Las Vegas — Nobody has a bigger stake in Super Bowl LVIII than 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.
He has long been considered one of this generation’s best offensive wits. The only thing he lacks is the jewellery that comes with being the best in the NFL.
This is Shanahan’s third Super Bowl appearance, and the first two ended in agony as his team blew huge second-half leads. His heartbreaking losses occurred as offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons and four years ago in his current position.
One game can permanently alter perspectives.
With a win, Shanahan might go closer to achieving Hall of Fame status.
Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs will undoubtedly provide plenty of fodder for social media haters.
However, the man in control of the company is keeping the outcome of this single game in perspective.
“I love Kyle,” 49ers CEO Jed York stated. “It would be difficult for me to say that I like working with anyone more than Kyle. Kyle, in my opinion, is an excellent coach. I believe he has done an excellent job with our team.
“I’m not really concerned in how others perceive me. It is extremely difficult to make the playoffs. It is extremely difficult to get to a championship game. It is extremely difficult to win a championship game. It’s harder to get to this game. Kyle’s outcomes more than justify themselves.”
The 49ers implemented their game plan more than a week ago, and several players have expressed their excitement to put Shanahan’s offensive ideas into action against a formidable Kansas City defence.
Here are five 49ers stars whose performances will help determine whether the 49ers can win their sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy.
5. WR Deebo Samuel
The 49ers will face L’Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie, widely regarded as the top cornerback combo in the NFL.
Wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk face their most difficult task yet this season.
Even if Samuel is having problems getting open against man coverage, he can still have a significant impact on this game.
The 49ers will have a set of plays in mind for Samuel, either on jet sweeps or screen passes.
Samuel expects to sprint harder than ever on Super Bowl Sunday.
“Any time he touches the ball, he can take it to the crib,” 49ers left tackle Trent Williams explained.
Samuel’s physicality as a runner might set the tone for the game on the 49ers’ first possession, as they seek to establish themselves as the more physical of the two teams.
4, LB Fred Warner
Linebacker Fred Warner intercepted Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes during their Super Bowl LIV matchup.
This game could come down to one takeaway, and Warner will be ready to capitalize.
Warner and his sidekick, Dre Greenlaw, have the most challenging responsibilities of any 49er in this game. They must not only defend the second level against hard-charging running back Isaiah Pacheco, but also keep tight end Travis Kelce in check.
Mahomes and Kelce have scored the most postseason touchdowns in NFL history. Kelce has a knack for finding gaps against zone defences, and Mahomes is almost always able to find him.
Warner, a three-time All-Pro, will have to collaborate closely with Greenlaw to ensure Kelce does not consistently break free for massive gains.
3, RB Christian McCaffrey
The 49ers might be able to assault the Kansas City run defence.
In three postseason games, the Chiefs have allowed an average of 4.6 yards per rushing attempt.
Steve Spagnuolo, Kansas City’s defensive coordinator, might insert an eighth player into the box to neutralize McCaffrey, the NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
However, the 49ers are unlikely to succeed if they are consistently outnumbered on running plays and McCaffrey has no place to operate.
But that’s okay, too.
McCaffrey is not just the NFL’s top runner, but also its finest dual-threat back.
The 49ers’ offensive variety allows them to exploit empty backfields from their base personnel to spread out Kansas City’s defence.
Then, they can still get the ball into McCaffrey’s hands during the pass game. And with McCaffrey working in space, the Chiefs will find it difficult to contain him.
2, DE Nick Bosa
Last year, Nick Bosa was crowned NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
While he did not place in the top ten in recent voting, this game has the potential to differentiate him from all of the others who accumulated higher stats during the regular season.
Bosa will face Kansas City left tackle Donovan Smith and right tackle Jawaan Taylor. Those two combined for 15 holding penalties, which Bosa quickly exposed and may have attempted to persuade referee Bill Vinovich.
“They hold a lot,” Bosa replied when asked for a scouting report on Smith and Taylor.
Bosa will be the emphasis of Kansas City’s defence strategy. He will face a regular diet of double-teams, which is nothing new for him. While this should allow Chase Young to win his one-on-one matchups on the other side, Bosa may have to do it on his own.
And he can easily make Mahomes uncomfortable on his own.
1, QB Brock Purdy
Brock Purdy’s narrative has been one of the best of the previous two seasons.
Injury forced the final overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to start last season. Then he suffered a serious elbow injury in the NFC Championship game.
He admits he wasn’t 100 percent before the season began, but that didn’t stop him from getting out to a fast start, leading the 49ers to the NFC’s top seed and placing fourth in MVP voting.
Now he is the 49ers’ starting quarterback in the Super Bowl.
He was up and down in both postseason games, but he led thrilling comebacks over Green Bay and Detroit to get here.
“He’s had a hell of a week,” Shanahan said of Purdy’s practice preparation for this game. “Brock’s pumped up.”
Purdy’s first career start was against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, so he didn’t take things slowly when he took over.
Now, he and his teammates will face Mahomes, a two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback.
Purdy, 24, has mainly demonstrated poise and technique since taking over the starting position. But this is unlike anything he has ever encountered.
Prior to the snap, he must recognize where Kansas City is applying pressure. Then, quarterback must throw the ball on time and accurately to set up his receivers for yards after the catch.
If the running game is effective, Purdy will be able to use play-action passes on early downs to get the ball deep against single coverage.
If Purdy can do all of that — in other words, perform what he has consistently done since joining the starting lineup — the 49ers should end their 29-year Super Bowl drought.
Then Purdy, Shanahan, and the rest of the 49ers’ players and coaches will leave new legacies for the current generation.
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