The Philadelphia Eagles stormed to an emphatic victory in Super Bowl LIX, obliterating the Kansas City Chiefs in a stunning 40-22 triumph on Sunday night.

The Eagles cruised to their second Super Bowl and fifth NFL championship in jaw-dropping style, blitzing to a 24-0 lead by halftime. Patrick Mahomes endured a disastrous night, crushed by six sacks and throwing two costly interceptions, including an embarrassing pick-six.

While the Chiefs fought tooth and nail for a comeback, the Eagles’ rock-solid defence smothered them, while their red-hot offence kept the points piling up. By the third quarter, even US President Donald Trump, a vocal Chiefs backer, abandoned the Caesars Superdome.

With over 100 million fans watching the biggest night in the NFL calendar, there was still plenty of action on the field. Even if most of it was coming from the absolutely dominating Eagles, led by head coach Nick Sirianni, who had a wide smile on his face from almost the very start of the 59th Super Bowl.

Here are seven key takeaways from the showdown at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Early refereeing controversy

Super Bowl LIX had high stakes: the Chiefs were vying to be the first team to secure three consecutive NFL championships since the Green Bay Packers achieved it in 1967, and the first franchise ever to win three Super Bowls.

The Eagles, on the other hand, were seeking retribution against Kansas City following their 38-35 loss at Super Bowl LVII in Arizona in 2023. The opening drive of the game saw Jalen Hurts and the Eagles take control, with Hurts predictably passing the ball to Saquon Barkley.

The Eagles’ running back had a standout regular season, rushing 2,005 yards, and he notched up three 60-plus-yard rushing touchdowns in the playoffs before Sunday.

Kansas City successfully halted Barkley on the first drive, but this only paved the way for Hurts’ passing game. He connected with AJ Brown after hurling the ball downfield, and the wide receiver’s spectacular catch sent the green-clad fans into a frenzy.

However, the referees penalised Brown for pass interference, despite minimal contact. This dubious call did little to dispel the notion of referee bias towards the Chiefs, and Philadelphia’s supporters made their displeasure known with resounding boos.

Eagles make move

The focus shifted from the referees once the Eagles took control of the match. After Mahomes failed to make an impact on his first drive, Philadelphia struck back.

Kansas City’s cornerback Trent McDuffie was penalised for unnecessary roughness on Dallas Goedert, which allowed Hurts to showcase his second moment of brilliance by finding Jahan Dotson.

Initially, it appeared as though the wide receiver had reached the end zone, but Philadelphia’s celebrations were briefly paused when Dotson’s touchdown was retracted to the one-yard line. The Eagles eventually scored via the tush push.

All eyes then turned to Mahomes to see how he would react. His response was less than stellar, resulting in the Chiefs punting the ball.

Hurts learns from mistake

The Eagles seemed poised to score more points at the start of the second quarter, but Hurts couldn’t capitalise on the drive. On a third down, the quarterback’s pass fell well short of his intended receiver, and Chiefs safety Bryan Cook had ample room as he intercepted the ball before tumbling out of bounds.

Hurts should have accepted the sack and brought kicker Jake Elliott into play. Luckily for the Eagles, Mahomes didn’t capitalise on his counterpart’s error, as Kansas City’s quarterback continued his unexpectedly sluggish start to the match.

Hurts didn’t repeat his mistake on his subsequent drive, with Elliott successfully kicking a field goal after the touchdown was ruled out, taking the score to 10-0.

Sack the Pat

Under mounting pressure, Mahomes needed to find his rhythm and put some points on the board for Kansas City before halftime. What transpired next left everyone in shock.

The Chiefs’ star player, widely hailed as the best quarterback of his generation, was sacked twice before throwing an interception that resulted in a touchdown (pick-six) for Eagles safety Cooper DeJean. It was the perfect birthday gift for DeJean, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Sunday.

Philadelphia’s lead quickly ballooned to 24 points. Mahomes was sacked and intercepted again before halftime, enabling Hurts to connect with Brown for another touchdown.

The Chiefs were in disarray both offensively and defensively throughout the first half. It’s hard to recall a worse performance from Mahomes, especially at this level.

Meanwhile, the Eagles were living the dream.

Mahomes isn’t Brady

As Kendrick Lamar took to the stage for the halftime show, one question was on everyone’s mind – could Mahomes emulate Tom Brady and pull off a legendary Super Bowl comeback?

Eight years ago, Brady orchestrated a stunning victory for the New England Patriots against the Atlanta Falcons at Super Bowl LI, overcoming a 25-point deficit.

However, the Chiefs had a disastrous start to the third quarter. Mahomes was sacked twice before the ball was punted back to the Eagles.

Elliott soon returned to the game, extending Philadelphia’s lead to a daunting 27 points.

Hurts seals the deal

Just when it seemed things couldn’t get any worse for the Chiefs, they did.

Hurts silenced his doubters by proving he is one of the best quarterbacks of his generation, and potentially a future Hall of Famer, with a 46-yard pass to DeVonta Smith for a touchdown.

Mahomes finally found some form in the third quarter, concluding a successful drive with a 24-yard pass to Xavier Worthy to put six points on the board. But it was too little, too late for the two-time defending champions.

The Eagles kept scoring, marking a triumphant moment for the franchise… and for Hurts.

New Orleans delivers once again

There seems to be a certain magic about New Orleans. In 1986, the Chicago Bears trounced the Patriots 46-10 at the Superdome to clinch Super Bowl XX.

Fast forward to 1990, and the San Francisco 49ers triumphed over the Denver Broncos 55-10 at the same venue to secure Super Bowl XXIV. The 49ers’ victory still stands as the most decisive win in Super Bowl history, but now the Eagles have carved out their own significant victory in New Orleans.

The aftermath of this defeat for the Chiefs remains to be seen. Their squad is showing signs of age – tight end Travis Kelce is 35, defensive tackle Chris Jones is 30, and even coach Andy Reid is 66.

But perhaps more crucially, the psychological impact of this loss could be far-reaching.

The once seemingly invincible Chiefs now appear vulnerable, while the Eagles, with Hurts at just 26 and Barkley celebrating his 28th birthday on Sunday, seem to be a complete package. While Kansas City may not get another shot at a three-peat, Philadelphia might just be poised for one.