Ahead of Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, the Chiefs’ defense is aware of the 49ers’ offensive prowess, and San Francisco is superior to all in one area that Kansas City wishes to restrict on February 11.
Kansas City’s primary issue was brought up by Chiefs safety Justin Reid during a Wednesday interview with reporters at Super Bowl Radio Row.
“The number one thing for this game plan after run fits will be tackling,” Reid told reporters Wednesday. “When you watch the Green Bay [Packers] and Detroit Lions [games in San Francisco], they had opportunities, plays that should’ve been [tackles for loss] — Deebo [Samuel] or Christian [McCaffrey] breaks a tackle, and now it’s going for a first down — [the 49ers] start creating momentum that way.
“So, I think that it will be critical for us that on the edge on those dump-off passes, on the screens or whatever they’re doing, the first guy there makes the tackle and really slows that momentum down, don’t allow them to catch a stride or rhythm that way.”
Reid would characterize San Francisco’s dynamic playmakers as difficult tackles. When touching the ball, elite 49ers like Samuel, McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk irritate defenses by breaking tackles and turning plays that ought to be negative into first downs.
Reid and the Chiefs intend to contain McCaffrey in particular, who led the NFL in rushing yards during the regular season in 2023 with 1,459 yards.
Reid, who was McCaffrey’s undergraduate roommate at Stanford, gave an explanation of why it’s difficult to beat his old buddy.
“The guy is a machine, man. He doesn’t get tired,” Reid said. “He’s a workhorse. He’s strong – he’s stronger than what his size makes it look. But he also has the quick feet, the stutter-step before he breaks inside, the jump cuts. He also has shown in his game that he added the stiff arm. So, you know, the guy has a complete utility belt at his disposal.”
With eight Vince Lombardi Trophies between the two teams, genuine sportsmanship endures despite a heated rematch between Super Bowl LIV participants in 2020 scheduled for Sunday.
Who knows how much longer the friendship will endure?