Chris Myers
Play-by-Play Announcer, Reporter and Studio Host
Editor’s Note: Throughout the NFL playoffs, Chris Myers and his research team analyze upcoming matchups, while providing news, notes, and nuggets for inside access to the information an NFL broadcaster uses to prepare for calling a game.
SUPER BOWL LIX REVIEW
After a game that only made Eagles fans happy due to its lopsided nature, Philadelphia reigns supreme over the NFL after its surprisingly dominant 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday.
The question as to whether the Chiefs would put the capital “D” in dynasty with the NFL’s first three-peat was answered with a resounding “no” as Kansas City failed to match the exceptional early intensity of the Eagles.
We were among those saying the Eagles had the best overall roster, but thought that the Hall of Fame coaching and quarterbacking of Kansas City would give the Chiefs a great chance to win. But on this Sunday, the Eagles defensive line overwhelmed the Chiefs O-line, rattled Patrick Mahomes and produced two uncharacteristic errors that led to 14 points.
Meanwhile, except for one egregious early interception, Jalen Hurts was exceptional on the way to capturing Super Bowl MVP honors. Philadelphia’s signal-caller completed 77 percent of his passes for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns, one a superb 46-yard dart to DeVonta Smith in the third quarter that pushed the Eagles’ lead to 34-0. When the Chiefs rushed hard, Hurts evaded the pressure, taking only two sacks while rushing for 72 yards — the most ever by a quarterback in the Super Bowl — and a TD.
Hurts also played well in Super Bowl LVII, an eventual 38-35 loss to these same Chiefs. Benched at Alabama for Tua Tagovailoa and widely considered to lack the passing skills of an elite QB, he has turned his then-surprising selection in the second round in 2020 into perhaps the greatest of Eagles general manager Howie Roseman’s many achievements.
Remember, at the time, Carson Wentz was the unquestioned top quarterback, coming off a season with more than 4,000 passing yards and 27 TD passes. Eagles fans, much like when the Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. this year, expected the pick to be used on someone that would immediately make the 9-7 Eagles better.
But Roseman saw Hurt’s singular focus and willingness to constantly improve, in addition to his development later at Oklahoma, and made the pick.
“It’s okay to question me,” Roseman said at the time, “But I don’t want to get lost in the fact that Jalen Hurts is an Eagle. And, he’s ours. And this is one of the great college football players of the past four years. This is one of the great character guys in this draft. This is one of the great leaders in this draft. This is an asset to any football team.”
Roseman’s words ring so true, now that Hurts is a Super Bowl champion with 43 total wins over the last three seasons.
This is sort of a selective stat due to the rushing requirement, but Hurts now joins only Joe Montana as quarterbacks with 400-plus pass yards, 100-plus rush yards and a passer rating of above 100 in Super Bowl play. His 10 career postseason rushing TDs are the most for any quarterback.
Also, a shoutout to Nick Sirianni. To those on the outside, he seemed to be hanging on as Eagles coach just a year ago at this time. But after he and Roseman re-tooled the coaching staff, Sirianni’s strengths as a motivator and leader came to the fore this season.
The Eagles played hard and they played smart in the Super Bowl, and that is a tribute to Sirianni.
Philadelphia benefited by taking defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, an Eastern Pennsylvania native, off the Dolphins staff. I was in New Orleans in 1986 when Fangio, then only 28, joined the Saints staff, coming with Jim Mora from the USFL’s Philadelphia Stars. This was now his 38th NFL season, a respected member of the staffs of 10 teams – and it was his first Super Bowl victory.
How great he must feel today — a lifetime of work rewarded in Super Bowl LIX.
Speaking of New Orleans, Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is reportedly headed to the Saints as the new head coach. Moore, an obscure NFL backup as recently as 2017, has justified those who believed in him, including Sirianni and Roseman, with an outstanding job in his one year with the Eagles.
It helped, of course, that he had the best running back in football in Saquon Barkley behind an elite offensive line. But he designed and implemented an offense that played to those strengths, while still doing enough creative things in the passing game to balance things out. He’s going to face a considerable challenge with the current state of the Saints, but he’s bringing a Super Bowl ring to the job.
Can the Eagles now replace the Chiefs as a dynasty, and perhaps The Dynasty?
Well, as my broadcast partner Mark Schlereth tweeted last night, “Dominate the line of scrimmage, win football games. For all those that call me an old head…that old school tactic will never change Young Bucks.”
And these Eagles have the lines to do that, dominate, into the future, especially if Roseman continues to re-stock them, as I think he will, through the draft and free agency. Hurts is only 26 with a sizeable, but not back-breaking, contract factored in through 2028.
With the Eagles heading for a parade down Broad Street, that’s a wrap on the 2024 NFL season. And already, we’re looking forward to the many twists and turns to come this offseason with new coaches, new quarterbacks, other free agency moves and the draft. The continuing storylines, that so many are familiar with, as why it is the number one sports league in the world.
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I would like to take the time to join in the shoutouts to two fabulous contributors to FOX Sports.
We don’t know if Jimmy Johnson will be retiring from the pregame show, but the great segment saluting him Sunday and the obvious warmth from his colleagues, made a lot of us misty. Jimmy has given his all to provide insightful, fair commentary for 25 years after a brilliant coaching career at the college and pro levels.
Jimmy Johnson: ‘NFL on FOX’ tribute to his legendary career
And we also note the retirement of Don Cornelli. Unknown by name to the world in general, we all know his work product — as the best football sideline videographer in the business. A member of the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, Cornelli has been racing around the sidelines for a top NFL crew for nearly 40 years. I spent many a sideline assignment with him, and in a business where fighting for a spot for a shot can be contentious, he amazed with how he could pleasantly glide into the best location to get exactly the right shot. As FOX Sports president Eric Shanks said, “No one sees the world more clearly through a viewfinder than Don Cornelli, and the world is better for it.” Congratulations on a great career, Don.
Chris Myers is an Emmy Award-winning play-by-play announcer, reporter and studio host for FOX Sports. Follow him on Twitter @The_ChrisMyers.
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