LAS VEGAS — This might not have been the Super Bowl those not residing in the San Francisco and Kansas City areas wanted, but this is the Super Bowl we’ve got.
There are those who are tired of the Chiefs, because they make it this far so often and now add in the Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift phenomenon to annoy the grumps of the world.
There are those who cannot embrace the 49ers, mainly because the Lions were such a delightful, upstart story, and, holy smokes, they were headed to the big game before a huge meltdown in the second half of the NFC Championship game.
You either have to be a sore loser or a true hater to not embrace what we have before us Sunday inside Allegiant Stadium for Super Bowl 2024.
Any game including Patrick Mahomes is worth watching, because he is currently the best in the business, and if you take a bathroom break you might miss him doing something astonishing.
Any game showcasing the offensive designs and wizardry of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan of the 49ers has the potential for fireworks.
Any game where Kelce and George Kittle line up at tight end is worthy of our attention. Any game with Christian McCaffrey in it is fun.
Any game involving Steve Spagnuolo, the Chiefs’ defensive guru and big-game hunter, offers intrigue. Any game with Nick Bosa on one side and Chris Jones on the other steaming in to collapse the pocket might involve mayhem.
And, any Super Bowl where the last player picked in an entire NFL draft is a starting quarterback gives hope to all those downtrodden teams out there who can look out and say, “Why the heck can’t we find our Brock Purdy?’’
This is a rematch of Super Bowl LIV in Miami Gardens, won by the Chiefs, 31-20, four years ago.
It is a case of déjà vu for the Chiefs, who are in the Super Bowl for the fourth time in the past five years — only the Patriots (2014-18) and the Bills (1990-93) can make that claim.
The Chiefs are looking to accomplish something that is a rarity nowadays: win back-to-back Super Bowls. The last repeat winner was the 2003-04 Patriots.
There was a time when the 49ers seemed to be annual Super Bowl participants.
Yet they have not claimed a Lombardi Trophy in 29 years.
Mahomes will be the first to ever start at quarterback in the Super Bowl four times before the age of 30.
He won it for the first time as a 24-year-old and is looking for ring No. 3 as a 28-year-old. He was named MVP of Super Bowls LIV, over the 49ers, and LVII, last season over the Eagles.
“It’s humbling, because I never thought I would be in this many Super Bowl games,” Mahomes said. “I don’t take it for granted, because you never know if you’re going to be able to be back in this game.’’
It was, for him, an uneven season. He had a career-high 17 turnovers, and the Chiefs finished with their worst record (11-6) with him as a starter.
They were not favored in their playoff games at Buffalo or Baltimore, but vintage Mahomes produced the upsets. He has not committed a turnover in three playoff games.
Though Reid is seeking his third Super Bowl victory with the Chiefs, Shanahan is looking for redemption in the biggest game of them all.
This time around, Shanahan has Purdy, and not Jimmy Garoppolo, running perhaps the league’s most creative attack. Purdy, 24, will be the third-youngest quarterback to start in a Super Bowl.
The Niners are 21-4 with him as their starter, and he has 44 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions in that stretch, counting the playoffs.
And yet, Purdy is a huge question mark entering this game.
Does he have what it takes to battle with the great Mahomes?
There is something of a Kurt Warner quality to Purdy — someone from nowhere playing way better than anyone anticipated.
Statistically, Purdy was the most effective quarterback in the NFL this past season, leading the way with a passer rating of 113.0 and finishing in the top five in passing touchdowns (31) and passing yards (4,280). Call him a game manager if you will, but he manages to win a whole bunch of games.
“You get wrapped up with getting all the glory, the fame, the status, I feel like that’s a shallow life,’’ Purdy said. “That can fade away pretty quickly. So for me, obviously we’re playing for the Super Bowl, I’m very honored and thankful. I want to win a championship for this organization.’’
You want some defense?
The Chiefs were second in the league in fewest points allowed and yards given up, carried more by this unit than their usually-lethal offense.
The 49ers were third in scoring defense and six of their starters have previous Super Bowl experience.
The 49ers got here the hard way, needing playoff comebacks against the Packers and Lions.
The Chiefs, after smacking the Dolphins in the first round showed their revolve, outlasting the Bills (27-24) and Ravens (17-10) with impressive performances on the road.
Not the game you wanted? Odds are it will be something worth watching.
Marquee matchup
49ers defensive end Nick Bosa vs. Chiefs RT Jawaan Taylor
This might as well be titled Marquee Mismatch. Bosa has 53.5 sacks in 68 career games, and in 2023 he compiled the best pass-rushing grade of his career, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Chiefs cannot allow Taylor to go one-on-one with Bosa. Taylor was the most flagged offensive lineman in the league, with 19 penalties — Mekhi Becton of the Jets was tied for second with 12 — and PFF ranked him 27th out of 28 qualifying offensive tackles. You want a prop bet for this game?
How about the Over/Under for holding penalties on Taylor?
Bosa was the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.
Four downs
Coaches corner: This is a case of been-there, done-that for Andy Reid, who is just the fourth head coach in NFL history to take his team to at least five Super Bowls (four with the Chiefs, one with the Eagles). Reid’s 25 career playoff wins trails only Bill Belichick. Reid is seeking his third Super Bowl victory.
Kyle Shanahan is a terrific coach, but he has Super Bowl baggage that he needs to unpack.
As the Falcons offensive coordinator, Shanahan watched in horror as his team blew a 28-3 lead to Tom Brady and the Patriots in Super LI.
Four years ago, Shanahan’s 49ers held a 20-10 lead, but the Chiefs scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
Getting a handle: Is there a player in the league more difficult to bring down than Deebo Samuel? In the playoffs, Samuel has forced 0.62 missed tackles per touch, according to Pro Football Focus.
Samuel was up to his familiar tricks in the NFC title game, with eight receptions for 89 yards. He has 19 career rushing touchdowns and will line up in the backfield as a running back.
Trent McDuffie is the Chiefs’ best slot cornerback, and he is going to have to stick with Samuel as best as he can. When McDuffie gets his hand on an opponent, it is usually over. He missed just three tackles all season.
Does Taylor Make it? Private jets can do things commercial flights cannot, and it seems as if Taylor Swift will be able to get to Vegas from her concert in Japan in plenty of time for kickoff. Once seated, the CBS cameras will be ready. What remains to be seen is how much the newfound Swifties passion for Travis Kelce and Chiefs football pumps up the ratings.
And watch for those soaring No. 87 Kelce jerseys sales if he’s on the winning side.
Just for kicks: Searching for an advantage one team has over the other? Look no further than kicker.
Harrison Butker ailed the game-winning field goal for the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII and is coming off a sensational season, hitting a career-high 94.3 percent of his field goal attempts. He is 7-for-7 in the playoffs.
The Niners go with Jake Moody, a rookie who was selected in the third round of the 2023 draft — extremely high for a kicker.
He has endured his shares of ups and downs. He has missed at least one field goal or extra point in his past three games.
