While the 49ers are an outstanding team, the Kansas City Chiefs have several advantages they can exploit on Sunday in Super Bowl 54.
The Kansas City Chiefs have been nothing short of spectacular in the 2020 NFL Playoffs. Patrick Mahomes has played two of the best games of his career in these playoffs, putting up ridiculous numbers while also displaying remarkable leadership and poise. Even the Chiefs defense has been playing well for the most part, particularly in comparison to last season.
While that may all be true, their matchup in Super Bowl LIV on Sunday in Miami is far from a cakewalk. The San Francisco 49ers have been dominant in their own right this season, both in the regular season and the playoffs. On both sides of the ball, this team has been rolling through the competition.
San Francisco isn’t perfect, though, and neither are the Chiefs. As such, any advantage that either team can find will be critical to exploit in trying to win a Lombardi Trophy. With that in mind, let’s look at five advantages the Kansas City Chiefs can identify and exploit to top the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV.
Poor Tackling Linebackers
This 49ers defense is impressive, littered with standouts such as Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner, Richard Sherman and Nick Bosa. The 49ers also have talented linebackers with Kwon Alexander and Fred Warner.
However, the biggest wart in Alexander and Warner’s game — Alexander in particular — is their inconsistent tackling. Warner has been one of the better young linebackers in the league and has brought a lot of value in coverage for the 49ers but he has looked spotty in tackling. Alexander has been very similar to Warner — good in coverage, freaky athletic and fast, but a very poor tackler.
Inconsistent tackling may not always be a death sentence, evidenced by the fact that the Niners are playing in Super Bowl LIV. Having said that, it’s something that the Chiefs can really hurt them with.
Given the speed of playmakers like Tyreek Hill, Damien Williams and Mecole Hardman in addition to the physical presence of Travis Kelce, a missed tackle can result in a massive play or touchdown for Kansas City. That’s just how they operate. And if the Chiefs can get after Alexander and Warner to try and take advantage of the tackling woes, it could play very much into Kansas City’s advantage.