Underdog KC Chiefs Set for Super Bowl Rematch vs. San Francisco 49ers
The Kansas City Chiefs have done it again: they are heading back to the Super Bowl.
After all the struggles — including injuries, penalties, turnovers, distractions and everything else — the Chiefs checked off the boxes of two of their three season-long goals: win the AFC West and win the AFC.
Behind one of the best defenses in the NFL, the Chiefs were able to hold the Baltimore Ravens to 10 points. All they needed from the offense was 17 points, and the team largely played things conservatively in the second half until it needed a big third-down conversion to ice the game. Patrick Mahomes threw the ball to tight end Travis Kelce 11 times and Kelce caught every pass thrown his way. However, on the aforementioned critical play, Mahomes went to highly scrutinized teammate Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a deep pass to seal the deal. Maybe Valdes-Scantling is this team’s version of “playoff” Sammy Watkins. He shows up when it matters the most.
On the opposite side of the bracket, the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions had an incredible NFC Championship Game. The Lions led 24-7 heading into halftime, but the 49ers ultimately won. This sets up a rematch of Super Bowl LIV, a game everyone in Chiefs Kingdom should remember well. Just four years ago, the Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-20 in a game that needed a fourth-quarter comeback to get the franchise's first Super Bowl trophy in 50 years. Now the Chiefs will go for their third Super Bowl win in five seasons, trying to solidify their dynasty.
The only players from the Chiefs that remain from that 2019-2020 Super Bowl-winning team are Mahomes, Kelce, Nick Allegretti, Blake Bell, Harrison Butker, Mecole Hardman, Chris Jones, Mike Pennel and James Winchester. This team looks completely different, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The 49ers have three offensive and four defensive starters remaining from that Super Bowl roster. Former Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward, who started the 2020 Super Bowl for Kansas City, is now a starter for the 49ers. Former 49ers kick return specialist Richie James, who started for San Francisco in LIV, is now a return specialist for the Chiefs.
Will the revenge factor for the 49ers be on full display? Maybe for a few of the leaders on that team like Nick Bosa or George Kittle, but winning their first Lombardi Trophy seems like more motivation than revenge from four years ago. On the other hand, the Chiefs are playing to add to their legacy. Plus, it’s the freaking Super Bowl. If you can’t get up for this game where the stakes are the highest, then what game can you get up for?
The Chiefs will be heading into their third straight playoff game as an underdog. This will mark the first time Mahomes has been an underdog in three consecutive games in his career. Mahomes is 11-1-1 against the spread as an underdog with a 10-3 record overall. Just like when the Chiefs went on the road to Buffalo and Baltimore, the analytics favor Kansas City’s opponent. However, Mahomes has the “it” factor that analytics can’t put into their equation. Kelce has it as well, and when those two are on the same page, they are going to be tough to stop.
Not only that, but the Chiefs are 4-0 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas where this year’s Super Bowl is taking place. If the Chiefs win, Andy Reid and Mahomes will have the most wins of any head coach-quarterback duo in that stadium. Better than Jon Gruden and Derek Carr, Josh McDaniels and Carr, McDaniels and Jarrett Stidham, McDaniels and Jimmy Garoppolo, McDaniels and Aidan O’Connell and better than Antonio Pierce and O’Connell. It would be a fun record to hold through the offseason.
It’s about to be a circus at Super Bowl media days, and the Chiefs have been to two more of these since their last meeting with the Niners. The intangible advantages seem to be leaning toward the Chiefs, but they’ll continue to roll with that underdog mentality leading up to the game. They’ve been here before, now they just need to finish the task at hand.
