The 49ers had the NFL’s stingiest pass defense this season.
And there might not be a more explosive passing team in the league than the Chiefs.
The
49ers’ 37-20 win in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the Packers
set up a Super Bowl matchup of those strengths after the Chiefs beat
the Titans 35-24 in the AFC Championship Game earlier Sunday.
It marks the Chiefs’ first Super Bowl appearance in
50 years, ending the third-longest drought after the Lions (54) and Jets
(51). The Chiefs beat Minnesota 23-7 in Super Bowl IV; they had
appeared in just two AFC title games since — losing after the 1993
season to the Bills and last year in overtime to the Patriots.
“Andy
Reid is as good of a coach as there is in this league,” 49ers head
coach Kyle Shanahan said of his K.C. counterpart. “I think he’s a
for-sure Hall of Famer. I know how good Andy is. I know how good their
quarterback is. I know how good their team is.”
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the reigning MVP, did not replicate his
2018 numbers of 5,000-plus passing yards and 50 touchdowns this season
and missed two games with a knee injury. He still threw for 4,031 yards
with 26 touchdowns, five interceptions and a passer rating of 105.3 for a
Kansas City team that finished 12-4 to earn the AFC’s No. 2 seed.
As these playoffs have shown, Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense are as potent as ever.
In
the divisional round, the Chiefs trailed 24-0 to the Texans in the
second quarter — only to score 41 consecutive points en route to a 51-31
win. Mahomes threw for five touchdowns including four in the second
quarter alone.
Tight end Travis Kelce (97 receptions, 1,229 yards)
and wide receiver Tyreek Hill (58, 860) remained favorite targets for
Mahomes. But his array of playmakers includes speedsters Mecole Hardman
(20.7 yards per catch), Demarcus Robinson (14 yards per catch) and Sammy
Watkins.
“There’s
a lot of speed on that offense,” 49ers linebacker Fred Warner said.
“They have a lot of playmakers. Patrick Mahomes is outstanding, a great
talent. We’re going to have our hands full.”
The Chiefs averaged 8.1 yards per pass attempt this
season, fourth highest in the NFL, and led the league with 18 passing
plays of 40-plus yards.
All
of which sets up an enticing game against a 49ers defense that allowed
the fewest yards per pass attempt (5.9) this season and only five
40-yard plays, tied for second fewest points.
The 49ers had the NFL’s stingiest pass defense this season.
And there might not be a more explosive passing team in the league than the Chiefs.
The
49ers’ 37-20 win in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the Packers
set up a Super Bowl matchup of those strengths after the Chiefs beat
the Titans 35-24 in the AFC Championship Game earlier Sunday.
It
marks the Chiefs’ first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years, ending the
third-longest drought after the Lions (54) and Jets (51). The Chiefs
beat Minnesota 23-7 in Super Bowl IV; they had appeared in just two AFC
title games since — losing after the 1993 season to the Bills and last
year in overtime to the Patriots.
“Andy
Reid is as good of a coach as there is in this league,” 49ers head
coach Kyle Shanahan said of his K.C. counterpart. “I think he’s a
for-sure Hall of Famer. I know how good Andy is. I know how good their
quarterback is. I know how good their team is.”
Quarterback
Patrick Mahomes, the reigning MVP, did not replicate his 2018 numbers
of 5,000-plus passing yards and 50 touchdowns this season and missed two
games with a knee injury. He still threw for 4,031 yards with 26
touchdowns, five interceptions and a passer rating of 105.3 for a Kansas
City team that finished 12-4 to earn the AFC’s No. 2 seed.
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