The Kansas City Chiefs look for back-to-back Super Bowl wins while the San Francisco 49ers look for retribution from their last Super Bowl matchup in 2020.
The teams first met in Super Bowl LIV where the Chiefs came out on top 31-20. For Super Bowl LVIII, both will need to be ready at the first whistle in what is sure to be a physical game.
Kansas City’s defense has not been great at stopping the run game, allowing more than 1,900 rushing yards this season. If the Chiefs can’t contain 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, his ability to consistently gain big yards may create scoring opportunities for San Francisco.
The Chiefs will also be looking at the defense for their second-half performance where they’ve only conceded 10 of their 41 allowed points throughout the postseason.
Offensively, quarterback Patrick Mahomes will seek connections with tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Rashee Rice, while also integrating wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling and tight end Noah Gray into the mix. Running back Isiah Pacheco is another key to the offense, helping mix up the play calls between passing and rushing, and getting yards after contact.
Penalties for holding and false starts from the offensive line have plagued the Chiefs all season, and this challenge is likely to persist, especially with defensive end Nick Bosa applying pressure on every play. To avoid Bosa getting through the line for sacks there will need to be a good mixture of screens and runs, as well as limiting his one-on-one matchups with chip blocks.
On the 49ers offensive side of the ball, Brock Purdy has exceeded expectations in his second season after being the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He has led his team to a 12-5 record with almost 4,300 passing yards and 31 touchdowns.
Purdy will look for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who has over 1,300 receiving yards, to pick up quick yards and critical first downs.
McCaffrey will be another crucial part of the offense, having over 1,400 rushing yards, he’ll need to find holes in the less-than-perfect run-stopping Kansas City Chiefs defense. He’ll also be looked to for quick passes when Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones runs through the offensive line looking for sacks.
On the defensive side for San Francisco, the defensive line will need to put pressure on the line and look to draw holding calls and false starts. They’ll also need to keep Mahomes in the pocket so his only option is to pass, not scramble for extra yards.
Super Bowl LVIII promises to be an exciting event, with a rematch of Super Bowl LIV, a halftime performance by Usher, new commercials, and the potential appearance of Taylor Swift. While I believe that the Chiefs will emerge victorious with a hard-fought 30-24 win over the 49ers after the final whistle, the outcome remains uncertain in what will be a tough match-up.
