How Mahomes and the Chiefs beat the 49ers in Tremendous Bowl 2024

Is the twist ending higher than the one you may see coming from a mile away? For many of Sunday’s Tremendous Bowl LVIII between the 49ers and Chiefs, it felt like the sport we have been watching was totally totally different from what we might have anticipated to see from these groups. A matchup of the NFL’s most dominant offense in opposition to the perfect quarterback of this era was producing area targets and wanted trick performs to generate touchdowns. The coach who has been excoriated for staying conservative received aggressive and put his group in place to win the sport. Weaknesses have been taking part in out as strengths and vice versa on each side of the ball.

After which, as the sport pale into the second half and entered the primary enhanced extra time interval in playoff historical past, the course corrected. All the things (or simply about the whole lot) 49ers followers feared about their possibilities got here true. Given alternatives to strike the deadly blow, Kyle Shanahan and the Niners weren’t in a position to shut the door on their rivals. And whereas they narrowly escaped Patrick Mahomes’ first try at profitable the sport, they weren’t in a position to survive a second time. In the long run, as they so typically are, Mahomes and the Chiefs have been inevitable.

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To know how the Chiefs have been in a position to come again and declare their third Tremendous Bowl title in 5 years, we have to speak about how this recreation defied expectations earlier than ultimately being determined by most of the components we might have counted on heading into the sport. And let’s begin with a giant one …

Bounce to a bit:
The largest surprises, and what modified
Which coach made the sport’s worst determination?
Did Shanahan make a mistake in extra time?
The perfect participant on the sphere was …

The surprises that received turned the other way up

Shock: The Chiefs seemed stagnant, sloppy and out of concepts on offense for many of the recreation

The 49ers have a great protection, however after being chewed up for stretches by the Packers and Lions over the previous two weeks, the expectation was the Chiefs would discover methods to maneuver the ball in opposition to Steve Wilks’ unit. Mahomes & Co. have not been essentially the most constant offense this postseason, however they moved the ball effectively in opposition to the Dolphins and Payments and scored two early touchdowns with good drives in opposition to the Ravens.

Right here, they have been flailing for many of the first half. Their first 4 drives produced a 52-yard completion to Mecole Hardman on a go security Tashaun Gipson appeared to lose within the stadium lights, however they generated 37 internet yards on their 14 different performs. An Isiah Pacheco fumble on first-and-goal on the 49ers’ 9-yard line contributed to Kansas Metropolis going scoreless on these opening possessions. Mahomes and the offense failed to attain a landing on any of their first 9 drives, which is simply the fourth time that has occurred in 113 Mahomes begins. A kind of prior three video games, ominously sufficient, was the blowout loss to the Bucs in Tremendous Bowl LV.

For many of the day, Kansas Metropolis’s recreation plan merely did not work. The Chiefs projected to have a bonus operating the soccer on the 49ers, who had struggled to cease Aaron Jones and David Montgomery earlier within the postseason. They did not. Even with 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw sadly struggling a torn Achilles whereas operating onto the sphere within the first half, the Chiefs could not transfer the chains with their standard operating recreation. Pacheco carried the ball 18 instances for 59 yards, however these runs generated a season-worst minus-12.0 anticipated factors added (EPA). Pacheco was stuffed on a pair of third-and-1 alternatives; one produced a punt, whereas the opposite compelled the Chiefs to transform a fourth-and-1 for his or her playoff lives in extra time. He additionally misplaced the aforementioned fumble within the crimson zone and dropped a pitch at the beginning of the second half to place the group delayed.

The explosive Chiefs from the previous may nonetheless terrify opposing defenses in third-and-long, however these Chiefs now want Mahomes magic to bail them out in these conditions. The 49ers have been in a position to finish drives with simple stops on third-and-12, third-and-14 and third-and-16 early within the first half, whereas a third-and-12 within the third quarter produced a uncommon terrible throw from Mahomes and an interception by Ji’Ayir Brown.

What modified: The Chiefs discovered ideas that labored and went again to them in extra time

Should you have been paying shut consideration to this recreation (or final yr’s Tremendous Bowl), you noticed three concepts that helped bail out the Chiefs and get them conversions. They did not discover loads of options in opposition to the 49ers, however what labored as soon as labored for them once more.

Naturally, that begins with the ultimate play and the return of an previous good friend: “Corndog” movement, with a large receiver coming in movement like he is about to run a jet sweep earlier than shortly returning in the wrong way, creating an sudden motion to attempt to defend on the fly. The tactic produced two crucial crimson zone touchdowns for the Chiefs of their victory over the Eagles in Tremendous Bowl LVII.

Effectively, the league has had a yr to organize for Andy Reid to deliver again his Corndog, and it arrived on the proper time. On the ultimate snap of the sport, the Chiefs introduced Hardman in movement earlier than having him return within the different route on the snap and capturing out into the flat. Tight ends Noah Grey and Travis Kelce served as distractions and potential picks for defensive backs. Cornerback Charvarius Ward took Kelce, whereas security Logan Ryan, unexpectedly taking part in as slot nook after the 49ers determined to bench Ambry Thomas for the Tremendous Bowl, wasn’t in a position to react shortly sufficient and get to Hardman. The previous Jets wideout waltzed into the tip zone for the title-clinching rating:

The anatomy of the game-winner. What a Tremendous Bowl. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WbGaPP39yV

— NFL (@NFL) February 12, 2024

This wasn’t the one repeat efficiency from the Chiefs. On third-and-7 with 16 seconds left in regulation and star linebacker Fred Warner lined up tight on Kelce, Kansas Metropolis went to a core idea for almost each offense: Mesh, the place the principle parts are two crossing routes that try to choose off man protection, a wheel path to stretch linebackers and a few type of vertical route behind the crossers to beat zone protection. Most groups do not have two tight ends fast sufficient to run Mesh, however Grey picked Warner with out ever touching the San Francisco linebacker, and Kelce ran away from the protection for 22 crucial yards. Warner received a modicum of revenge by stopping Kelce on the following play to pressure a area objective and extra time, however this turned a troublesome area objective try right into a chip shot.

Once they confronted third-and-6 in extra time, guess what they ran once more? This time, they ran Mesh with Rashee Rice and Richie James because the crossers. With the 49ers taking part in Cowl 0 with man protection throughout the board, Rice received open shortly and ran away from the protection for a crucial 13-yard completion to get into San Francisco territory. Six performs later, the Chiefs have been champs once more.

Probably the most distinctive wrinkle may need been Reid loosening the restrictions on Mahomes as a designed runner. The Chiefs took their quarterback sneaks out of the playbook after Mahomes suffered a knee damage on one in 2019, first operating them with tight ends earlier than primarily abandoning sneaks altogether. When he then suffered a concussion whereas operating a velocity possibility within the playoff win over the Browns in January 2021, Reid appeared to draw back farther from performs through which Mahomes is designed to maintain the soccer. I consider the Chiefs have dialed up a complete of simply 4 designed runs for Mahomes over the following 60 video games.

Effectively, if there was ever a time to play in opposition to tendencies and take a threat, it is within the Tremendous Bowl with a struggling offense. The Chiefs went to a triple-option idea with Mahomes, and it produced two invaluable conversions. With Nick Bosa crashing all the way down to strive to remove the run from the bottom, they took benefit of Bosa’s aggressiveness by studying him on a zone-read idea. When he chased after Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Mahomes faked his handoff and stored the ball. He has the choice to throw the ball into the flat to Grey, however when a defender additionally chases after Grey, he stored it and ran untouched for 22 yards. This was the longest run of the sport for the Chiefs and arrange their first factors of the second half:

Mahomes picks up 22 yards preserving on the triple possibility pic.twitter.com/rKNTnSfNZe

— Invoice Barnwell (@billbarnwell) February 12, 2024

Quick-forward to extra time and the fourth-and-1 that would have received the 49ers the Tremendous Bowl. Along with his season on the road, Reid known as the very same triple-option idea. This time, it was Pacheco on the zone run and Kelce within the flat, however as soon as Bosa started to chase down Pacheco and Ryan took Kelce within the flat, Mahomes moseyed upfield for 9 simple yards to increase the sport.

I am not selecting on Bosa, who was wonderful all day and was simply following obligations. With a quarterback who does not carry on run ideas, defenders are all the time going to attempt to chase down a run from the bottom and abandon the quarterback. Reid may need remembered his group’s heartbreaking loss to the Colts within the 2013 playoffs, when the Chiefs went up 38-10 earlier than ultimately dropping 45-44. Quarterback Andrew Luck transformed a crucial fourth down early within the comeback by unexpectedly preserving the ball on a zone run and gaining 21 simple yards. That type of tendency-breaker could be a supply of a much-needed massive play on the proper time, and it helped save Kansas Metropolis on Sunday.

Shock: The 49ers slowed down Mahomes as a scrambler and improviser for many of the recreation

In my preview, I wrote about how Mahomes had thrived within the latest model of the Chiefs’ offense by primarily changing into unsackable. The 49ers had an amazing defensive position, however they’d been criticized for his or her efficiency in opposition to the run, and Mahomes’ capacity to keep away from sacks and prolong performs offered the potential of neutralizing San Francisco’s largest energy.

For many of the day, the 49ers received that battle. Wilks clearly instilled an emphasis on sustaining rush lane safety and inspired his linemen to comprise Mahomes within the pocket versus making an attempt to sack him. Bosa and others repeatedly laid in look ahead to the quarterback to attempt to escape, then chased down the longer term Corridor of Famer earlier than he may discover an open receiver. San Francisco did not blitz Mahomes as soon as within the first half, nevertheless it nonetheless managed to stress him seven instances. A kind of performs produced a 21-yard completion to Justin Watson, however Mahomes was sacked twice, had two scrambles effectively wanting the sticks on third-and-long and dedicated an intentional grounding penalty. The 49ers have been thriving on protection.

What modified: They slowed down, made errors and did not discover blitzes that labored

Within the second half, that plan broke down. Chase Younger twisted inside on a third-and-4, permitting Mahomes to loop to that aspect for his first scramble conversion of the day. The Niners then dropped Younger into the flat in protection on a sim stress, and whereas Oren Burks received Mahomes off his spot, he was in a position to scramble for an additional first down.

The third-and-1 scramble for 19 yards in extra time that arrange the game-winning landing was a second of brilliance from Kelce and Mahomes, who foiled the 49ers’ plot to comprise him by scrambling instantly up the center. The 49ers rushed 4, however Warner ran on one crosser with Rice, whereas Ryan ran with Kelce. Mahomes doubtless noticed sufficient area to choose up a few yards and transfer the chains, however when Kelce noticed Mahomes starting to run, he broke off his crossing route and ran instantly upfield, like he was making an attempt to attain a landing. Ryan turned his again and chased after Kelce, releasing up Mahomes to show what ought to have been a brief acquire right into a 19-yard backbreaking scramble.

Because it did the final time these two groups performed within the Tremendous Bowl, San Francisco’s four-man rush wore down after the third quarter. The 49ers pressured Mahomes with out blitzing on 46.4% of their dropbacks via three quarters. That mark fell to 19% within the fourth quarter and extra time.

Wilks seen and dialed up 5 blitzes within the second half, 4 of which got here on third downs. Mahomes went 5-of-5 in opposition to the blitz for 42 yards, together with the third-down conversion to Jerick McKinnon on the ultimate drive of the fourth quarter and the aforementioned throw to Rice that moved the chains in extra time.

Shock: The 49ers’ particular groups did some nice issues

One apparent level of weak point for San Francisco was speculated to be its particular groups, which ranked effectively beneath the Chiefs’ by stats equivalent to DVOA and EPA. Rookie kicker Jake Moody had missed at the least one kick in every of his postseason appearances, and this did not really feel just like the type of recreation that Niners followers would wish to see become a kicking and area place contest.

As a substitute, the 49ers made some massive performs. Moody hit a 55-yard kick to open the scoring within the first quarter, and after the offense stalled out with 1:53 to go, he hit from 53 to provide the 49ers a 19-16 lead. Led by Chris Conley, San Francisco’s protection items did an amazing job of limiting James to a complete of 12 yards on 4 punt returns, as Mitch Wishnowsky matched Tommy Townsend punt-for-punt, with each gamers producing 5 punts for precisely 254 yards.

What modified: But once more, particular groups got here again to chunk the 49ers

Moody gave the impression to be at fault when a low additional level try was blocked by Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal within the fourth quarter, preserving the sport inside three factors at 16-13. The groups then traded area targets earlier than hitting extra time. Whereas we do not know the way the sport would have performed out if the Chiefs have been down 4 versus three, blocking an additional level clearly made issues simpler for Reid’s group.

Whereas the Chiefs have been flailing on offense, a turnover helped get them again into the competition. Whereas each groups misplaced promising possessions to fumbles by their operating backs and so they every muffed a punt, James fell on his near-disaster. The 49ers weren’t so fortunate. A Townsend punt bounced off of the foot of unknowing San Francisco cornerback Darrell Luter, and whereas Ray-Ray McCloud tried to scrub up the mess, the Chiefs fell on the soccer for a large swing of area place. Mahomes hit Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a landing go on the next snap to provide the Chiefs their first lead of the sport. Within the easiest evaluation, these two performs swung eight factors towards the Chiefs.

No one is ever snug with the position of luck in profitable or dropping soccer video games, however we all know fumble recoveries are random, and so they certain performed a giant position Sunday. The Chiefs recovered six of the seven fumbles that hit the bottom, and whereas sloppy fumbles on offense price them factors, they benefited vastly from having the opening 49ers drive zapped by a Christian McCaffrey fumble and getting handed a brief area by Luter’s mistake.

Shock: The sudden hero of the sport gave the impression to be Jauan Jennings

For the entire chatter deservedly afforded San Francisco’s unbelievable group of playmakers, Jennings was the man who made massive performs Sunday. He threw a go to McCaffrey on a throwback display for the sport’s first landing, then ran via a L’Jarius Sneed deal with on a slant for a receiving rating. He transformed a third-and-5 with a damaged deal with, began off the ultimate drive of regulation with a 23-yard catch and drew a drive-extending holding penalty in opposition to Trent McDuffie on third down in extra time.

What modified: The Chiefs discovered their very own hero

A random participant all the time appears to emerge with a giant recreation within the Tremendous Bowl for the Chiefs. To the ranks of Bashaud Breeland and Damien Williams, we will add a participant who was highlighted as an X issue each within the Tremendous Bowl preview and within the stay podcast I did from Las Vegas with Mina Kimes, Domonique Foxworth and Kevin Clark.

Leo Chenal, welcome to immortality. As anticipated, the 49ers carved out a heavy workload for fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who had an early catch and performed 59% of the offensive snaps. And as anticipated, the Chiefs typically matched by taking part in their base protection, which meant Chenal on the sphere at linebacker alongside Nick Bolton and Willie Homosexual.

Chenal had an enormous recreation. He compelled the early McCaffrey fumble that prevented the Chiefs from falling behind on the opening possession. He is the one who blocked the Moody additional level, limiting the 49ers to a three-point lead and altering the course of the remainder of the fourth quarter. He additionally hit Jennings for a lack of 8 yards on a frantic checkdown from Brock Purdy, the place he fashioned a wonderful one-two in defending a boot idea alongside George Karlaftis.

The opposite unlikely hero was Hardman, who was ignominiously traded from the Jets in midseason. He had a 77-yard day within the meaningless Week 18 recreation in opposition to the Chargers, however in aggressive contests, his second stint with the Chiefs had produced 10 catches for 46 yards and three runs for a mixed minus-2 yards. His most notable contribution had been fumbling via the tip zone for a touchback in opposition to the Payments within the divisional spherical, a transfer that led Reid to restrict Hardman to at least one offensive snap in opposition to the Ravens the next week.

With Kadarius Toney inactive and Skyy Moore failing to play a single snap, although, Hardman discovered a job and ran with it. He introduced within the 52-yarder that served as Kansas Metropolis’s solely explosive play on offense for a bit of the sport. With a title looming, the Chiefs went again to Hardman, used him on the Corndog movement and received him open for a Lombardi-clinching rating. Whereas Hardman’s crimson zone work had been disastrous, the specter of him on the jet sweep needed to be an alert for the 49ers, and it allowed the Chiefs to get a wide-open receiver within the flat with a championship on the road.

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Shanahan the scapegoat?

One trope that comes up repeatedly in dramatic losses, particularly a few group that has come up simply brief, is touchdown on a scapegoat for the defeat. Two weeks in the past, it was simpler guilty Lions coach Dan Campbell than it was to level the finger at Kindle Vildor, Jahmyr Gibbs, Josh Reynolds, Taylor Decker or an absent go rush aside from Aidan Hutchinson. Quarterbacks and head coaches get a disproportionate quantity of the reward when groups succeed and might get the same proportion of the blame after they fail.

You are in all probability going to listen to one stat in every bit of Tremendous Bowl protection you eat this week: Kyle Shanahan has now misplaced three Tremendous Bowls after holding a double-digit lead. I wrote about Shanahan’s position in every of the primary two defeats. When the Patriots got here again from a 28-3 deficit to beat the Falcons, I criticized the then-Falcons offensive coordinator for throwing the ball on the finish of a drive when two runs and a area objective in all probability would have ended the sport. When the Chiefs got here again to beat the 49ers on the finish of the 2020 season, I did not take subject with Shanahan’s playcalling, nevertheless it was clear to see his lack of aggression and refusal to belief a wonderful offense got here again to chunk him in a 31-20 defeat. He clearly deserved credit score for serving to his groups get these leads, however after seeing him play it conservatively in different massive video games (leading to each wins and losses), I used to be involved he can be at an obstacle with recreation administration once more Sunday.

Whereas no one feels good about dropping within the Tremendous Bowl, I can not increase those self same complaints about Shanahan’s decision-making this time. The 49ers did not use their timeouts on the finish of the primary half to attempt to get the ball again whereas the Chiefs have been deep of their territory, and he despatched McCaffrey out for a meaningless 6-yard run as a substitute of merely kneeling with 20 seconds left to finish the half, however these weren’t dramatically damaging to his group.

As a substitute, Shanahan made arguably probably the most aggressive choices he has ever made as a coach, and it practically helped his group win the sport. Going through a fourth-and-3 within the crimson zone whereas trailing 13-10 early within the fourth quarter, I am undecided anyone anticipated him to do something in addition to ship out Moody for a brief area objective. A kick would have tied the sport, and after Campbell was lambasted by the media for being aggressive within the NFC title recreation, Shanahan did not appear more likely to get aggressive.

ESPN’s win chance mannequin confirmed going for it to be slight favourite and a 1% win chance swing. Shanahan hasn’t all the time made choices according to win chance fashions, however he selected to take action right here. He left his offense on the sphere, and Purdy discovered George Kittle for a 3-yard conversion. Two performs later, Purdy hit Jennings for a landing. As a substitute of merely “taking the factors” and tying the sport, Shanahan’s offense stayed on the sphere and took the lead as a substitute. The 49ers then failed on the additional level, which was taken from the 15-yard line, the precise distance from which Moody would have tried his area objective to tie the sport.

As a substitute, the worst determination of the sport was a name by Reid, who helped swing the final Tremendous Bowl recreation between these two by making an attempt and changing a fourth-and-short on an early landing drive. Within the third quarter, the Chiefs confronted a fourth-and-1 on their very own 11-yard line and elected to punt. Whereas the chance of turning the ball over in your personal territory is large, the probability of conversion and the truth {that a} punt will nonetheless give the opposition strong area place makes going for it in these conditions a greater proposition than many assume. (The Ravens, notably, went for it on fourth-and-1 on their very own 34-yard line within the AFC title recreation two weeks in the past, transformed after which scored their solely landing of the sport.)

I will depend on the NFL’s Subsequent Gen Stats mannequin right here, which had the ball 0.6 yards away from being transformed for a primary down. By this mannequin, Reid price the Chiefs 5.1 factors of win chance by punting versus making an attempt to maneuver the chains. The Chiefs had been stuffed in brief yardage, however as we noticed with the Mahomes triple-option idea the Chiefs would later hit for a pair of first downs, there have been different methods to choose up that half-yard or so.

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Did Shanahan make a mistake in extra time?

When Harrison Butker’s kick despatched the sport into extra time, the Chiefs and 49ers grew to become the primary two groups to play beneath the league’s new playoff OT format, instituted after that legendary Payments-Chiefs recreation from the 2021 postseason. Not like regular-season extra time, which might finish on an opening-drive landing, playoff extra time ensures each groups an opportunity to the touch the ball and for the group that will get the ball second to match what the primary group did on their drive earlier than the sport goes to sudden loss of life.

The 49ers received the coin toss, and Shanahan elected to take the ball first. Because it’s the primary time anybody has needed to make that call and a coach who has misplaced twice within the Tremendous Bowl subsequently misplaced a 3rd time, he has naturally are available for criticism about his selection. I will begin this one with the reply: I agree with Shanahan’s determination, partially as a result of neither selection a coach could make is clearly higher than the opposite.

There’s an apparent profit to deferring and getting the second possession of extra time, in {that a} group will get to see what occurs first, which might then inform decision-making all through the drive. When the 49ers kicked a area objective, the Chiefs knew they needed to at the least match with a area objective in the event that they needed to win. Having that data permits the opposite group to make extra knowledgeable choices about playcalling and decision-making, which has its personal intrinsic worth.

This got here up when the Chiefs confronted a fourth-and-1 on their very own 34-yard line. If the Chiefs had began extra time with the ball and did not have any type of rating established, Reid may take into account punting deep in that state of affairs and hoping his group can get the ball again on protection, realizing {that a} stuff would already depart the 49ers in area objective vary for a title-winning kick. As a substitute, since Reid knew he wanted a area objective, they went for it, transformed and ultimately scored a landing to win the sport.

As Shanahan famous in his postgame information convention, the worth of getting the ball first is to get in place to have the third possession of extra time, the place you may win with a area objective and with out having at hand the ball again to your opponent. Should you take the ball and begin with a landing, you are placing your opponent in an extremely troublesome bind, provided that they each have to attain a landing to match you and give you a cease on the following drive to get the ball again. (Certainly, I believe groups that get the ball second and wish a landing to tie will attempt to win the sport by going for 2 after their rating.)

Shanahan’s offense was in a position to produce solely a area objective on the opening possession, however even then, a cease from the protection at any level would have received the sport, whereas the Chiefs would have been incentivized to kick a area objective to increase the sport in the event that they confronted a fourth down in kicking vary.

On high of that, Shanahan’s protection was doubtless exhausted after an 11-play drive from Kansas Metropolis on the finish of regulation. Do not forget that the 49ers stopped the Chiefs on a three-and-out within the third quarter, however after being rushed again onto the sphere after the muffed punt, Wilks’ protection instantly allowed a landing go to Valdes-Scantling on the primary play of the brand new possession. Whether or not you wish to deal with the sport concept aspect of the equation or the human factor of chasing down Mahomes once more after a brief break, selecting to go along with the offense first in all probability was the precise name for Shanahan. Per Kalyn Kahler of The Athletic, a number of Chiefs gamers stated they have been going to start out extra time on protection in the event that they received the coin toss, so it does not sound like it might have performed out in another way if Kansas Metropolis had been the one making the choice.

Ought to Shanahan be criticized for getting away from the run? Once more, I am not seeing it. The 49ers ran the ball simply over 45% of the time within the first half and 42.5% of the time within the second half and extra time. Purdy threw the ball six straight instances and on 9 of the 49ers’ first 10 performs within the third quarter, however that is in all probability as a result of the Chiefs have been loading up the field and daring him to throw:

These have been the containers the 49ers confronted on the primary play of their drives within the third quarter. pic.twitter.com/AKhAv2Jfs4

— Invoice Barnwell (@billbarnwell) February 12, 2024

The 49ers spent that total sequence delayed as a result of not one of the passes labored. (McCaffrey’s lone run went for no acquire.) When the offense received going once more, it was with the passing recreation, which produced good points of 17, 9 and 20 yards throughout a four-play span to get in place for the fourth-down conversion and the landing go to Jennings. The 49ers ran the ball 17 instances within the second half, however these runs produced solely two first downs. 9 of their 11 first downs after Usher’s halftime look got here through the go or penalty.

Pinning the loss on Purdy would even be too simplistic. It wasn’t his greatest recreation, however he did not look overawed by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unique blitzes. The 49ers left a number of performs on the sphere, partially due to some passes that fell within the window between drops and misplaced passes, notably to Deebo Samuel. When Purdy’s first learn was there, he was typically wonderful; on throws inside 3 seconds of getting the ball, the second-year quarterback went 17-of-22 for 189 yards and a 9.7% completion proportion over expectation (CPOE). After 3 seconds, he was simply 6-of-16 for 66 yards with a minus-13.7% CPOE. When he did not get the look he anticipated or hoped to see, he appeared to battle getting deep into his development or creating out of construction.

For the 49ers, agonizingly, this may need been their greatest shot at profitable a title over the following few years. They’re the league’s third-oldest group and received largely wholesome seasons from their stars past security Talanoa Hufanga (knee) till Greenlaw tore his Achilles. They’re but to really feel the influence of the lacking first-round expertise from the Trey Lance deal in 2021, and with Purdy making $870,000, they’ve been in a position to unfold the cash for his or her quarterback place elsewhere on the roster. Whereas they have been persistently aggressive, it is powerful to depend on profitable the 1-seed whereas having everybody who’s taking part in effectively now taking part in on the similar degree subsequent season. Ask the Eagles, who seemed like favorites to make it again to the Tremendous Bowl this time final yr and fell aside throughout December and January.

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The actual MVP … once more

When these two groups performed in Tremendous Bowl LIV, Mahomes received the MVP award. Whereas giving the suitable reward to Mahomes for main a comeback victory, I felt like the perfect participant on the sphere was defensive deal with Chris Jones.

Effectively, right here we’re 4 years later, and whereas Mahomes received the true Tremendous Bowl MVP Award, the perfect participant on the sphere was the man harassing Purdy all night time. Enjoying what may need been his ultimate recreation in a Chiefs uniform, Jones dominated on the line of scrimmage. Whereas he did not document a sack, NFL Subsequent Gen Stats credited him with six pressures, second solely to Bosa’s 10. (As was the case with the final recreation between these two, Bosa additionally would have been my MVP decide if the 49ers had received.)

Jones did not rating any touchdowns, however he compelled two performs that ought to have been touchdowns into incompletions with stress. One got here early within the fourth quarter, when Samuel badly beat Sneed on a play-action idea. Purdy was rolling out and noticed Samuel get open, however Jones defeated proper guard Spencer Burford, who got here in for the injured Jon Feliciano. Jones’ stress compelled an incompletion, though the 49ers would get their landing afterward the drive.

On the ultimate offensive snap of the season for the 49ers, Jones saved a landing. Right here, he received some assist: The 49ers did not block him or blitzing security Justin Reid, because it appeared proper deal with Colton McKivitz labored to the mistaken defender. Jones ran free and compelled a wild incompletion from Purdy. If he’d had time, Purdy may need seen Sneed slip in protection in opposition to Brandon Aiyuk, leaving the star wideout extensive open for a straightforward landing. He additionally had Jennings on a pivot path to the skin for a primary down.

Chris Jones saves a TD #2 pic.twitter.com/A8NXsXrTg1

— Invoice Barnwell (@billbarnwell) February 12, 2024

Jones additionally compelled the checkdown to Jennings that misplaced 8 yards, whereas his penetration on a third-and-2 McCaffrey run compelled the again to chop exterior, the place he misplaced a yard on the snap that arrange the choice to go for it on fourth-and-3. The Chiefs blitzed greater than 57% of the time when Jones wasn’t on the sphere and produced a stress charge of solely 14%. Spagnuolo dropped the blitz charge by greater than 10 factors when Jones was between the strains, however the performs with the star deal with on the sphere produced a stress charge north of 51%. Jones was important.

Spagnuolo additionally had an amazing recreation, with a crucial stress popping out of the two-minute warning serving as the obvious and memorable snap of the sport for the stalwart D-coordinator. Going through a third-and-5 on the Kansas Metropolis 35-yard line, a 49ers conversion would have compelled the Chiefs to make use of their ultimate two timeouts and begin worrying about whether or not they would ever get the ball again.

As a substitute, Spagnuolo despatched a six-man blitz and managed to get McDuffie (who was wonderful all recreation) unblocked on the left aspect of the road. The 2022 first-round decide leaped and batted away Purdy’s would-be slant to Jennings, forcing the 49ers to aim a protracted area objective. Kittle was within the backfield and you might argue the tight finish ought to have scanned and are available throughout the formation to dam McDuffie, however I am undecided he would have gotten there shortly sufficient, and there was stress on him from the present aspect.

These performs will loom in 49ers hearts for years to come back. Convert the third-and-5 and so they may need been in a position to run down the clock earlier than a area objective try. Choose up a landing on the opening drive of extra time and they’d have put the Chiefs into an almost not possible bind. Cease the Chiefs on fourth-and-1 and so they’re throwing a parade. Final time, it was a deep go that simply fell via the arms of Emmanuel Sanders that might have given the 49ers a late lead. This time, it was a bevy of missed alternatives to seal issues. Shanahan & Co. will do no matter it takes to make it again to the Tremendous Bowl. Subsequent time, although, they’re going to in all probability be hoping Mahomes, Jones and Spagnuolo aren’t on the opposite sideline.