3 positions that will make or break Super Bowl LVIII for the Kansas City Chiefs
2. The Chiefs wide receivers
No group has taken more heat this season than the Chiefs' wide receivers. Much of that criticism has been valid as KC has struggled with drops and all-around reliability from their receiving corps. The Chiefs' passing game features a Hall of Fame offensive mind at head coach, the best quarterback in the NFL, and the best pass-catching tight end in NFL history, but the receiver play has been an issue.
K.C.'s one bright spot in the second half of the season has been rookie Rashee Rice. Rice has gradually earned Patrick Mahomes trust as the season has gone on and it has led to consistent production and a lot of run after the catch upside. While the combo of Mahomes and Travis Kelce can certainly be the centerpiece of their passing attack in this game, they are going to need other guys to get involved too and that list has to start with Rice. Over the Chiefs' last nine games, Rice has averaged 7 receptions and 82 yards per game. If he can put up anything close to those numbers in this game it will be a huge boost to the offense.
The Chiefs will also likely need contributions from a couple of other receivers as well if they want to attack the 49ers offense. Being able to stretch the field vertically with Marquez Valdes-Scantling and/or Justin Watson would be huge for opening up the middle of the field for Kelce and keeping the 49ers from packing things in to stop Isiah Pacheco in the run game. Kelce and Pacheco are probably K.C.'s two most important weapons in this game and they've both proven they can be relied on to do their part, but their jobs are much easier if the 49ers' safeties are worried about the deep ball and can't come crashing down. If MVS can continue his redemption arc in this game, it would be a massive plus for the offense.
Last season when K.C. dismantled the 49ers' defense and put up 44 points on them, they kept San Francisco's edge rushers off balance by running jet sweeps (and fake jet sweep motions) at them all day long. That is why, despite some of their previous issues, guys like Mecole Hardman or Kadarius Toney could also be important parts of the game plan again in this one. While they may not get a lot of downfield targets, their pre-snap motion and ability to take a handoff and run could help keep their edge players from being in attack mode all game long.
That could go a long way towards helping the final group on this list as well.