Super Bowl LVIII’s key players following Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers run through the playoffs
The stage is set and we now know that the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers will be duking it out for the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LVIII next month.
The two rivals will contest the big game for the second time in four years, with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs coming back to see off the Niners in Miami in Super Bowl LIV. Mahomes was named MVP that day, but who will the key players be this time out?
After a month of playoff football, here is a look at the in-form players who could settle this one.
The big hitters
First up, let’s get the obvious ones out of the way. You don’t need me to tell you that Patrick Mahomes is a key player in this one, as he targets a third ring in his eighth year in the league. Ditto Travis Kelce, after his recent momentum kept on going with an 11-catch, 116-yard day against the Ravens.
On the 49ers, it also goes without saying Brock Purdy is key to the whole thing, with Niners fans hoping to see the Purdy that has led second-half comeback wins in both of their playoff victories in Vegas, rather than the one that fell behind in the first half. Christian McCaffrey should land the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award next week, so is another obvious key player, as is the dynamic Deebo Samuel.
With that caveat done, we’ll move on to some less obvious players out there on display…
Nick Bosa
After being named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year last season, the 49ers defensive end had a quieter campaign this time out as his regular season sack total dropped from a league-leading 18.5 in 2022 to 10.5 this year.
But he saved one of his best games of the year for when it mattered the most, sacking Jared Goff twice in the first half to prevent the 49ers from falling into a hole that they couldn’t get out of.
The Niners need to make sure Mahomes isn’t allowed to exit the pocket where he can cause the most damage and Bosa will be vital here.
Kyle Juszczyk
On an offense packed with playmaking weapons, fullback Kyle Juszczyk is often the glue that keeps it all together, whether that’s by paving the way for McCaffrey or helping to protect Purdy. But on Sunday he also showed what he can do downfield, hauling in a crucial 23-yard pass in the first quarter.
His positioning and impact will give Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo plenty to chew over for the next couple of weeks.
L’Jarius Sneed
Talking of Spagnuolo, his unit’s performance in the win over the Ravens cemented his reputation as perhaps the best coordinator in the league.
Given the quality of his scheming all across the defense, plucking one player to highlight is something of a challenge, but L’Jarius Sneed pulled off a number of big plays that were crucial in stopping Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, bringing the QB down in the secondary to prevent a first-quarter touchdown, stopping Zay Flowers from reaching the end zone at the end of the third quarter and then forcing the goalline Flowers fumble shortly after that.
A combination of water-tight pass coverage and a huge physical effort means that Sneed will be vital in looking to slow down the Niners offense.
Isiah Pacheco
The 49ers run defense has been one of their weak points all season. And it nearly cost them a place in the Super Bowl at the weekend, when the Lions were able to run all over Steve Wilks’ unit during the first half.
When the Chiefs watch the game tape back, Isiah Pacheco will no doubt be licking his lips at what he saw. Pacheco is a powerful runner and can take full advantage of the Niners’ soft interior line. The sophomore running back averaged three rushing yards after first contact this season and this has the potential to cause the 49ers a headache
