So the Super Bowl Happened…Eagles, Chiefs 2.0
As I write this, it’s February 10 — the day right after the Eagles won their second Super Bowl title ever.
My dad grew up in the Philadelphia metro and clung onto the Eagles as his only thread connecting him to childhood. He has made room in his heart for the Minnesota Vikings. Considerable room, I would say. The Eagles-Vikings 2018 NFC Championship really soured his mood on the City of Brotherly Love. The Eagles fans were just that awful to the Vikings fans.
Still, he had his Eagles sweatshirt on. Go Birds.
Overall, an Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl was not exciting anyone in the country. Unless you live in Philly. Or KC.
Or if your name is Paul Rudd. Paul, I saw you burying your face in your hands. I’m so sorry.
Meanwhile, what would the Super Bowl be like at the Wonchoba household?
For us — we represented Philadelphia with a make-your-own-hoagie spread and soft pretzels. No cheese steaks. We already did that for the last Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl. Also for that Super Bowl: Kansas City barbeque. We didn’t want to repeat that either — we went with KC cheesy corn and some homemade barbecue chips.
Every year for the Super Bowl, my family likes to go beyond the usual beer-and-chips spread and make food showcasing the teams who are playing. It’s helped us remember who has played in the past, big time.
Who played last year? Oh yeah, San Francisco. We had Crab Louie salad.
On for game time. We have our hoagies. We have our pretzels, our chips, our drinks. And kickoff.
As much as I hate Eagles fans (unless they’re related to me — or they’re Anne Hathaway), I was rooting against a Chief’s three-peat. Kansas City is a different kind of insufferable to the NFL’s previous dynasty of the New England Patriots.
KC feels like the “popular kid’s” table. They’re hot shit and they know it.
At least Brady and Belichick held their tongues about winning until the game clock struck zero. They were famous for it. They could be leading by an annoying amount of points at the halftime, but there would be no celebrating. Meanwhile, KC has a kind of cockier energy to them. It feels like they take their wins for granted.
But moving on from Kansas City and their annoying team.
My dad, if you can believe it, was a lot more stressed during the Eagles’ playoff games than the actual Super Bowl. At least, he didn’t show any stress yesterday.
Perhaps that could be due to the absolutely dominant lead the Eagles had throughout the game.
First quarter: touchdown Philadelphia. Nothing yet from KC.
Second quarter: the Eagles built their lead to 24. A pick-6 from their cornerback Cooper DeJean helped this. That DeJean interception was one of three turnovers the Chiefs would suffer that night.
Halftime show: everyone in my household has just enough Kendrick Lamar knowledge to appreciate what he was doing. “Not Like Us.” “Humble.” Uncle Sam Jackson.
Now onto the second half. My brother asked my dad if he can call it for his Eagles — are the Chiefs going to come from behind? There’s losing in the Super Bowl, and then there’s getting no points in the entire first half. There wasn’t even a field goal. Even Brady’s Patriots got three points before halftime in that Super Bowl against the Falcons.
The Chiefs…did not come back.
The Eagles, meanwhile, dug the Chiefs’ wounds in sand and vinegar and built their lead to a monumental 40. They total the Mahomes sacks to six…say that five times fast. Six sacks, six sacks, six sacks.
Anyway, 40–22. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni got his Gatorade shower before the two-minute warning.
At least the Chiefs didn’t embarrass themselves too much. They managed to get a double-digit score.
Still, this Super Bowl felt so surefire. Two teams that we expected to get in. A matchup that we’ve seen before. A sizable Super Bowl lead.
Take a knee, Philadelphia. Take a knee.
Now for a weeks-worth of hoagies to go through.
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