How Mahomes and the Chiefs can beat the 49ers in their 1st meeting since Super Bowl LIV
49ers #49ers
The Chiefs are on the road for their Week 7 game Sunday afternoon, taking on the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium.
The Chiefs (4-2) are coming off a loss to the Buffalo Bills. But there’s no time to dwell on that as they line up against the 3-3 Niners for the first time since Super Bowl LIV — a championship game won 31-21 by the Chiefs.
“Guys better be focused,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “After losing the game (against Buffalo) and then turning on the film and watching this opponent we’re about to play, guys better be locked in. Because (if) we don’t play our best football, we’re not going to win.”
The Chiefs and 49ers have squared off 14 times, including the postseason, and that all-time series is split 7-7. Kansas City, though, has won four of the last five, including Super Bowl LIV.
Here are four keys to Sunday’s game:
REDISCOVER PHYSICAL PLAY
The Chiefs’ offensive line play hasn’t been great the past two games. Their best O-line performance this season came in Week 4 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In that game, the front five dominated the trenches against a stout Bucs defensive front, allowing the offense to put up numbers. Mahomes passed for 249 yards and three touchdowns, while the Chiefs pounded out 189 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 37 carries, averaging 5.1 yards per attempt.
The Chiefs have struggled to consistently run the football ever since. And Mahomes has been harassed in the passing game, sacked six times and hit 15 (nine occurred against the Bills) over the past two games.
It doesn’t get easier on Sunday. The 49ers’ defense has totaled 23 sacks, second most in the league, and the team ranks second against the run (87.5 yards allowed per game).
Still, the Chiefs faced a similar task against the Bucs, who at the time ranked at or near the top of the league in multiple statistical categories. The Chiefs’ offensive line, consisting of left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., left guard Joe Thuney, center Creed Humphrey, right guard Trey Smith and right tackle Andrew Wylie, must find that mojo again.
They need to be the bully, not the bullied.
GO AFTER BANGED-UP DEFENSE
OK, the 49ers enter Week 7 with the No. 1-ranked defense in the league (255.8 yards allowed per game) and the No. 2 scoring defense (14.8 points per game).
But the Chiefs might catch a break. San Francisco’s injury report reads like a who’s-who of NFL defensive starters.
Defensive tackle Arik Armstead (foot, ankle) didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday and might not be available Sunday; defensive end Joey Bosa (groin) was limited the past two days; cornerback Charvarius Ward (groin) hasn’t practiced this week; and safety Jimmie Ward (hand) was limited Wednesday and Thursday.
Yet the Chiefs can’t afford to take Sunday’s matchup lightly.
“Here’s one thing I’ve learned: It doesn’t make a difference who shows up on the injury report,” Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said. “All those guys seem to get healthy for the Chiefs. We’re still scheming, but on top of that, we’re very much aware of who’s playing and who’s not playing.”
Nevertheless, a less-than-100% back end of 49ers coverage, and perhaps a limited Bosa, must be enticing for the Chiefs. If the offensive line does its part in buying Mahomes some time, he should be able to get after the 49ers’ defense.
CONTAIN SAMUEL
The Chiefs’ defense has matched up against a marquee NFL wide receiver in each the past three weeks (Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, the Raiders’ Davante Adams and Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs/Gabe Davis).
Now they get to deal with All-Pro Deebo Samuel. The 6-foot, 215-pound Samuel, however, isn’t the sort of a wide receiver the Chiefs are accustomed to scheming against.
“Sometimes when he’s out there, you have to consider him a running back, and sometimes when he’s out there you have to consider him a wide receiver — because he’s both,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “I’ve never seen a guy break as many tackles as he does. But he’s unique.”
Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill agreed.
“You don’t see a lot of guys that can do that,” Thornhill said. “And he is very effective in both spots, so that’s what makes him really effective and a really good football player.”
Samuel comes off a season in which he totaled 1,770 yards from scrimmage (1,405 yards receiving). He enters Sunday’s game with 481 total yards of offense (345 receiving).
His ability to line up anywhere will apply stress on a defense.
“You’ve got to make some conscious decisions on what you want to do,” Spagnuolo said. “Do you want to play man, are you going to put a linebacker on him when he’s in the backfield, are you going to put a DB on him? If you do that, it’s changing the structure of everything else you do. So, we’re going to pick our spots …”
The return of Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay Jr. should help. Gay Fresh off a four-game NFL suspension, Gay has 4.46 speed in the 40 and the Chiefs will utilize him in coverage if he plays.
WIN TURNOVER MARGIN
The Chiefs lost a close one to the Bills because of one primary factor. Actually, two: two picks thrown by Mahomes.
Kansas City’s offense must take better care of the football Sunday.
Conversely, the Chiefs’ defense could greatly aid the offense against a turnover-prone 49ers offense, which has coughed up four interceptions and five lost fumbles through six games.
Gain the advantage in this battle and the Chiefs would put themselves in a good position to secure a victory.
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