LAS VEGAS — This may not have been the Super Bowl anyone who doesn’t live in the San Francisco-Kansas City area was hoping for, but this is the Super Bowl we got.
Some people are tired of the Chiefs. Because the Chiefs have gotten this far so often, and now they’ve added Travis Kelce and the Taylor Swift phenomenon to the mix to embarrass the nitpicks of the world.
Some people just can’t accept the 49ers, mainly because the Lions have such a fun upstart story, and unfortunately, they were headed into a big game before collapsing in the second half of the NFC Championship Game. Because it was.
You’d have to either hate to lose or really hate to not accept what’s in front of you at Allegiant Stadium on Super Bowl Sunday 2024.
Any game involving Patrick Mahomes is worth watching. Because he’s the best player in the business right now, and if you take a bathroom break, you might miss seeing him do some amazing things.
There could be fireworks in a game that showcases the offensive design and wizardry of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan.
Any game where Kelce and George Kittle line up at tight end is worth watching. Any game that features Christian McCaffrey is fun.
Any game involving Steve Spagnuolo, the Chiefs’ defensive guru and big-game hunter, sparks intrigue. In any game where Nick Bosa is on one side and Chris Jones is on the other trying to break up the team, there’s potential for mayhem.
And the Super Bowl, where the last player selected overall in the NFL draft is the starting quarterback, is a time when every downtrodden can look and say, “Why can’t we find Brock Purdy?” gives hope to the team.
This is a rematch of Super Bowl IV in Miami Gardens, which the Chiefs won 31-20 four years ago.
For the Chiefs, making their fourth Super Bowl appearance in the past five years, it’s a deja vu moment — only the Patriots (2014-18) and Bills (1990-93) can claim that. .
The Chiefs are trying to accomplish something rare these days: winning back-to-back Super Bowls. The last team to win the championship repeatedly was the Patriots in 2003-04.
There was a time when it seemed like the 49ers were an annual Super Bowl contender.
But they haven’t won the Lombardi Trophy in 29 years.
Mahomes becomes the first player in history to start at quarterback in four Super Bowls before turning 30.
He won his first championship at the age of 24 and aims to become No. 3 in the ring at the age of 28. He was named MVP last season in Super Bowl IV against the 49ers and Super Bowl II against the Eagles.
“I never thought I’d be able to play in so many Super Bowl games, so I’m humbled,” Mahomes said. “I don’t take it for granted because you never know if you’re going to get back into this game.”
It was an uneven season for him. He had a career-high 17 turnovers, and the Chiefs finished with their worst record (11-6) with him as a starter.
They were at a disadvantage in playoff games against Buffalo and Baltimore, but vintage Mahomes produced upsets. He hasn’t committed a turnover in three playoff games.
Reid is looking to win his third Super Bowl with the Chiefs, while Shanahan is looking for revenge in the Chiefs’ biggest game.
This time, Shanahan is using Purdy instead of Jimmy Garoppolo to run what is perhaps the most creative offense in the league. Purdy, 24, will be the third-youngest quarterback to start in a Super Bowl.
The Niners went 21-4 with him as the starter, with 44 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions in that span, including the playoffs.
Still, Purdy is a big question mark coming into this game.
Does he have what it takes to take on the great Mahomes?
There’s something Kurt Warner-like about Purdy, a guy who comes out of nowhere and plays much better than anyone expected.
Statistically, Purdy was the most talented quarterback in the NFL last season, leading the way with a passer rating of 113.0 and finishing in the top five in passing touchdowns (31) and passing yards (4,280). I wish I could call him a game manager, but he manages to win a lot of games.
“You get obsessed with having all the glory and fame and status. I think that’s a shallow life,” Purdy said. “That can go away quickly. So for me, obviously I’m going to be in the Super Bowl and I’m very honored and grateful. I want to win a championship with this organization. ”
Want more defense?
The Chiefs were second in the league in points and yards allowed, and this unit was more active than their typically deadly offense.
The 49ers are third in scoring defense, and six of their starters have previous Super Bowl experience.
The 49ers needed an upset in the playoffs against the Packers and Lions, and they got here through a difficult road.
After defeating the Dolphins in the first round, the Chiefs showed off their rotational power with impressive performances on the road, dominating the Bills (27-24) and Ravens (17-10).
Not the game you wanted? Perhaps it will be worth watching.
marquee matchup
49ers defensive end Nick Bosa vs. Chiefs RT Jawan Taylor
This could also be titled “Marquee Mismatch.” According to Pro Football Focus, Bosa has 53.5 sacks in 68 career games and set a career-best pass rushing performance in 2023.
The Chiefs can’t afford to allow Taylor to go one-on-one with Bosa. Taylor was the most flagged offensive lineman in the league with 19 penalties, with the Jets’ Mekhi Becton tied for second with 12 — and PFF ranked him 27 of 28 qualifying offensive tackles. ranked in place. Would you like to bet on prop him for this game?
What about the over/under if Taylor is penalized?
Bosa was the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.
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Coach corner: This is a case of “been there, done it” for Andy Reid. He is the fourth head coach in NFL history to lead a team to at least five Super Bowls (four with the Chiefs and one with the Eagles). Reid’s 25th career playoff win is second only to Bill Belichick. Reid is aiming for his third Super Bowl victory.
Kyle Shanahan is a great coach, but he needs to unpack his Super Bowl bag.
As the Falcons’ offensive coordinator, Shanahan watched in horror as his team blew a 28-3 lead over Tom Brady and the Patriots in Super LI.
Four years ago, Shanahan’s 49ers held a 20-10 lead, but the Chiefs scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
Get the handle: Is there a harder player in the league to beat than Deebo Samuel? According to Pro Football Focus, Samuel forced 0.62 missed tackles per touch in the playoffs.
Samuel pulled off a familiar trick in the NFC title game, finishing with eight receptions for 89 yards. He has 19 career rushing touchdowns and will line up in the backfield as a running back.
Trent McDuffie is the Chiefs’ best slot cornerback, and he will need to stick with Samuel for as long as possible. If McDuffie messes with someone, it’s usually over. He missed just three tackles all season.
Will Taylor succeed? Private jets can do things that commercial aviation can’t, so it looks like Taylor Swift will be able to get to Las Vegas from her concert in Japan in plenty of time before kickoff. Once you are seated, the CBS cameras will be ready. It remains to be seen how much Swiftie’s new passion for Travis Kelce and Chiefs football will boost ratings.
And if he’s on the winning side, watch sales of the No. 87 Kelce jersey skyrocket.
As a bonus: Looking for something that one team does better than the other? Look no further than the kicker.
Harrison Butker just missed the Chiefs’ game-winning field goal in Super Bowl LII, coming off a sensational season in which he hit a career-high 94.3 percent on field goal attempts. He is 7-for-7 in the playoffs.
The Niners will select rookie Jake Moody in the third round of the 2023 draft. This is an extremely high standard for a kicker.
He has endured ups and downs. He has missed at least one field goal or extra point in the past three games.
