Scouting Super Bowl LVIII: 3 key matchups that could decide 49ers vs. Chiefs

The Super Bowl LVIII matchup is set with the San Francisco 49ers taking on the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of Super Bowl LIV. 

With so many tantalizing matchups between the NFC and AFC champions, let’s take an early look at some intriguing battles from a scout’s perspective. 

Here are three key matchups to watch:

Can the Chiefs slow down the 49ers’ running game? 

Despite the Chiefs’ emergence as a defensive juggernaut this season, the unit’s issues defending the run could encourage Kyle Shanahan to turn Super Bowl LVIII into a street fight in a phone booth. The Niners not only excel at attacking opponents with an array of off-tackle runs with Christian McCaffrey running to daylight, but they find creative ways to put the ball in Deebo Samuel’s hands on jet-sweeps or reverses on the perimeter.

With Shanahan intent on getting his best players at least 20-plus combined rushing attempts, the Chiefs must gear up for a ground-and-pound plan designed to test their toughness, physicality and gap discipline for 60 minutes. Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo could counter by blitzing the Niners relentlessly to ensure that there’s a defender in every assigned gap at the line of scrimmage. Moreover, the heavy-pressure tactics could result in a few negative plays that disrupt the Niners’ schedule and force Brock Purdy to throw against the exotic blitzes that routinely result in turnovers.

If the Chiefs can handle the deception (pre-snap motions and shifts) and misdirection (reverses, jet-sweeps, and trick plays), they can control the line of scrimmage with their speed and physicality while utilizing an aggressive plan that plugs the running lanes for McCaffrey & Co.

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After watching the league’s most dominant quarterback-pass catcher combination torch another opponent in the playoffs, the Niners must neutralize Travis…

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Publish date : 2024-01-29 15:08:06

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