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Standing on the 300 Level of GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City — one cannot help but be impressed by the NFL Championship banners blowing around in the hot Missouri air. It was the second most impressive thing at Arrowhead on Sunday. Apart from the Philadelphia Eagles, that is.
On Sunday afternoon — in hard fought rematch of Super Bowl LIX ten months ago — the rushing attack of the Philadelphia Eagles offense led the way with two touchdowns in a 20–17 victory. But it was what happened on defense that was even more intriguing.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio — in an uncharacteristic move — sent pressure from every corner of the field at Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. One of the standouts in the Eagles secondary was rookie Safety Andrew Mukaba — who finished with six tackles, a 1.5 sack, and a 41-yard interception return on a pass picked off after a ricochet off of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Last year in Super Bowl LIX — then-rookie Eagles Cooper DeJean would intercept Patrick Mahomes — returning it thirty-eight yards for a score.
Just under thirty years ago — another Eagles rookie was making a positive impression. Eagles Head Coach Ray Rhodes had drafted Brian Dawkins the previous May — after an impressive career at Clemson and an equally impressive NFL Combine. In week 5 against the Dallas Cowboys — After catapulting to the starting safety position on the Eagles — Dawkins shot the gap and blindsided three-time NFL Champion Troy Aikman. The ball popped into the air and was subsequently intercepted and returned 32-yards for a touchdown by Rhett Hall.
The Eagles defense — which limited Mahomes’ offense to just seventeen points — was impressive all afternoon long. Those championship banners celebrating what was previously the best team in the NFL was almost as impressive.
Almost, but not quite.
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Michael Thomas Leibrandt
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