Kansas City Chiefs: Four match-ups to watch in Super Bowl LIV

49ers Defensive Line vs Chiefs Offensive Line

I am going to say something a little controversial here, and that is I think the 49ers defensive line is receiving way to much hype heading into the Super Bowl.

There, I said it. I also believe it.

Do not get me wrong, the 49ers have an absolutely monstrous unit comprised of five(!) first round picks. There is some obvious talent there, and those guys have been balling all season long. Look at the production, and you come away impressed. Ditto if you watch the film. They are VERY good, but they are not an all-time unit like some are making them out to be.

Bosa, Ford, Armstead, and Buckner are nasty. Mean. They compliment each other and have a habit of wrecking other teams.

Ask yourself this though – Are they any better than Chris Jones, Frank Clark, Terrell Suggs and Mike Pennel? Even if they are, that is a very close debate. I would argue that both Clark AND Jones would be the best defensive linemen on the 49ers.

For all the hype rookie Nick Bosa has gotten, he is still just that, a rookie. Bosa finished the season with nine sacks, 25 quarterback hits, and 16 tackles for a loss in 16 games. Chris Jones had nine sacks, 20 quarterback hits, and eight tackles for a loss. That was in 13 games, and that could be considered a down year for Jones.

The point I am trying to make here is not that the 49ers don’t have a great defensive line, and that Nick Bosa isn’t good; it is that the Chiefs have seen plenty of great defensive lines and they were able to handle them because of a mix of great scheming and player talent.

If anyone was built to handle the pressure the 49ers could bring just be rushing four, it is the Chiefs. They have two studs at tackle, with Pro Bowler Eric Fisher and All-Pro Mitchell Schwartz, and they have one of the most genius offensive minds at head coach who is a master of scheming help to the linemen in unique ways.

This is Dan Orlovsky breaking down just how the Chiefs help their line handle pressure. So far this year, the Chiefs have done great jobs of limiting pass rushers like Khalil Mack, Von Miller, Joey Bosa, J.J.Watt, among others to quiet games. They will need to do this in the Super Bowl as well to be successful.

The place I am most worried about pressure coming from is actually from the interior. The interior of the line for the Chiefs is solid, sure, but likes any elite players that can just stonewall great rushers at times like Fisher and Schwartz can.

This is where I think the danger lies. I am confident that Ford and Bosa may be able to make a play or two, but otherwise the Chiefs will have a good game plan for them. The interior of the line with Armstead, Thomas, and Buckner could really pose problems for the Chiefs.

That is the match-up that I am excited to see how the Chiefs handle, and if they can neutralize this great San Francisco line on the way to a Lombardi Trophy.