S.F., K.C. enter game with redhot quarterbacks
KANSAS CITY >> Early in the 49ers’ last Super Bowl-winning season, they ventured into Arrowhead Stadium for a Week 2 matchup pitting Steve Young against his iconic predecessor, Joe Montana.
The Chiefs won 24-17, and they’ve whipped the 49ers in each visit since then: 44-9 in 1997, 41-0 in 2006, 31-10 in 2010.
History aside, these franchises meet Sunday in the Chiefs’ home opener with bright futures revolving around hot-shot quarterbacks: the 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo and the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, the latter of whom has 10 touchdowns and no interceptions amid a 2-0 start.
“I’ve had this game circled for a long time,” Mahomes told Chiefs reporters of his first career home start. “Just being able to play at home in front of these fans, it’s going to be an amazing thing.”
The 49ers (1-1) counter with Garoppolo, who actually made his NFL debut at Arrowhead in mopup duty of a 41-14, blowout loss by the New England Patriots on Sept. 29, 2014. Chiefs fans set a Guinness World Record that Monday night for their jet-enginelevel crowd noise (142.2 decibles).
“We know it’s going to be loud,” Garoppolo said. “That place, I played there my rookie year and it was rocking. So, we know what we’re in for.”
Those 2014 Patriots went on to lose only two more games en route to a Super Bowl championship. As for the 1994 49ers, the also lost only two games after “Joe d. Steve” en route to the Niners’ fifth Lombardi Trophy.
Arrowhead is also where the Kyle Shanahan era unofficially launched last year, when the 49ers won their exhibition opener. That marked the first time we saw Reuben Foster in uniform, and it will be the first place we see the linebacker suits up this season after serving his two-game suspension.
Here are five ways the 49ers can spoil the Chiefs home opener:
1. PATIENT DEFENSE? >> Pressuring Mahomes in the pocket would figure to help an injury-laden secondary. However, the 49ers don’t have a feared pass rush, and perhaps that is OK. How so?
Because Mahomes leads all quarterbacks with a 141.4 passer rating under pressure (11 of 19, 235 yards, three touchdowns). The quicker he throws, the better he is.
When throwing less than 2 ½ seconds from the snap, he’s completed 83.9 of passes, including 8 of 10 touchdown passes, according to Next Gen Stats. What might be best for the 49ers is to at least make him throw outside the pocket (5 of 12, 1 TD).
“He trusts what he sees.
He takes shots, takes risks,” 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman said. “It’s Andy Reid’s offense, and even when Alex was there, he does a great job scheming people up, getting people open, using a lot of misdirection.”
The biggest danger in letting Mahomes wind up: he can go deep to Tyreek Hill, who has three touchdown catches, including two in the opener against a Chargers defense that runs a similar scheme to the 49ers.
2. MENTAL MISTAKES >> The 49ers have a slim margin for error, as we’ve seen the first couple weeks with wrong routes by young receivers. In the season opener, Kendrick Bourne’s gaffe resulted in a pick-six by the Minnesota Vikings, and, last Sunday, it was Dante Pettis missing his assignment on a fourth-quarter interception that luckily got nullified by a defensive holding penalty.
“You’ve got to make sure people know what they’re doing, and you hope they learn that just simple mistakes can cost you a game,” Shanahan said. “… Obviously, if that happens too much, then they can’t be out there. But, they are guys we believe in.”
Young receivers again could be summoned as Marquise Goodwin (quadriceps bruise) remains a game-time decision.
If this turns into an offensive shootout – the Chiefs have the NFL’s worst defense --Garoppolo will need other receivers to step
up. Tight end George Kittle is his most popular target, and more threats are needed from starters Pierre Garçon and Trent Taylor. Garçon hasn’t caught a touchdown pass since Dec. 11, 2016 – and for perspective, the Cleveland Browns have won twice since then.
3. REUBEN’S RETURN >> No one brings more energy to the field than Foster, who’s elite tackling ability and physicality have been sorely missed through his two-game suspension.
Because Reid’s calculated offense involves a dizzying-array of misdirection and surprise plays, it’s vital that Foster and the 49ers defense play disciplined and follow their rules.
“I’ve got to be real cautious about getting too excited this week because it’s my first game back,” Foster said. “Getting overwhelmed is easy. I do it every time.”
This will be his first time playing on a defense with Sherman, who doesn’t want the second-year linebacker to hold back any emotion. “Just let it go, let it go,” Sherman said.
4. BREIDA’S ENCORE >> Matt Breida is the NFL’s rushing leader despite fetching only 11 carries each game in a platoon role with Alfred Morris. Last Sunday he produced a 66-yard touchdown run among his career-high 138 rushing yards. Giving him more carries would be great, not only to see what more he could do with that but it would mean the 49ers have enough possessions to keep the Chiefs offense on the sideline.
Garoppolo complimented Breida’s smarts and cutback ability, and he noted how “those guys up front (are) giving him room to run.” Chiefs linebacker Anthony Hitchens ranks second in the NFL with 26 tackles, the most by a Chiefs defender since 1994.
5. COMMUNICATE WELL >> Offensively, the 49ers must be at their silent-count best, as they were in Minnesota’s loud den when Garrett Celek drew their only false-start penalty. From Garoppolo relaying the play calls to he and others making adjustments at the line, the 49ers must be prepared. His cadence won’t be drawing anyone offside, unless the 49ers get a lead early and take the crowd out of it.
Defensively, look for rookie Fred Warner to again serve as the “Mike” linebacker relaying Robert Saleh’s calls in the huddle. That will allow Foster to roam more. But the Chiefs have so many weapons that the 49ers can’t lose track of them, whether it’s tracking Kareem Hunt (last year’s NFL rushing leader as a rookie), covering tight end Travis Kelce or chasing down receivers Hill and Sammy Watkins.
“When you’ve got guys flying around wide open, obviously there’s a miscommunication somewhere and that’s the biggest onus we take as coaches,” defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said.
Sherman noted that the Chiefs seized last Sunday in Pittsburgh on the Steelers’ blown coverages. “(Mahomes) made great plays, great throws, but there were a lot of guys running scott-free, butt-naked wide open,” Sherman said. “You’ve got to play more sound than that.”
• Tyvis Powell got elevated Saturday from the practice squad to help an injury-laden secondary. He can play cornerback but also safety if needed in place of Jaquiski Tartt (shoulder; questionable). Linebacker Terence Garvin was cut.