The 49ers had the NFL’s stingiest pass defense this season.
And there might not be a more explosive passing team in the league than the Chiefs.
The 49ers’ 37-20 win in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the Packers set up a Super Bowl matchup of those strengths after the Chiefs beat the Titans 35-24 in the AFC Championship Game earlier Sunday.
It marks the Chiefs’ first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years, ending the third-longest drought after the Lions (54) and Jets (51). The Chiefs beat Minnesota 23-7 in Super Bowl IV; they had appeared in just two AFC title games since — losing after the 1993 season to the Bills and last year in overtime to the Patriots.
“Andy Reid is as good of a coach as there is in this league,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said of his K.C. counterpart. “I think he’s a for-sure Hall of Famer. I know how good Andy is. I know how good their quarterback is. I know how good their team is.”
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the reigning MVP, did not replicate his 2018 numbers of 5,000-plus passing yards and 50 touchdowns this season and missed two games with a knee injury. He still threw for 4,031 yards with 26 touchdowns, five interceptions and a passer rating of 105.3 for a Kansas City team that finished 12-4 to earn the AFC’s No. 2 seed.
As these playoffs have shown, Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense are as potent as ever.
In the divisional round, the Chiefs trailed 24-0 to the Texans in the second quarter — only to score 41 consecutive points en route to a 51-31 win. Mahomes threw for five touchdowns including four in the second quarter alone.
Tight end Travis Kelce (97 receptions, 1,229 yards) and wide receiver Tyreek Hill (58, 860) remained favorite targets for Mahomes. But his array of playmakers includes speedsters Mecole Hardman (20.7 yards per catch), Demarcus Robinson (14 yards per catch) and Sammy Watkins.
“There’s a lot of speed on that offense,” 49ers linebacker Fred Warner said. “They have a lot of playmakers. Patrick Mahomes is outstanding, a great talent. We’re going to have our hands full.”
The Chiefs averaged 8.1 yards per pass attempt this season, fourth highest in the NFL, and led the league with 18 passing plays of 40-plus yards.
All of which sets up an enticing game against a 49ers defense that allowed the fewest yards per pass attempt (5.9) this season and only five 40-yard plays, tied for second fewest.
The 49ers held opposing passers to an 83.0 rating (26th) and totaled 48 sacks (tied-5th), relying on a formidable pass rush generated largely by their front four. The Chiefs gave up just 25 sacks, partly because of Mahomes’ ability to elude pressure and make highlight-reel throws on the run.
These teams’ last meeting came in Week 3 of 2018, a 38-27 Chiefs win in Kansas City. For the 49ers, the game is best remembered for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffering an ACL tear that ended his season. But before that, they trailed 35-10 at halftime, with the Chiefs scoring touchdowns on each of their first five possessions.
Chiefs’ season
|
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
|
Sept. 8 |
at Jacksonville |
W, 40-26 |
|
Sept. 15 |
at Raiders |
W, 28-10 |
|
Sept. 22 |
Baltimore |
W, 33-28 |
|
Sept. 29 |
at Detroit |
W, 34-30 |
|
Oct. 6 |
Indianapolis |
L, 19-13 |
|
Oct. 13 |
Houston |
L, 31-24 |
|
Oct. 17 |
at Denver |
W, 30-6 |
|
Oct. 27 |
Green Bay |
L, 31-24 |
|
Nov. 3 |
Minnesota |
W, 26-23 |
|
Nov. 10 |
at Tennessee |
L, 35-32 |
|
Nov. 18 |
L.A. Chargers* |
W, 24-17 |
|
Dec. 1 |
Raiders |
W, 40-9 |
|
Dec. 8 |
at New England |
W, 23-16 |
|
Dec. 15 |
Denver |
W, 23-3 |
|
Dec. 22 |
at Chicago |
W, 26-3 |
|
Dec. 29 |
L.A. Chargers |
W, 31-21 |
|
Jan. 12 |
Houston |
W, 51-31** |
|
Jan. 19 |
Tennessee |
W, 35-24** |
* at Mexico City ** postseason
The 49ers’ pass defense is much improved this season. And the 49ers might hold an advantage on offense — they had the league’s second-ranked running game. The Chiefs were 26th against the run (128.2 yards per game).
The 49ers will try to become the second team to deny Reid his elusive Super Bowl win. Among NFL head coaches whose career began in the Super Bowl era, Reid is the winningest without a Super Bowl victory. His lone previous appearance came after the 2004 season with the Eagles, who lost to the Patriots.
Matt Kawahara is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mkawahara@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @matthewkawahara
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