Eagles Defeat Chiefs, 20–17: 10 Takeaways From the Super Bowl Rematch
The Philadelphia Eagles went on the road and defeated the Kansas City Chiefs by a final score of 20-17 in a Super Bowl rematch. While the Eagles won’t be earning any style points for their second victory, they did just enough to win.
Philadelphia’s passing game struggles continued for the second straight week, which has many concerned in the City of Brotherly Love. Yet Eagles DC Vic Fangio continues to dazzle with his in-game adjustments, which has allowed Philadelphia’s defense to dominate.
Here are my 10 takeaways from Philadelphia’s second win of the regular season.
Philadelphia’s Passing Game Looks Broken
Through the first two weeks of the regular season, Jalen Hurts has just 253 passing yards and hasn’t thrown a single passing touchdown. The only QB that has started (and finished) two games with less passing yards than Hurts is New York Jets QB Justin Fields.
It simply shouldn’t be this hard to pass the ball with an offense that includes A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley. While many are worried that Eagles OC Kevin Patullo is the next Brian Johnson, it’s still a bit too early to panic.
Philadelphia’s passing offense looked broken at times last season, yet the Eagles were still able to win it all. The starters didn’t play at all together during the preseason and slow starts have unfortunately become the norm in the City of Brotherly Love. I’ll choose to take a glass half full approach here and give the passing game a few more weeks to figure things out.
Drew Mukuba Is Going To Be Special
After a relatively quiet performance in Week 1, Drew Mukuba put on a show against the Chiefs. While Mukuba initially whiffed on a tackle against Patrick Mahomes in the open field, he quickly made up for it with a few big plays.
Mukuba recorded six total tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass breakup, half a sack and a huge interception in the red zone. The Chiefs marched down the field and appeared to be on the verge of taking the lead, yet Travis Kelce dropped a pass and Mukuba picked it off.
Following a memorable performance in Kansas City, it certainly looks like Mukuba is going to be a special player in Philadelphia’s secondary for years to come.
Conservative Offense Isn’t Pretty, but It’s Working
It’s clear that the Eagles have struggled on offense and Patullo’s scheme is stale, at best. Philadelphia’s offense ranks near the bottom of the NFL in several major categories after the first two weeks of the regular season.
Total Yards Per Game: 259.0 (29th)
Passing Yards Per Game: 119.0 (31st)
Yards Per Pass Attempt: 5.6 (26th)
Passing Touchdowns: 0 (32nd)
There is no excuse for how poorly Philadelphia’s passing offense has looked in their first two games. The Eagles are simply far too talented to struggle to move the ball through the air.
Yet despite their struggles passing the ball, Philadelphia’s offense has remained relatively efficient. The Eagles have the second-highest completion percentage in the NFL at 75.6%. Philadelphia is also seventh in the NFL in total rushing yards per game (140.0).
While it’s easy to be annoyed by Philadelphia’s conservative approach on offense, they have yet to turn the ball over. The Eagles are one of five teams that haven’t turned the ball over in their first two games. Four of those five teams are 2-0, with the Washington Commanders being the only team that lost (to the 2-0 Green Bay Packers who also haven’t turned the ball over).
Za’Darius Smith Made an Immediate Impact
Philadelphia signed Za’Darius Smith just 10 days before he made his regular season debut for the Eagles. Despite sitting out all of training camp and the preseason, Smith made an immediate impact on the edge in Week 2.
Smith played 20 snaps for the Eagles against the Chiefs, as he helped bring much-needed physicality to Philadelphia’s defensive front. After being gashed on the ground by the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, Smith helped the Eagles hold Kansas City’s RBs to just 2.9 yards per carry.
Smith also showcased his ability as a pass rusher, as he recorded 0.5 sack and a QB hit. While many thought that Smith would need a few weeks to get acclimated to Philadelphia’s defense, he didn’t waste any time making an immediate impact for the Eagles.
The “Tush Push” Is Definitely Getting Banned in 2026
It was clear as day that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wanted the “Tush Push” banned this past offseason. While the league’s attempt to have the play banned ultimately fell short in 2025, it’s hard to imagine that it will survive another offseason, especially after this game.
The Eagles abused their unstoppable play in the second half against the Chiefs, drawing plenty of comments from the broadcasters and FOX rules analyst Dean Blandino. Philadelphia called the “Tush Push” five times in the fourth quarter, with several uncalled penalties bringing even more attention to the controversial play.
Cameron Latu Showed Flashes at FB
There was plenty of hype surrounding LB-turned-FB Ben VanSumeren heading into the regular season. Yet “BVS” suffered a season-ending knee injury on the opening kickoff in Week 1. While TE Kylen Granson initially filled VanSumeren’s role, the Eagles showcased a new wrinkle in Week 2.
Practice squad TE Cameron Latu was promoted to the active roster against the Chiefs and played six snaps. After changing his jersey number to #36, Latu looked like a natural at FB, despite admitting that he never played the position before. Latu laid a crushing block on a Chiefs’ defender and looks like he has earned a role as Philadelphia’s FB moving forward.
Adoree’ Jackson Wasn’t a Total Liability at CB2
Following a win in Week 1, Adoree’ Jackson was the main target of criticism in the City of Brotherly Love. Jackson consistently gave up big plays against the Cowboys and it was far from an encouraging performance.
Yet Jackson bounced back with a solid performance against the Chiefs. While there was a clear talent disparity between Dallas and Kansas City, it was still encouraging to see that Jackson wasn’t abused by Mahomes and the Chiefs.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Jackson allowed three receptions on five targets for just 26 yards in Week 2. Jackson allowed a passer rating of 73.8 against the Chiefs, compared to allowing a passing rating of 113.7 against the Cowboys.
What’s Going On at WR3?
It seemed like Jahan Dotson was trending in the right direction after hauling in a 51-yard pass against the Cowboys in Week 1. Yet Dotson’s role appeared to be reduced in Kansas City.
In Week 1, Dotson played 29 total snaps, which equated to 46% of Philadelphia’s offensive snaps. The next closest WRs were Darius Cooper with two snaps and John Metchie with one snap. It was a different story in Kansas City.
In Week 2, Dotson played 22 total snaps, which equated to 37% of Philadelphia’s offensive snaps. Meanwhile, Cooper played 12 snaps and Metchie played 7 snaps. It’s certainly worth monitoring the WR3 situation moving forward.
Cooper DeJean Found His Kryptonite
I asked Cooper DeJean what his welcome to the NFL moment was last season and the rookie CB recalled his matchup with then Carolina Panthers WR Adam Thielen. DeJean was consistently beat by the savvy veteran, who outclassed the rookie CB with his route running.
After a great performance in Week 1, DeJean struggled in coverage against the Chiefs. This time he was beat by another savvy veteran in Chiefs TE Travis Kelce. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, DeJean allowed five receptions on eight targets for 51 yards in Week 2.
While DeJean is still a rising star and one of the best slot CBs in the NFL, it’s funny to see him struggle against older veterans. Despite being able to body slam Baltimore Ravens superstar RB Derrick Henry in the open field, DeJean might have found his kryptonite.
Jake Elliott Is Back to Being Awesome
One of the biggest concerns in Philadelphia after a Super Bowl winning season was Jake Elliott. The former Pro Bowl kicker struggled from long range in 2024, as he made just one of his seven attempts from 50+ yards during the regular season.
Elliott was reportedly dealing with an injury last season, which might have been the root of his struggles. Yet Elliott appears to have returned to Pro Bowl form, as he has made all three of his field goal attempts from 50+ yards this season.