CHIEFS VS 49ERS: SUPERBOWL LVIII PREVIEW
The first Super Bowl to ever be held in Las Vegas will be a rematch of the 2020 showpiece as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers.
The final match of the 2023 season could mark the true beginning of the Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes dynasty, victory on Sunday would be the third time the pair have lifted the Vince Lombardi Trophy together. But the 49ers stand in their way, and 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan has an axe to grind having lost out on his first title to the Chiefs four years ago.
A burgeoning dynasty?
This Sunday will be the Chiefs’ fourth appearance in the past five Superbowls, they’re reigning champions and have already beaten the 49ers on this stage recently. They have one of the most talented quarterbacks the league has ever seen in Patrick Mahomes, one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history in Travis Kelce and one of the greatest offensive minds ever in Andy Reid as Head Coach.
And yet, their offense isn’t the reason they’re here again, the defense is. Coordinated by Steve Spagnuolo, Kansas City have held four of their last five opponents to 17 points or less, in do or die games no less. While the offense has struggled to click at times throughout the regular season, ‘Spags’ as his players affectionately call him, has constructed one of the NFL's elite defenses. They ranked second in points allowed and total defense this season, they’re also the youngest defense in the NFL at 25 years, 279 days old (per NFL Research).
Only one other NFL team in the 21st century has the experience and know-how on the grandest stage, the Patriots. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick combined for six Superbowl titles throughout their time at New England, Mahomes and Reid could win their third on Sunday. There is still a long way to go, but Kansas City are burgeoning on a dynasty of their own.
Sweet revenge?
The 49ers were up 20–10 with 2:35 left in the third quarter four years ago. They watched the Chiefs put up 21 points in the fourth quarter without San Fran scoring again for the rest of the game. They were a 13-win #1 seed back then, they replicated those feats this season to represent the NFC in Superbowl LVIII.
But what has changed over four years? Jimmy Garoppolo had led the 49ers to the Superbowl in 2020, but the starting quarterback struggled with injury in the following season as San Francisco missed out on the playoffs. Head Coach Kyle Shanahan and General Manager John Lynch were aggressive in the 2021 Draft, moving up to select quarterback Trey Lance as the third overall pick. Lance sat behind Garoppolo in his rookie season but was installed as starter in 2022, that lasted only two games before the QB suffered a season-ending ankle injury against the Seahawks in Week 2. Garoppolo himself sustained a foot injury later that season, leaving rookie Brock Purdy, the final pick in the seventh round of the 2022 Draft, as the starter. Purdy has won 17 of his 21 regular season starts since, and is the undisputed starter.
The 49ers have been efficient on offense this season, they rank second in total offense (398.4 yards per game) and third in scoring (28.9 points per game). This is San Francisco's fourth trip to the postseason in the past five years under Shanahan, with each of the prior trips taking them to the NFC Championship game (at least), though he is yet to win a Super Bowl. Having Purdy on a relatively inexpensive rookie contract has allowed Lynch to build a star-studded roster. The question is whether they can exact revenge on the side that beat them four years previous.
The Stats
Mahomes to have over 262.5 passing yards? He surpassed this total nine times in 19 games this season (47%), but he has also missed it in four of his last five games.
Purdy to have over 247.5 passing yards? He surpassed this total 12 times in 18 games this season (67%), and he has hit it in five of his last seven.
Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs 30-24 San Francisco 49ers
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