For those without a horse in the Super Bowl 54 race, here’s why you should be cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs to win against the 49ers.
The San Francisco 49ers are trying to become the first team in 20 years to win the Super Bowl after losing 12 or more games in the season immediately prior. In the process, Katie Sowers would become the first female coach to win a Super Bowl ring. These are compelling reasons to root for the 49ers this Sunday. However, there are plenty of great storylines to make one point an arrow of allegiance towards the Kansas City Chiefs.
For starters, the Chiefs overcame a six-game midseason slump (2-4), featuring a three-game absence by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Many experts who viewed the pride of Kansas City as Super Bowl contenders jumped off that bandwagon at that time.
There’s also the matter of the crushing offsides penalty by Dee Ford, now ironically a member of the 49ers, which kept the Chiefs out of Super Bowl LIII and prevented a matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. So, let others get caught up in the Gold Rush. Here are four reasons to saddle up and ride with the Chiefs on Super Bowl Sunday.
4. Underrated Chiefs Defense
Spoiler alert: All-World quarterback Patrick Mahomes is not on this list. Yes, Mahomes is amazing: it’s an absolute treat to watch him work, and I’ll be surprised if this Super Bowl ends up being his last. Meanwhile, the Chiefs unheralded defense has actually allowed fewer points than the vaunted 49ers unit on the other sideline, a group that’s rightfully getting all kinds of attention as one of the league’s best.
The Chiefs are no slouches themselves, defensively. According to Pro Football Reference, the Chiefs defense ranks eighth in the NFL in fewest passing yards allowed, eighth in fewest passing touchdowns allowed, and sixth in passes intercepted. The team also ranks among the Top Ten in takeaways, percentage of drives ending in offensive turnovers, and fewest penalty yards allowed.
A formidable defensive line, anchored by Pro Bowlers Frank Clark and Chris Jones, totaled 45 sacks, missing the Top Ten by one. The Chiefs also ranked third in the NFL in fewest air yards allowed on completions, trailing only the 49ers and New England Patriots.
It’s a bit worrisome that the Chiefs allowed over 128 yards per game on the ground this season, more than the Green Bay Packers, who just coughed up a sickening 285 rushing yards to the 49ers in the NFC Championship. However, the Chiefs held Derrick Henry in check, something just about every NFL team was unable to do this season, including the AFC’s top seed, the Baltimore Ravens.