The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs squared off in a highly anticipated week two matchup that echoed the drama and intensity of last season’s NFL championship game. On a crisp Sunday afternoon in Kansas City, Missouri, the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles edged out the Chiefs 20-17, seizing a victory that was anything but easy and sending ripples through the early 2025 NFL season.
Both teams entered the contest with plenty to prove. The Eagles, fresh off their Super Bowl triumph, aimed to reinforce their dominance, while the Chiefs looked to bounce back from an uncharacteristic stumble in their season opener. The energy at Arrowhead Stadium was palpable, amplified by the dazzling performances of the Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders and Game Entertainment Teams, whose presence on the sidelines kept fans fired up even as tension mounted on the field.
From the opening whistle, it was clear that this would not be a repeat of the Eagles’ 40-22 rout in last year’s big game. Instead, both offenses struggled to find their rhythm. For the Chiefs, the issues were particularly glaring in the running game. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, known more for his arm than his legs, led the team in rushing with 123 yards—more than all his teammates combined. That’s not exactly the blueprint Kansas City envisioned. As one observer put it, "We knew this coming into 2025, but everyone in the organization continued to just sip their coffee. It’s time to stop acting like Isiah Pacheco will develop into a reliable every-down NFL back."
Pacheco’s inability to read blocks and turn his speed into big plays was evident, and veteran Kareem Hunt, while still showing flashes of vision, simply couldn’t keep up physically. The running woes were compounded by head coach Andy Reid’s play-calling. A failed fourth-down attempt in the second half—telegraphed by a big formation and a predictable run up the gut—proved costly. "This team simply isn’t good enough on the ground to impose its will," the critique continued.
Despite Kansas City’s offensive stumbles, the Chiefs’ defense largely held its own, save for a few missteps. Safety Chamarri Conner struggled on Philadelphia’s first scoring drive, but the rest of the unit found its footing. Defensive tackle Chris Jones was a force in the trenches, and linebacker Drue Tranquill continued his solid play at the second level. The pass rush didn’t always get home, but the secondary held up well against a talented Eagles receiving corps.
The Eagles, meanwhile, weren’t immune to offensive hiccups. Quarterback Jalen Hurts managed just 101 passing yards but delivered when it mattered most—scoring a crucial touchdown on a signature "tush-push" play in the fourth quarter. That drive was set up by a pivotal moment: with the Chiefs threatening in the red zone, Mahomes fired a bullet to Travis Kelce on the edge of the end zone. The usually sure-handed tight end couldn’t control the pass, and Eagles safety Andrew Makuba snagged the interception. That turnover flipped the game on its head and gave Philadelphia the momentum they needed.
Hurts reflected on the hard-fought nature of the contest after the game. "That’s something in the past," he said, referencing last season’s Super Bowl blowout. "We knew they were going to come in hungry today and that’s something that we had to put on ourselves. We can’t be casual. When you’re playing against championship-level teams it’s about showing up in those big-game situations. I think we did that."
The Chiefs, for their part, were hampered by more than just execution. They were missing three of their top four receivers, including Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy, due to injuries and off-field issues. The absence of these playmakers shrunk the margin for error, a fact not lost on Kansas City fans. "If Rice and Worthy had played in this game, the Chiefs would have won hands down. But we don’t live in a world of what-ifs. You don’t get to write off games where your best players are unavailable. If the next man up can’t do the job, everyone shares the failure."
Even so, the Chiefs nearly clawed their way back. Down 20-10 in the final minutes, Mahomes connected with Tyquan Thompson for a spectacular 49-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to just three points with three minutes to play. The stadium roared to life, but the Chiefs would not get another chance. The Eagles’ defense held firm, and time expired with Philadelphia on top.
This loss marked the Chiefs’ second straight defeat—a rare occurrence for a team that lost just two games in the entire 2024 regular season. The frustration was evident, but there’s no sense of panic yet. "The sky isn’t falling," one Kansas City analyst wrote. "Reinforcements are on the way." The defense, despite its blemishes, is "still good enough to be good enough." And with Rice and Worthy expected to return soon, the Chiefs’ offense should regain some of its lost spark.
Elsewhere around the league, Sunday was packed with drama and fireworks. In Dallas, the Cowboys outlasted the New York Giants 40-37 in an overtime thriller, with Brandon Aubrey nailing a 46-yard field goal as time expired. Detroit’s Lions mauled the Chicago Bears 52-21, as Jared Goff tossed five touchdowns and Amon-Ra St. Brown hauled in three of them. The Buffalo Bills cruised past the New York Jets, while the Baltimore Ravens rebounded in style, trouncing the Cleveland Browns 41-17 behind four touchdown passes from Lamar Jackson. The Seattle Seahawks pulled off a surprise 31-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, and in Cincinnati, backup Jake Browning stepped up with a last-minute touchdown to secure a 31-27 victory after Joe Burrow went down with a toe injury.
Back in Kansas City, the Chiefs Cheerleaders and entertainment teams kept spirits high throughout the afternoon, their vibrant routines and energy providing a welcome distraction from the nail-biting action on the field. The spectacle off the field was a reminder that, win or lose, Chiefs Kingdom knows how to put on a show.
As the dust settles on week two, both the Eagles and Chiefs face important questions. Can Philadelphia maintain its early momentum and defend its crown? Will Kansas City’s reinforcements return in time to restore their championship swagger? One thing’s for sure: with the season just underway, there’s plenty of football—and plenty of drama—still to come.
