The Super Bowl LIV matchup has been set.
The Kansas City Chiefs will represent the AFC after beating the Tennessee Titans, and the San Francisco 49ers will represent the NFC after beating the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Here’s how the Chiefs and 49ers match up in the Super Bowl, which will be played Feb. 2 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
CHIEFS PASSING ATTACK VS. 49ERS PASS DEFENSE
Chiefs fifth: 281.1 yards per game
49ers first: 169.2 yards allowed per game
Strength vs. strength here. If Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is going to beat the 49ers, he’ll have to do it while facing pressure from Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner and throwing against Richard Sherman and Jimmie Ward.
San Francisco has to worry about Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and wide receivers Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins and Mecole Hardman.
As unstoppable as Mahomes and crew has looked recently, San Francisco did have the best pass defense in the NFL this season.
EDGE: 49ers
CHIEFS RUSHING ATTACK VS. 49ERS RUN DEFENSE
Chiefs 23rd: 98.1 yards per game
49ers 17th: 112.6 yards per game
The Chiefs are decent on the ground, but starter Damien Williams isn’t going to keep the opposition up at night. On the flip side of the coin, the 49ers allowed 4.5 yards per carry in 2019. They did a nice job of shutting down Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cooks in the divisional round, however, and they limited Packers running back Aaron Jones to 12 carries for 56 yards with a touchdown.
We’ll take San Francisco again in a close one.
EDGE: 49ers
CHIEFS PASS DEFENSE VS. 49ERS PASSING ATTACK
Chiefs eighth: 221.4 yards allowed per game
49ers 13th: 237 yards per game
Perhaps this will change in the two weeks leading up to Super Bowl LIV, but the Chiefs have an underrated pass defense. They let up just an 80.8 passer rating this season. That’s better than the 49ers’ 83 mark.
Frank Clark and Chris Jones are dangerous pass rushers, while Tyrann Mathieu is playing some of the best football of his career.
49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has led the 49ers to the Super Bowl, but their passing attack isn’t the strength of their offense. Garoppolo threw for just 77 yards in the 49ers’ NFC Championship Game win. They do have some dangerous receivers in tight end George Kittle and wideouts Deebo Samuel and Emmanuel Sanders.
The Chiefs have the advantage here.
EDGE: Chiefs
CHIEFS RUN DEFENSE VS. 49ERS RUSHING ATTACK
Chiefs 26th: 128.2 yards allowed per game
49ers second: 144.1 yards per game
The 49ers had three running backs rush for over 500 yards this season in Raheem Mostert, Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman. Coleman injured his shoulder Sunday against the Packers and had to be carted off the field, so we’ll see if he can play in Super Bowl LIV but it looks doubtful. Mostert has been their best back this season, however, and gashed Green Bay for 220 yards and four touchdowns.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, allowed 4.9 yards per carry this season. They limited Carlos Hyde to 3.4 yards per carry in the divisional round and Derrick Henry to 69 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries Sunday. So, they’re playing their best football, but the 49ers are a different challenge.
EDGE: 49ers
