Following their 34-31 victory over the Detroit Lions
in the NFC championship game, the San Francisco 49ers are making their second trip to the Super Bowl under head coach Kyle Shanahan. Even with how brilliant the Niners have been this year, they have needed tenacity, commitment, and a little bit of luck to win these playoff games. In both of their postseason games, they have played with fire, just managing to avoid the Packers and Lions. The 49ers now have two weeks to make amends and seal the gaps left by the previous two games, or else things will go south for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
San Francisco is aware of this, as they discovered a few years prior when they trailed Mahomes and the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV despite leading by ten points heading into the fourth quarter. Even though both teams have undergone changes, some of the key players from their most recent matchup on the greatest stage in the NFL still remain. In that game four years ago, both teams lost one of their important players. Tyreek Hill left Kansas City, and Jimmy Garoppolo is no longer the starting quarterback for San Francisco. Christian McCaffrey in the backfield is also a significant pickup for San Francisco.
The Niners who were on the field for that first encounter recall how they had the game in the bag before it slipped away, even though it has been four years since then. Therefore, against Mahomes and Andy Reid in Las Vegas, that first-half showing against the Lions on Sunday will not suffice.
The NFC Championship Game would have taken place in Detroit if Dre Greenlaw hadn’t made two huge interceptions in the divisional round, which San Francisco allowed the Packers to linger around in. Over the last two weeks, the Niners’ offense and defense have gotten off to poor starts. With four more years of experience under his belt, this club is aware that Mahomes is never out of a game. They have also felt his wrath in the past.
For the 49ers, though, this is probably the most welcome scenario given most teams don’t get this chance. Against the same team, quarterback, and head coach as their previous Super Bowl trip, they have the opportunity to make up for lost ground. Not only is it difficult to recover, but it would be serendipitous to do so against the team you know you should have defeated.
Having said that, San Francisco cannot enter this Super Bowl in a zombie state. Against San Fran, Detroit ran for over 130 yards in the first half. The Reid-Mahomes combination might put the Niners to bed early if they perform like that against Kansas City. If you get behind the Chiefs 24-7, it will probably be over quickly. Although Brock Purdy will have to produce, the 49ers cannot replicate Baltimore’s mistakes. Sprinkle some Purdy dust on McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel to help them shoulder the offensive load.
The Niners ought to be able to win the game as long as their defense shows up and plays well the entire time. Purdy will have to make a play at some point, but after seeing him perform when they needed to against the Lions, there should be no question that he is up to the task. In the last two games, San Francisco has struggled to get off to a fast start. To win the Vince Lombardi trophy for a sixth time, they must address that.
