Like chefs: Kansas City and their talented quarterback Patrick Mahomes won the 54th NFL Super Bowl, the second in the history of the American football franchise, at the expense of San Francisco (31-20), Sunday in Miami at the end of a thrilling suspense final.
The franchise of Missouri, which thus puts an end to fifty years of famine since its first coronation against Minnesota, succeeds the prize list in New England. The Patriots of the indefatigable Tom Brady won last year for the sixth time, extending an 18-year long dynasty in which they played nine finals.
This time, no “Pats” nor “Brady” on the bill, no “Super Bore” either at the finish unlike the tasteless final last year, but Chiefs, whose triumph seems having to open a new era, whose youthful Afro-cut face is that of Patrick Mahomes.
Poise, coolness and talent of Mahomes
The 24-year-old has become the second youngest quarterback in history to lift the Vince-Lombardi trophy after Ben Roethlisberger. However, he suffered for a long time under the enormous defensive pressure imposed by 49ers who almost succeeded, but he showed enough cheek, cold blood and talent to do what his whole team expected of him: the difference.
His fourth quarter was that of the great champions, under the eyes of former "QB" who have long entered the legend of this sport like Joe Montana, present at Hard-Rock Stadium packed with 76,000 spectators, and who would surely have preferred to see his openness to enter the most successful Pantheon, alongside New England and Green Bay.
78.1% success rate
With ten points to catch up, after three quarters played in total discomfort, beaten four times, intercepted twice, Mahomes first succeeded in a crucial throw - for the Chiefs' third attempt with 15 yards to win - which found Tyreek Hill 44 yards away. He then finished the job perfectly with an offering to Travis Klece (20-17).
The renewed confidence among Chiefs, who had demonstrated during these play-offs their ability to reverse compromised situations, as in the 2nd round against Houston (51-31 after being led 24-0), resulted in another recital of Mahomes, who managed four consecutive passes to go up fifty yards and finally find Damien Williams for the touchdown (24-20). The latter then gave the finishing blow by achieving the double in the last minutes of a 38-yard race.
In terms of numbers, the final of Mahomes, who himself had entered the first Kansas City touchdown in the race in the first quarter, comes down to 286 yards covered in the throw (78.1% success) . A performance which made him the big star of the final, to the detriment of his counterpart opposite Jimmy Garropolo, who however did not deserve for what constituted his first final also, he who has two Super Bowls, won without playing in 2015 and 2017, watching shine the one he was then the replacement in New England, Tom Brady.
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