Super Bowl LIX: How the 49ers Helped the Eagles Beat the Chiefs

There is an indirect way as to how the 49ers helped the Eagles beat the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) scores a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first quarter in Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Parallels can be drawn from the way the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles played the Kansas City Chiefs in the last two Super Bowls.

Both the 49ers and Eagles were stout on defense against the Chiefs. Kansas City struggled to get anything going and sustain drives. The 49ers weren't as destructive as the Eagles were on defense against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, especially from a pass-rushing perspective.

Patrick Mahomes was pressured on 38.1 percent of his dropbacks and sacked six times against the Eagles. He was pressured on 35.7 percent of his dropbacks and sacked three times versus the 49ers. Mahomes was more bothered against the Eagles than the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.

Despite that, the 49ers played extremely well against Mahomes and the Chiefs' offense. You couldn't have asked for a better defensive performance out of the 49ers, especially after their mediocrity against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship games.

However, the 49ers couldn't reward their defense with points. The 49ers' defense gave their offense ample opportunities to put up points and win the game. They failed to do so and allowed Mahomes to work his fourth-quarter magic and inevitable comeback to win the game being down two scores.

This is how the Eagles were helped by the 49ers. The Eagles can look at the 49ers' Super Bowl LVIII performance and emphasize getting out to a lead early and continuing to build it. Otherwise, they will fall into the same trap as the 49ers did and lose.

The Eagles were exponentially better than the 49ers in this Super Bowl against the Chiefs. They didn't play scared on offense. They took shots with Jalen Hurts and ran a balanced offense. It led to long and sustained drives where they came away with points.

Philadelphia's offense didn't waste their defense's efforts. The Chiefs are generally a slow-starting offense, so the opposition has to take it to them early and not let off the gas. The 49ers, in both Super Bowls, let off the gas. They couldn't put the Chiefs away.

It allowed Mahomes to be great in the fourth quarter. In any sport, if a team allows a great player to have a chance late in the game, they will be punished. Mahomes did that to the 49ers twice. Meanwhile, the Eagles refused to fall for it again like the 49ers.

They made sure to establish an early lead and continue to add to it. Kansas City had no hope against the Eagles whereas the 49ers never went for the kill shot against them. The only way to stop a great player from being great is to not allow them to have those opportunities.

The Eagles did that by putting the game away early on offense thanks to their defense giving them the chance to do so. It is thanks to the 49ers showcasing that in two pitiful Super Bowl losses to the Chiefs that helped the Eagles.

Well done 49ers.

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