Kansas City Chiefs: Four match-ups to watch in Super Bowl LIV
By Kole Berrey
San Francisco’s Running Game vs Kansas City’s Rush Defense
This one is going to be fun. Honestly, this is also what I am worried most about.
Sometimes we can be tricked by recency bias, and watching the 49ers dismantle the Packers in the NFC Championship Game while also only throwing eight passes counts as being recent, for sure. The 49ers ran for a staggering 285 yards that day, mostly on the back of Raheem Mostert’s 220. This bias is anything but recent, however, as San Francisco has been creatively running the football all year long.
A little know fact is that the 49ers running backs are fast. So fast that they make fast people look, well – Not fast. Also, that isn’t a little known fact. The 49ers running backs are to speed like what the Chiefs wide receivers are too, well – Speed. That is what poses the biggest problem here for the Chiefs.
It is well documented that the Chiefs have had an abysmal rush defense for the past few years. This year has been better, as they have had good performances against great runners like Phillip Lindsay, Dalvin Cook, and Derrick Henry. The problem is that they have also had some terrible performances this year as well, and I don’t know which side is going to show up this Sunday; the good or the ugly.
If the Chiefs are able to not stifle, but at least slow down the 49ers running attack, the will be in a positive game script to win. “Forcing” the 49ers and Garoppolo to throw isn’t a guaranteed win, though, like some are making it seem.
The 49ers can sling it around the yard as well. The strength of the Chiefs defense however lies in its pass rush and pass defense, so making the 49ers throw a bunch plays into Kansas City’s strengths.
On the flip side, if the 49ers are not only able to run the ball, but score off of it, watch out. Racking up mind numbing rushing stats is one thing, but converting them into points is where it can get dangerous.
Patrick Mahomes needs to be on the field to win, and time of possession may not be as important as some make it out to be, but if San Francisco can grind clock and score in bunches, the Chiefs will be in trouble.