The Kansas City Chiefs dominated the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, improving their record to 5-2. Here is the story of the game by the numbers.
Victory Monday tastes a little sweeter today. The Kansas City Chiefs are 5-2 heading into the bye week after their 44-23 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Yet again, the Chiefs were faced with a formidable defense and a team that had time to get healthy before their match with K.C. This time around, it was no match for Andy Reid’s scheme. It also didn’t hurt that Patrick Mahomes was at his absolute best.
Sunday was supposed to be a huge challenge for the Chiefs. The first meeting between the Chiefs and 49ers since Super Bowl 54 brought with it plenty of hype, and the game was built up to be a measuring stick for exactly what this Kansas City offense was capable of. It’s unlikely that that narrative will survive into the bye week—somebody will find an excuse for the Niners—but the Kingdom knows what this team is made of. For the third time in seven games, the Chiefs have put up 40 points, and for the fourth time, they held their opponent to under 25. This is the story of the Chiefs’ Week 7 victory by the numbers.
5
Before we get into the offensive firepower that we saw on Sunday, let’s give the defense all the credit they deserve. Sure, the 49ers only had 48 hours to prepare their new acquisition, Christian McCaffrey, and greater involvement from him may have been a difference maker, but it wasn’t.
The Chiefs racked up five sacks on the day—four of which were credited to the defensive line—and their ability to persistently beat the 49ers’ offensive line and attack Jimmy Garoppolo played a huge role in the outcome. Three more hits were landed on Garappolo beyond the sacks, and he was truly never able to get comfortable.
San Francisco showcased their ability to move the ball down the field on a number of drives, but the Chiefs D never wavered. The pass-rushing effort we saw on Sunday was a sign of greater good to come, and it will only improve as the secondary gets healthier.
8
A bit more on the defense. Jimmy Garappolo attempted 37 passes on Sunday and eight of them were deflected. Even with Rashad Fenton and Trent McDuffie still out with injuries, the Chiefs were able to break up over 20% of 49ers pass attempts. Although George Karlaftis and Carlos Dunlap each got credit for a pass breakup at the line—making up for 25% of the Chiefs total pass deflections—it’s still an impressive note.
Rookie Joshua Williams was in coverage on Ray-Ray McCloud for the 49ers’ first touchdown of the day and appeared to be a step behind, but he bounced back strong. He defended three passes on his own and added an interception to the stat sheet. Yet another young member of this team stepped up in a big moment.
6/60/3
Mecole Hardman had six touches on Sunday—two rushes and four receptions—for 60 yards and three touchdowns. Honestly, I wasn’t sure the day that Hardman made this kind of impact on a final score would ever come, but here we are. The prospect of diversity in this offense has long been discussed, and Patrick Mahomes has utilized it all in a number of ways. Sunday, it was time to highlight Mecole Hardman.
With Marquez Valdez-Scantling stretching the field, JuJu Smith-Schuster dominating the slot, and Travis Kelce doing what he does, Hardman’s role has stayed true to what it always has been. Sunday’s game was his opportunity to showcase how valuable a true gadget receiver is in this offense, and he took full advantage.
423
Finally, Patrick Mahomes. He went 25/34 passing on Sunday with 423 yards and three touchdowns against the best defense in the league. Hot dam, y’all. The Patrick Mahomes MVP train is back on track. The way that he persistently performs against the biggest defensive challenges that the league has to offer is nothing short of incredible, and we’ve got to take time to appreciate it.
The Chiefs have survived the gauntlet of their season, and while it’s nowhere near “downhill from here,” the biggest challenges of the year are behind us. We can expect good health and momentum on the back end of the bye week ahead, and there are loads to celebrate on this Victory Monday.