San Francisco 49ers (3-4) – Kansas City Chiefs (5-2): 44-23
Remake of the 2019 Superbowl this Sunday evening at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Both teams are coming off of frustrating weeks, with home side losing a lot of injuries, while the visitors saw the Bills take an option on top spot in the AFC. It is also an opportunity to see the clash between George Kittle and Travis Kelce. Nice wink as the Tight Ends are honored on the occasion of the National Tight Ends Day (Tight End Day). If the Niners took a small advantage at the start of the match, the Californian defense could not do anything against a Patrick Mahomes of the very great days.
Mahomes is only wrong once
On their first drive, the Chiefs only play two games before Patrick Mahomes (25/34, 423 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT) sends the swell into the arms of the ubiquitous Talanoa Hufanga. A boon for Jimmy G (25/37, 303 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) who converts the opportunity with a touchdown. San Francisco leads 10-0. Mahomes will have made a mistake. Unfortunately for San Francisco, this will be the only near-perfect game.
Look at our safeties man.
Gipson with the tip, Huf with the pick!
📺 #KCvsSF on FOX pic.twitter.com/EuonTZ8iGY
—San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 23, 2022
Garropolo can’t keep up
Raised by his interception, Mahomes decides to click on Pause, Change game settings, “Very Easy” mode. After this first unfortunate drive, he chained 7 drives, concluded by 6 touchdowns (and a missed field goal, you can only really trust yourself!). The margin of error is low for Jimmy Garropolo, and the mattress is 10 points too thin. The ball is distributed to playmakers, including Brandon Aiyuk (7 receptions, 82 yards), George Kittle (6 receptions, 98 yards, 1 TD) and newcomer Christian McCaffrey (8 carries, 38 yards, 2 receptions, 24 yards), despite a limited role. If his performance is not infamous, he is not one of the few current quarterbacks who can keep pace with Mahomes when he is at this level.
It’s out of proportion with the Chiefs, where everyone is entitled to their share of the cake: JuJu Smith-Schuster (7 receptions, 124 yards, 1 TD), Marquez Valdez-Scantling (3 receptions, 111 yards) or even Travis Kelce (6 receptions, 98 yards) are celebrating. Mecole Hardman, he made Tyreek Hill and scored a hat-trick: 2 races, 28 yards, 2 TD on the ground, 4 receptions, 32 yards, 1 TD in the air.
As the match progresses, the gap between the two teams becomes a chasm, and then the chasm becomes a canyon. The Chiefs even have the luxury of resting the incumbents before the end and making Chad Henne sweat a little bit.
When they are in this form, the Chiefs are scary, and have few opponents to their measure.
