Why the 49ers will win Super Bowl 58 at Allegiant Stadium
It’s always been the 49ers.
San Francisco has been the best team in the NFL most of the season. There have been twists and turns, but here the club is favored to win the Super Bowl. All that’s left to do is finish the job.
The 49ers will have a chance to do so Sunday when they attempt to win their first Super Bowl title since 1995 at Allegiant Stadium. Here are five reasons they can get it done against the Kansas City Chiefs:
1. C-Mac attack
San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey is the NFL’s most dynamic offensive player that doesn’t play quarterback.
His versatility is what makes him such a weapon. He’s as dangerous between the tackles as he is outside the numbers. He’s also just as likely to go through tacklers as he is to go around them.
McCaffrey possesses elite receiving skills as well. He finished second in the league in receiving yards among running backs and first in receiving touchdowns. He’s even capable of throwing the ball on occasion.
His presence is what takes coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense from dangerous to lethal.
2. YAC
The 49ers offense hums because of how well they generate yards after the catch.
Quarterback Brock Purdy may not be Patrick Mahomes, but he doesn’t have to be in this system. Shanahan’s scheme creates opportunities for receivers to get the ball in space.
San Francisco has the perfect set of playmakers to take full advantage of that. The Chiefs are good in coverage, but they’ll have to tackle well to hang in this game.
The 49ers lead the NFL by gaining an average of 6.5 yards after the catch per reception.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel is one of the team’s best players with the ball in his hands. He averages 8.8 yards gained after the catch. He’s led the NFL in that stat each of the past four seasons.
3. Blitz beaters
Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo loves dialing up blitzes.
That’s risky against the 49ers.
The Chiefs blitz 37 percent of the time, the fourth-most in the NFL. They often send an extra defensive back at the quarterback and are sound enough in coverage to not get burned while doing so.
San Francisco could put that to the test. Purdy ranks fifth in the NFL in yards per attempt and touchdowns when he is pressured. He can turn the ball over when blitzed, but when he avoids mistakes he makes defenses pay. Sending an extra rusher at Purdy also gives 49ers receivers more room to run if the team is able to complete a pass under pressure.
4. Shutting down the airspace
The 49ers can be beaten on the ground, but they’re very good against the pass.
The question is whether the Chiefs are willing to be patient with their run game to take advantage. They tend to put games in the hands of their all-world quarterback in Mahomes and his magical right arm.
It’s a gamble to challenge Mahomes, but the 49ers defense is designed to trap teams into throwing the ball.
They’ve got an elite pass rusher in Nick Bosa, two amazing linebackers in Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw and a solid secondary.
This is a strength-on-strength matchup in which San Francisco may be up to the task.
5. One final key
The 49ers have been tested this postseason.
They overcame uneven performances to stage second-half rallies in each of their first two postseason games.
They shouldn’t panic if they fall behind, and they should remain confident they can come back.
Whether that’s enough to avenge their 31-20 loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl 54 is unknown. But the team should be more seasoned the second time around.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.