In early February, one of the most legendary and popular sports games occurred: the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl has been around since 1967 when the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10. The event is now the biggest sporting fixture in America, with Super Bowl 59 attracting over one hundred million viewers. While the Super Bowl has changed in many ways over the years, this past one was pretty similar to the first-ever match, including the Chiefs getting whooped.
Going into it, the teams seemed pretty even. The Chiefs had won the two previous fixtures and had who many consider the best quarterback around, Patrick Mahomes. Their star-studded roster, including the likes of Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, and Nick Bolton, seemed to be the favorite, however not by a large margin. The Eagles had stars of their own, most notably Jalen Hurts, their quarterback, and Saquon Barkley, a running back.
Being one of the best, there was a lot of pressure on Mahomes to perform. Unfortunately, however, his performance was mostly forgettable. He threw two interceptions, was sacked 6 times, and fumbled the ball, helping the Eagles secure victory. The Eagles, however, were on point on Sunday. Jalen Hurts won MVP going 17 for 22 passes for 221 yards and scoring a touchdown, Saquon Barkley had 25 carries for 57 yards, and DeVonta Smith had 4 receptions, 69 yards and a touchdown, showing the country their superior play.
The score at halftime was one to remember: 24-0 with the Chiefs losing all hope. The highlight of the break, however, was the halftime show. Kendrick Lamar’s performance featured all sorts of symbolism, too much to notice in one watch for sure. The internet right now is littered with fans and haters respectively, preaching their ideas of this halftime show. His imagery and lyricism displayed commentary on a variety of different issues in America, which many don’t agree with.
Personally, I believe that he wanted to show to the world the struggles that he and other black people in America face. His depictions of Uncle Sam as someone who wants to silence him, and the separation of the people wearing different colors is trying to convey the real-world issues in America. This combined with the fact that he is on the biggest stage in America, in a time when social progress is regressing, is bound to anger many, but also communicate to others that though times are hard, they are not alone, and they are understood.
The match itself was a fun watch, with great moments and plays. Zack Baun’s interception was truly amazing, fully laying out for the catch and showing immense athleticism. The moment that really stuck out to me, however, was Copper Dejean’s pick 6. Cooper Dejean, a promising rookie, saw his opportunity and took it early on in the second quarter, catching an interception, then taking all the way. Not only was it his first NFL interception, it was also his birthday!
It definitely lived up to the title of Super Bowl, though I was really hoping for a more interesting matchup. Ideally, the Commanders pulling through against the Eagles and making it all the way.
