Quarterback: These are two young quarterbacks. One got his chance to shine after the Chiefs decided to trade Alex Smith. The other had the luxury of sitting behind the best quarterback in NFL history. Patrick Mahomes is a game changer. He can destroy you in the pocket and out the pocket. As I’ve said on many occasions, he’s “Aaron Rodgers 2.0”. 15 is a pocket guy first, then decides to use his legs when there’s nothing available. Jimmy is a pocket-savvy guy who’s also able to move the pocket. Both are set to be a part of the next wave of quarterbacks in the next five to ten years or so.
Advantage: Chiefs
Running Back: Andy Reid has been notoriously known for shifting away from the running game. The Chiefs could throw a lot of teams off their game plan if they decided to run the football more often. They were able to establish Damien Williams a little bit more in the AFC title game which I liked seeing. The 49ers are an old-school group that pride themselves on establishing the running game. Most teams have two running backs, they were blessed with three: Matt Brieda, Tevin Coleman and Raheem Mostert. Look at how they ran through the Green Bay Packers in the NFC title game. Mostert ran for over 200 yards and four touchdowns.
Advantage: 49ers
Wide Receivers: The San Francisco receiving core is a solid group. After sitting down and watching them, I like what they bring to the table. Deebo Samuel is a physical receiver that plays as if he’s a running back because of how he moves in space with the ball in his hands after the catch. He’s an extremely tough guy to bring down. During the season, the 49ers also made a move to acquire Emmanuel Sanders from the Denver Broncos to add that veteran presence. The Kansas City group of pass catchers is scary. Tyreek Hill is a top five receiver in my opinion. They drafted Tyreek 2.0 in Mecole Hardman out of Georgia who’s another speedster that can get down the field. These Chiefs receivers can score at any time. They could be pinned back and all they need is to get down the field. They’ll take care of it from there.
Advantage: Chiefs
Tight Ends: This is the one I think everybody’s been waiting for. George Kittle and Travis Kelce are the two best tight ends in the league right now. I’ve always been a fan of how the Chiefs use Kelce. I’ve seen him lined up wide as a receiver. When he’s far out, he’s getting the football. I often say that whenever I see a tight end on the perimeter of the field. How he moves in space amazes me. I’ll never forget the time I saw him catch a screen pass and he was up the field for a touchdown. He’s so quick in the open field. What I like about George is the personality he displays. I haven’t seen anyone as live since the Rob Gronkowski days. As a football player, number 85 makes all the difference for his team. Especially in the running game with his blocking. On play action, Jimmy is looking his way.
Advantage: 49ers, slightly.
Offensive Line: You play as well as the five guys protecting you up front. Each time I watched these two play during the season, both quarterbacks were up on their feet. Mahomes has the luxury of excellent footwork which allows him to extend the play by moving the pocket. The 49ers bully you with their offensive line. Everything with them is downhill. I did my research on both offensive lines. I wanted to see how many sacks each gave up. The Niners allowed 36 sacks on the season and Kansas City allowed 25 which was the third fewest in the league this year.
Advantage: Chiefs.
