Who has the edge in Super Bowl 54: The Kansas City Chiefs or San Francisco 49ers?
The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will play in Super Bowl 54 at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.
Who has the edge?
When the 49ers pass the ball
Edge: Chiefs
The 49ers haven’t needed Jimmy Garoppolo to make big plays so far in the postseason, attempting just 27 passes in home wins over the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. He will now face a Chiefs defense that has allowed just three teams to pass for more than 300 yards in a game and was tied for the fifth-most interceptions during the regular season.
When the Chiefs pass the ball
Edge: Even
This will be arguably the biggest factor in the game. The 49ers, led by cornerback Richard Sherman, have the best pass defense in the league, holding opponents to 169.2 yards per game and 5.9 yards per pass attempt. But Patrick Mahomes will be their biggest test yet. Mahomes averaged 287.9 passing yards per game in 14 regular-season contests and can extend plays with his feet should the pocket break down.
When the 49ers run the ball
Edge: 49ers
San Francisco has one of the best rushing attacks in the league, averaging 144.1 yards per game on the ground with an NFL-best 23 rushing touchdowns. The combination of Raheem Mostert (772 yards, eight touchdowns), Matt Breida (623 yards, one touchdown) and Tevin Coleman (544 yards, six touchdowns) has taken pressure off Garoppolo, who can still make the big plays when needed. The Chiefs, meanwhile, gave up an average of 128.2 rushing yards per game, the most of any team to make the playoffs this season.
When the Chiefs run the ball
Edge: 49ers
San Francisco was middle of the road defensively against the run, allowing an average of 112.6 yards per game that ranked 17th in the league, but held both the Vikings and Packers to a combined 83 rushing yards in the playoffs. The Chiefs have a two-headed attack with running backs Damien Williams and LeSean McCoy, but they are mostly used to keep defenses honest and help set up play action for Mahomes. Kansas City ran the ball just 375 times in the regular season, the sixth lowest in the NFL.
Special teams
Edge: Chiefs
Kicker Harrison Butker has been steady for Kansas City, making 35 of his 39 field-goal attempts this year, including the past 14. Three of his misses were from 50, 50 and 52 yards. The Chiefs are also one of six teams to return a kickoff for a touchdown. The 49ers, meanwhile, have made just 77 percent of their field goals and are 0 for 4 from beyond 50 yards.
The differences in punting are marginal, with the 49ers averaging 41.6 net yards per punt and the Chiefs 40.3 but landing punts inside the 20-yard line more often than San Francisco.
Coaching
Edge: Chiefs
Andy Reid is in his 20th season as an NFL head coach and is going to his second Super Bowl. Kyle Shanahan is in his third season leading the 49ers after nine years as an offensive coordinator for four NFL teams.
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