Kansas City Chiefs: 10 likes and dislikes from Super Bowl LIV

Likes, 6-10

6. Balancing the Offense

With the 49ers attacking with their amazing front four, including Nick Bosa, the Chiefs offense had to mix it up a bit. And they did. For the game, the Chiefs gained 25 first downs; 13 of the firsts came through the air while the other dozen came on the ground. Kansas City also ran the ball a whopping 29 times while throwing 42 passes, which for them, is pretty equal.

7. Ballhawks

The Chiefs picked off Jimmy Garoppolo twice with Bashaud Breeland collecting the first and Kendall Fuller grabbing the second. Fuller made a heck of a play earlier, too, when he launched forward to break up a pass. While the play-action slowed the Chiefs secondary, the corners and safeties made up for it as the game went it on.

When the 49ers had to turn to the passing game to win, you knew it was over. Daniel Sorensen, Tyrann Mathieu, Charvarius Ward, Breeland, Fuller–those guys made sure that San Francisco wouldn’t break through.

8. Depth Hits

Two of the biggest hits laid on Garoppolo were not by the stars of the Kansas City Chiefs defense, but rather by depth pieces. Early in the game, when Garoppolo threw his first interception, he was forced up in the pocket before closing his eyes and letting go a wobbler as defensive lineman Mike Pennel crashed into him. Pennel, mind you, only played in eight regular season games for the Chiefs and didn’t start a single one.

Then, with the Chiefs down 20-17 and the 49ers facing 3rd-and-5 from their own 25 with 5:23 left in the game, linebacker Ben Niemann broke through the middle and planted a vicious hit on Garoppolo, forcing an errant pass for an incompletion. San Francisco punted the next play, and the Chiefs took the lead on the very next drive.

9. Mahomes and Hill

As I noted in my dislikes, Mahomes looked rattled for much of the first three quarters. Some of his passes in the first quarter seemed off target, and while he led the Chiefs on two scoring drives in the first half, he didn’t ooze his usual confidence. And in the third–well, let’s not talk about the third quarter.

But once the Chiefs went down 10 points and got the ball back with 8:33 left, he took over. He scrambled for yardage, he kept plays alive with his legs, he hit his targets, he moved the chains, he threw passes with touch, he threw passes with fire, he led the Chiefs, he motivated the Chiefs, he threw touchdown passes on consecutive drives, he won Super Bowl MVP.

His favorite target of the night? Hill, who paced both teams in receptions (nine), targets (16) and receiving yards (105). He didn’t find the end zone but he might several key plays throughout the game, none bigger than his 44-yard 3rd-down catch in the fourth quarter.

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While I’m at it: mad props to Sammy Watkins, too. He caught five passes on six targets for 98 yards. He made big catches throughout the game. Dude’s killer in the postseason.

10. From IV to LIV

Finally!

After 50 years, another Super Bowl trophy! How cool is that? I mean, really: this Chiefs team is absolutely incredible to watch. Try watching them every week and then watching another football game when the Chiefs have an idle week. It’s not any fun. No other team is this dynamic, this speedy, this gutsy, this exciting.

The 2019 Kansas City Chiefs were a lot like the 2015 Kansas City Royals: exciting to watch on offense and defense. Let’s just hope the Chiefs can keep it together longer than did those Royals.

In the end, it was a great night for every Chiefs fan out there, even the ones who were around in 1970 when the Chiefs upset the Vikings in Super Bowl IV.

For me, well, this is the last professional team for whom I root that’s won a championship in my lifetime. Earlier in 2019, I witnessed the St. Louis Blues win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup, and I didn’t think my sports year could get any better.

Couldn’t have been more wrong.

What an exciting season. What a fantastic ending to an exciting season. What a great Chiefs team.

Here’s to many more seasons of Kansas City Chiefs greatness. And if not, well: I will never forget the team’s 2019 season.