The Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Fransisco 49ers in a nail-biting overtime, 25-22, to win Super Bowl LVIII this past Sunday night at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The victorious team, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, declared themselves a dynasty after their third Super Bowl win in the last five seasons.
Mahomes, the MVP of the game, connected with wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. to secure the win in the last three seconds of the game. Mahomes finished the game with 333 passing yards and 66 rushing yards. He had an impressive showing, connecting on 74% of his pass attempts and averaging 7.2 yards per attempt. Running back, Isaiah Pacheco, did struggle at times in the game, including his fumble just nine yards from the endzone, but overall powered through and ended with 92 rushing yards for the Chiefs’ offense.
However, despite the heartbreaking loss, Brock Purdy earned himself respect from America as the underdog put up a good fight against the powerhouse team. Purdy was given the infamous nickname “Mr. Irrelevant” due to being the final pick of the 2022 draft, but he proved himself to be anything but in this Super Bowl appearance. Purdy finished the game with 255 passing yards and averaged 6.7 yards per attempt – one that rivaled the seasoned Mahomes stat line. Purdy’s stats were better than that of the Chiefs’ previous competitors of the postseason, including star quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. He was able to spread the ball and keep the team in the game, even helping take the lead from the beginning of the game into halftime. Purdy most definitely put himself in the position to be a franchise quarterback for the 49ers despite the result of the game.
Nonetheless, there was only so much the sophomore quarterback could do against the Chiefs defense as they were able to lock down running back Christian McCaffery, who only rushed for 80 yards and didn’t find the endzone in the monumental game.
The 49ers led the game in the first two quarters, being the first to score and leading at halftime 10-3. The Niners’ kicker, Jake Moody, scored three field goals during the game from 55, 53, and 27 yards, but a blocked extra point in the fourth quarter ended up making all the difference as the missed opportunity led them into overtime.
The Chiefs staged their comeback in the third quarter, where they took the lead 13-10. Kansas City kicker, Harrison Butker, hit a 57-yard field goal early in the quarter, setting the record for longest field goal in Super Bowl history, and Mahomes connected with wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for the Chiefs’ first touchdown of the game.
The teams traded scores in the fourth quarter, the Niners scoring 9 and the Chiefs scoring 6, which left the score tied at 19-19 at the end of regulation, sending the Super Bowl to overtime.
San Francisco was first to score in overtime, where Moody hit his 27-yard field goal, but Kansas City locked up the win with a strong drive, finding themselves scoring in the endzone on a play they call “Corn dog.”
This year’s Super Bowl was disappointing for sure as America was rooting for the underdog 49ers, but the team proved that they are a force to be reckoned with. I can guarantee this isn’t the last we will see of this franchise, and I would venture to guess a 2025 Super Bowl appearance is most definitely in the cards for this team next season.
