere above the rest, they’ll just give it to the winning QB.
It’s clearly an injustice though. This defensive performance was basically on par with the best superbowl defenses of all time - the Bears 46, and Ravens 2001. What they did was outrageous - getting that much pressure with just 4 linemen. Completely destroyed Chiefs and one of the greastest QBs of all time with 4 players. Never been done in Superbowl era.
Oh, not disagreeing there. It’s frankly annoying how they do treat the MVP as the “winning QB award”. But it’s just how it is, for better or for worse.
Cooper DeJean was robbed.
This is completely bogus… Mahomes clearly deserves MVP… That pick six was crucial, and another interception just a drive later? chef’s kiss
