Threepeat looms
The Chiefs are Super Bowl champions anew, but not after encountering significant adversity. After getting a bye on Week 10, they went on to lose four of six games and appeared to be imploding. Matches were replete with sideline disagreements and pouting became commonplace. They thus needed to claim their last two regular season outings to clinch the third seed in the American Football Conference. At the time, it didn’t seem like they would even get close to defending their crown.
And then, just like that, the Chiefs clicked. They buckled down to work, in no small measure because they wanted to prove — to others and, more importantly, to themselves — that they remained on course to wrap their arms around the Vince Lombardi Trophy. After sidestepping the Dolphins in the wild card, they had to emerge victorious in the first road contests of quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ postseason career. Even then, they headed into Super Sunday as underdogs against the seemingly steadier Niners.
In any case, Super Bowl LVIII wound up among the most memorable title set-tos in National Football League annals. For 61,629 rabid fans at Allegiant Stadium and millions more on the edge of their seats in the comfort of their homes, the Big Game exceeded expectations. Overtime was required for it to be decided, and only after new playoff rules provided the Chiefs with the opportunity to score even after the Niners did. And in a clutch performance at par with those of the sport’s all-time greats, Mahomes went on to complete all nine of his passes in a 13-play touchdown drive that secured the repeat for the red and white.
It bears noting that the Niners could well have found success had they not been on the wrong end of a couple of pivotal kicks. One gave the Chiefs possession anew after a three-and-out drive late in the third quarter, netting a TD on the very next play. The other was blocked to prevent an extra point that would have increased the difference beyond a field goal. And, yes, their decision to receive the ball first in OT — and thereafter cede control of their fate to Mahomes — was, perhaps, ill-advised in retrospect. Never mind that the defensive line appeared to be in need of a breather.
Despite the hype, it’s too early to label the Chiefs a dynasty. That said, they’re on the cusp of carving a special place in league annals. They’ve secured tickets to the last playdate of the NFL in four of the last five seasons, ultimately prevailing in three. And, now, a threepeat looms. The King is most certainly not dead. Long live the King.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.