On Sunday night Ben Simmons suffered a lower back injury in the first quarter of a game against the bucks. This was a re-aggravation of an injury that he previously suffered in a practice the week before. Today, he was ruled out Indefinitely.
Players get injured every year, it’s an unfortunate reality that we as fans, organizations and players have to face. I would never sit here and say that every time an organization demonstrated poor judgement when deciding to play someone through an injury that action needed to be taken. With that being said, I think it is time for the sixers to make some changes and reevaluate how they make these types of decisions.
If this were a stand-alone incident, I would probably brush this off. Hell, if this was the second or third incident i would probably brush it off, but I can only see this same thing happen season after season before I start to connect the dots. Dating back to 2016, the sixers have re-aggravated a Joel Embiid knee injury twice, played Joel Embiid the most minutes in the league for the first stretch of the season in 2018 season, let Markelle Fultz play through a shoulder injury during a SUMMER LEAGUE GAME that arguably lead to him physically forgetting how to shoot a basketball, allowed one of their best young players to average collectively 34 and a half minutes per game over the course of the last 3 seasons, and now this. They have an extremely bad habit of making short term decisions that lead to long term consequences.
Aside from these specific examples, they have a much deeper history of injuries since 2013. Nerlens Noel, joel Embiid, Jahlil okafor, markelle fultz, zhaire Smith, and Ben Simmons each missed significant portions of their rookie year. Embiid also hasn’t had a healthy playoffs since he’s been here and Markelle Fultz couldn’t see the floor the entire time he was there. We can’t blame all of these injuries on front office/medical staff negligence, but when it happens so often, I believe it’s fair to be skeptical.
And lastly, we can not pretend that players don’t recognize these trends too. Kawhi Leonard forced his way out of an organization with arguably the greatest coach of all time because he felt his injuries were mishandled. And after he left, the spurs have found it significantly harder to land free agents. I do not see a reason that the sixers organization should not be worried of a similar fate for themselves if this trend continues.
The Philadelphia 76ers entered the 2019-2020 nba season as one of the frontrunners to come out of the East this season. Although they lost their 4th quarter closer in Jimmy Butler, and their best jump shooter in JJ redick, they seemingly had made up that value in former allstar al horford and last seasons leader for the Miami heat, Josh Richardson. The idea was though that while josh can’t shoot like JJ, and Al can’t score quite like Jimmy, they brought a new and different skill set to make up for it, specifically ones that the sixers lacked last season that would end up costing them a chance at a title. Richardson was/is a clearly superior defender to JJ, and is one of the better gaurd defenders in the league. and Al filled a need that jimmy, or anyone else on the 2018-2019 team couldn’t, a backup center that could (potentially) also play alongside joel Embiid, who also happened to be Joel’s worst matchup in the league in the 2018-2019 season. So now the sixers have the physicality and defensive versatility to defend any team in the league while, on paper, not having really anyone who is a negative offensively. Sadly, the optimism that was unlike any optimism sixers fans have had since the iverson era, was not met with the results everyone had hoped for. As it turns out, having 4 players in your starting lineup that heavily rely on posting up, getting inside and being surrounded by floor spacers leads to some unsatisfying results offensively. It also turns out that constantly going stagnant on offense leads to a drop in team morale and motivation on both sides of the ball. Who would’ve thought? Clearly not general manager elton brand. So, sitting at an underwhelming 33-21, and an even more underwhelming 6th seed in the eastern conference, something had to change. Somebody had to come out of this starting lineup. Josh Richardson was the only true gaurd, which the sixers were lacking, Ben simmons and Joel Embiid are the franchise players, and Tobias Harris is the only one of the forwards who even moderately resembles a floor spacer, so that leaves al horford. The same al horford making roughly $33million a year for the next 4 years. The same al horford who hasn’t come off the bench since he was a rookie. But the fact of the matter is Al horford was putting up career lows, and the net rating of him simmons and Embiid was hardly league average. It was a move that had to be made, and frankly, it wasn’t made soon enough. The Second they replaced him in the starting lineup, it immediately lead to arguably one of their most impressive wins of the year against the clippers, and the floor opened up for everybody, there was a new and improved energy level from the whole team, even Al improved in his new role. And now the sixers, rightfully, seem pretty committed to sticking with this experiment, but one question still remains, who starts over Al horford? Do you give up some defense with the teams most accurate shooter in furkan korkmaz, and leave the bench unit with less fire power on the perimiter? Do you start Glenn Robinson/Alec burks, who both are new to the team and have no chemistry with anyone? Do you stick with the defensive first mindset and bring rookie defensive standout Matisse Thybulle in to the starting role, even though he doesn’t bring much to the table from the scoring department? I guess it’s good to have a lot of options, as opposed to their roster options last year, but the clock is ticking and the sixers have to figure it out come playoff time. Only time will tell how this rollercoaster of a season will end.
You would think having seven days between games would be a good thing for a Celtics team that just can’t seem to stay healthy. The top seven of Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, Daniel Theis, Marcus Smart and Enes Kanter have played together in about 10 games this year. So, coming out of the All-Star break, I was excited to see what a fully healthy team could do, only bad part is no one told Kemba. He was out of Friday night’s game with “left knee soreness,” which sounds a lot like load management. This really makes you think about why Kemba played 30 minutes in the All-Star game. Was this all an inside job by Nick Nurse to sabotage the Celtics?
Conspiracy theories aside, the Celtics had a real NBA game in Minnesota. The 127-117 win over the T-Wolves wasn’t the most impressive win of the year, not even close. But, I think it was very telling. Gordon Hayward is so back it’s not even funny anymore to think otherwise. When he’s in attack mode, he’s at his best and it showed Friday night. Dropping 29 points on 12-17 shooting, adding on 5 rebounds and 6 assists is a perfect Gordon Hayward game, and he’s starting to look a lot like the guy the Celtics paid for. Can you believe people wanted him traded for Drummond?
Same goes for Jaylen Brown, I don’t think anyone needed the All-Star break more than that guy. Brown last played on February 11th against the Rockets with two sprained ankles. I’ve always thought his game is similar to Russell Westbrook’s in that they’re most efficient when they go full speed to the basket, and that’s what Brown was able to do yesterday. 25 points with 8 boards on 10-17 shooting? I’ll take that every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Tatum’s game wasn’t the most efficient. He shot less than 40 percent from the field, but still added 28 points and 11 rebounds. He didn’t shoot well, but he was able to get to the free throw line. He went 8-8 and you just love to see it. That’s where Tatum’s growth this year has been tremendous. On the chance he has a bad shooting night, he goes to the basket looking get to the free throw line. Last year, he’d take the worst shots possible and try to shoot himself out of a slump. Spoiler alert: that never works.
We’re saving the best for last here, folks. Daniel Theis was incredible. This guy averages 8.7 points and 6.4 boards a game, and Friday night he went for 25 and 16. Now, I know this is more of an anomaly, but without Karl-Anthony Towns on the court, there was a huge hole in the middle and the Celts were able to take advantage.
And I know what you’re thinking, the three seeded Celtics beat one of the worst teams in the league, who cares? As a pessimistic Celtics fan who still has PTSD from the 2018-2019 season and the Kyrie era, I always expect them to lose these kind of games. So, it’s nice to see the Celtics beat the teams they’re supposed to and do it convincingly. You can probably tell, I’m really fun to watch games with. Anyway, starting Sunday, the Celtics head west for three games in four days and are closing out the month against three of the top five teams in the Western Conference. There couldn’t be a tougher way to close out February, but this stretch will show us how much potential these guys have come playoff time. It all starts Sunday at Staples Center. Beat L.A.
In case you have not heard about it yet, this weekend marks the biggest game in the history of the Baylor Men’s Basketball program, and that is not an exaggeration. Baylor has NEVER hosted a top 5 opponent WHILE being ranked number one in the AP Poll.
Baylor also just recently broke the record for most consecutive wins (23 wins) by a Big 12 team in the existence of the conference, surpassing the 1996-1997 Kansas Jayhawks (22 wins).
Nobody in Waco expected this year’s Baylor basketball team to be THIS good this season. We thought they’d be good, but a Final Four contender? Given Baylor’s past in basketball I think you’d be insane to expect a Final Four run coming into this season.
Kansas has always had a giant bullseye on its back during basketball season, but Baylor is slowly becoming one of those teams. Scott Drew is gaining the national attention he deserves for being one of the better and more consistent coaches in the sport over the last decade. This game has much more importance to Baylor than it does for Kansas, but its up to Baylor to go and take advantage of that opportunity.
Baylor fans are on the edge of their seats and cannot wait for Saturday to arrive. They don’t just believe they CAN beat Kansas (again); they absolutely believe they WILL beat Kansas for the second time this season, and they have every right in the world to believe they will. The winner of this game will then have the inside track to win the conference regular season title.
Furthermore, College Gameday is coming in town for the second time in the Men’s Basketball Program’s history (only other appearance was 2011 vs Texas, a game in which Baylor lost 60-54). I always have loved that show, especially guys like Jay Bilas and Rece Davis, as they have been there since the show’s inception in 2005.
Since I am a sophomore at Baylor, I am obviously super-pumped for the game this weekend, but being from Overland Park, KS, I have a gigantic interest in this specific game in particular because of one thing: I grew up a diehard fan of the Kansas Jayhawks.
Now if you know me well, you know I was on edge this entire January/early February because of the Kansas City Chiefs and their Super Bowl run. I absolutely adore the Chiefs, but as improbable as this sounds, I am a much bigger Kansas Jayhawks fan than Kansas City Chiefs fan. I don’t even know if my roommates can fathom that but it’s the truth.
When I say diehard Jayhawks fan, I mean going to basketball and football games every Saturday for as long as I can remember (yes, football games too). I mean going to almost every senior night basketball game since 2009. I mean having my mother make me a homemade “Pay Heed All Who Enter; Beware of the Phog” sign that still hangs in my room back in Overland Park. I mean attending Bill Self’s basketball camp for much of my youth. I mean getting a basketball signed by some of my favorite Jayhawks of all time in Tyrell Reed, Marcus Morris, Tyshawn Taylor, Thomas Robinson, Andrew Wiggins, and Joel Embiid. I mean blocking out the first weekend of April every year just on the off chance that the Jayhawks make the Final Four so my family and I can travel and show our support for our beloved Jayhawks.
Me and one of my good friends Lucy at the Baylor vs Kansas game Allen Fieldhouse in March of 2019. I don’t know if I could ever summon the strength to wear an opposing team’s shirt in that building ever again. This is me during my senior year of high school in San Antonio to support the Jayhawks in the 2018 Final Four.
I feel confident saying that my fandom for the Jayhawks is honestly unrivaled by anything in my life. I still text a lot of my friends that go to KU about anything and everything going on the world of sports pertaining to Kansas Athletics. I listen to a multitude of podcasts about Kansas sports, including my favorite one called the “Ain’t No Seats” podcast (Shoutout the hosts Ryan, B-Turn, and AB. You guys are amazing). I listen to every one of their episodes the minute it drops.
But because I do so and because I actively follow Kansas athletics so much from so far away, I am often ridiculed for doing so by my fellow classmates, fraternity brothers, and friends down here in Waco. My Baylor friends could call me a traitor for not cheering 100% for our school. Some of my family members have called me a traitor for not staying 100% crimson and blue.
I fully support Baylor athletics and Kansas athletics at the same time. But because of this weekend, I am caught in an extreme internal conflict.
If I could draw out any particular scenario for how this season finishes, it would be for Baylor and Kansas to win the rest of their games this season and meet in the national title game.
On one hand, I have my current university’s team, who is 24-1 on the season and ranked number one in the AP Poll, vying for their first conference championship in basketball since 1950. On the other hand, I have my childhood team who will always have a special place in my heart, who is ranked number three and just behind Baylor in the conference standings, coming off a season in which it was the first time that they DIDN’T win the conference in the last 15 years.
Both teams are special. Plain and simple. Both teams absolutely can cut down the nets come March, and I will be there every step of the way for both teams until they are either eliminated or win the national championship.
Ever since coming to Baylor, the number one question I have gotten is “Well who are you going to root for when Baylor plays Kansas?” I have always told people I will root for the home team whenever these two teams play, but I would be lying if I said it won’t be extremely hard to do so for this Saturday’s game.
I am a Baylor Bear through and through, but I will never, EVER forget where I came from.
If I had to give a prediction for the game, I will say Baylor wins by a final score of 70-67. Key matchup to watch for will be Baylor’s Jared Butler vs Kansas’ Marcus Garrett.
Given the situation, it seems as if I can’t win no matter what happens on Saturday! But maybe, just maybe, that means I can’t lose…
As always, I’d love for you to support my #brand and follow me on twitter @bradyvaughan30 for more sports related content.
Theodore Roosevelt once said the iconic phrase: “Speak softly and carry a big stick”. While this phrase was talking about foreign policy, it may just be the perfect motto for the Houston Astros moving forward. In what has been one of the darkest and most ruthless off-seasons baseball has ever seen, the Houston Astros come limping into Spring Training, and they have not even played a single game yet. Their cuts and bruises do not come from hit by pitches or slides into second base, but rather verbal and electronic attacks from opposing players, media, and fans. Rightfully so, as we found out this offseason that this team, which had been the victors of over 300 games in the past 3 seasons, had been using an in game sign stealing operation to gain an unfair advantage on their competition. In dictionary terms…they cheated.
When the news broke in November, the baseball world went into a fury. When the commissioner released his report detailing the punishments, that fury really started to heat up, and hit what probably was the boiling point when Jim Crane gave his contradictory press conference last Thursday. This situation is a fiery mess and unfortunately for everyone, the Astros have just poured gasoline on the fire the entire time. From the Altuve and Bregman’s scripted Fan Fest answers to AJ Hinch beating around the bush and trying to explain his, now discredited, leadership techniques instead of just answering the questions to Carlos Correa calling out Cody Bellinger. The team has handled this situation poorly. With Spring Training here and Baseball games to begin starting soon, the Astros have missed their window to speak.
The time to speak and say sorry was back in November when the news broke. The time to speak and say sorry was in December when the investigation was happening. The time to speak and say sorry was in January when the report came out, or fan fest, or before Spring Training. The last chance to speak was this past Thursday. The team spoke and said sorry, but it was too late. So now they must speak softly, which basically means they can’t speak. Nothing they can say will make the situation any better. They can only make it worse. Everywhere they will go this year they are public enemy number one. No one will care what they say, yet everyone will be dying to hear what they say. Attempts for empathy are pointless and a waste of time. Along with attempts of empathy, expectations of the Astros apologizing from fans and opposing players are just as pointless. If you are a fan and waiting for an apology, it ain’t happening. And while they must speak softly they will be asked more questions now than ever before. Not only will they have the pressure of performing on the field in 2020, but they will also have to answer questions about the last 3 years and what was going on inside the clubhouse. The firing squad waits for the Astros outside the clubhouse every day ready to grill the team for what they did. If there is a team who is capable of speaking softly and being able to overcome the noise, it is this team. That will discourage many fans of other teams, but the truth of the matter is the Astros are a really good team. With a rotation that still has the reigning AL Cy Young winner, a veteran Zack Grienke, a healthy Lance McCullers Jr., and a lineup that returns 5 All Stars, 2 Rookie of the Years, 2 MVP finalists and a MVP, this team has what it takes to win it all. They will just need to be able to carry the big stick.
Carrying a big stick means to be strong and produce if you say you are going to do something. In the case of the Astros, they will need to do that this year more than ever. The reason is because this season is a lose-lose situation for the team. On one hand if the team goes out and wins 85 games and misses the playoffs, the fans will say that the only reason they won is because they cheated. On the other hand if they go out and win 100 plus games and cruise into October as the American League West champions for a fourth straight season, the people will say that it was stupid to cheat since you didn’t have to because your team was good enough to win already. There is no winning in this situation. However, the backlash and hate will be much more severe if they do not produce. They have to go out and show the world that they are an elite team. They have to do that for their team legacy and their individual legacies. With players like Altuve, who is on a hall of fame pace, he will have to show that he is a good hitter and can produce without the aid of a trash can. Alex Bregman, who has stepped into a spotlight role since 2017 and has branded himself as one of the faces of the game and a perennial MVP candidate, has to have another MVP caliber season to show he is for real. Even players like Yordan Alvarez will have to perform at an elite level or else the questions of whether cheating took place last season will only intensify and increase. The list goes on and on. The first 2 months of this season are crucial for the Astros to get off to a good start, because come the dog days of August, when they are bound to hit a rough patch, the Astros fans hope they have enough of a cushion in the standings to last until they start producing again. While this scandal will not go away for a long time, it sure can help their cases if they can swing the big stick to another AL west title and another lengthy October run.
Speak softly and carry a big stick! This will serve the Astros well as they tread the murky waters of the 2020 season. If you ask the author what he thinks about this team and the situation. He believes they have dug themselves a hole that cannot be climbed out of this season, but they have the talent and the manager to navigate this season. This is still a very good team, one that can still win the World Series. They have an uphill battle ahead of them, but if they stay the course by speaking softly and swinging a big stick, they could end up raising a certain piece of metal known as the Commissioner’s trophy.
Howdy to all the gamblers out there and a happy Valentine’s day. We all can agree this is probably the dumbest holiday there is (except New Years Eve), however to all you who have significant others, specifically girlfriends, this is the night they will be expecting a big dinner and a special gift. But who can afford all that? That’s why after reading this article, you head to the local sportsbook or get in contact with your bookie to make some picks that will help with some of those V-day expenses. Without further ado, here are Fade Fernando’s Picks from God, blessed by St. Valentine himself.
* Grad School Sports reminds you to please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-800-522-4700
U154.5 Buffalo v. Toledo:
This number started at 153.5 but the public has driven that number up a point over the last few hours. This is why we fade the public. In their last 4 games, the Rockets have averaged around 69.3 ppg. The Bulls have averaged a little over 70. Now, both teams are notoriously bad on defense (ranked in the bottom half of the NCAA), but 154 is a lot of points. The Rockets are 27th in the country in 3 pt. % so there is cause for concern if they get hot from downtown. But, with the way both of these offenses are performing I like the under in this MAC battle.
Davidson v. St. Bonaventure -4:
Davidson is terrible this year having lost to equally bad teams such as Wake Forest and Vanderbilt. Meanwhile, the Bonnies come into this game having won 5 in a row. While they aren’t a great shooting team, they play consistent defense which should bode well against a fairly bad Wildcats offense. Take the home favorite.
Monmouth +1 v. Canisius:
While I typically don’t like betting road teams in virtual PK games, the last time these two teams met Monmouth won handily 84-65. Both teams are coming off back to back losses as neither looks to be playing good basketball. That being said, I’m basing this pick off each team’s record as Monmouth is 13-10 whereas Canisius is 9-15. Take the road dog in this one.
If you’ve talked to a Cowboys fan any time over the last 10 years, you’ve heard the sames lines out of them:
“This year’s going to be different!”
“[Top free agent] is definitely coming to Dallas, Jerry always gets his guy!”
“The ‘Boys are Super Bowl bound!”
You’d start to think that after so many years of delusional expectations culminating in yet another disappointing season, Cowboys fans would start to sober up and get real. But nevertheless, like gluttons for punishment, the next year they’re back for more. And this off-season proves no different.
Tom Brady is hitting the free agent market this year, causing a great amount of buzz throughout the league. Thanks to the latest rumor from Cowboy legend Michael Irvin, Dallas fans have been chugging the Kool-Aid nonstop. Irvin recently had an interview with a New England radio station, where he stated that he had heard from “significant people” that Tom Brady had interest in signing with Dallas. With Dallas QB Dak Prescott hitting the market and looking for a contract extension, the Cowboys have to make a big decision on who is going to lead their team, and getting the greatest QB to ever suit up can never be the wrong solution.
Here’s the sobering reality for Dallas fans: Tom Brady will never sign with Dallas. There is no way he will leave the best run franchise in the NFL and the GOAT coach in Bill Belicheck to head to JerryWorld and play for the egomaniac Jerry Jones. Dallas is going to have no choice but give Prescott a massive contract north of $30 million/year, hamstringing the team by having their signal-caller be an overrated stat-padder. The Cowboys will struggle to a mediocre record in a terrible division once again, and if by some act of God they make the playoffs, a first round exit is inevitable. Signing Super Bowl-winning coach Mike McCarthy is a step in the right direction, but with Jerry at the helm there is no hope for this team. And thus the cycle will continue: after the disappointing season, the bad takes of “next year will be different” will be right around the corner.
A good friend proposed a scenario to me after 49ers head coach Beto O’ Rourke (does anyone else see the resemblance?) flat out forgot how to coach.
The scenario is: You’re up by 3 in the Super Bowl with 6 minutes to go. You’ve been averaging 8 yards a carry on the ground. On 1st down, your RB runs for 5 yards making it 2nd and 5. Are you going to run the ball again or throw it?
Still fuming from last night’s ending, I replied with a few expletives then said “even if I had Jesus Christ as my QB I’d still run the ball.” Everyone and their mother knows pretty boy Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t exactly God’s gift to QB, however after watching the 9ers play calling in the 4th quarter I’m starting to question whether Kyle Shanahan actually did think he had our Lord and Savior under center.
Kyle Shanahan's offenses in 1st 3 quarters of 2 Super Bowls: 8.1 yards per play, 2.93 points per drive, 127.4 passer rating. Kyle Shanahan's offenses in 4th quarter of 2 Super Bowls: 4.3 yards per play, 0 points per drive, 38.7 passer rating
For the first 3 quarters, the Niners found themselves with a 20-10 lead mainly due to a balanced offensive effort which featured a rushing attack that averaged over 6.4 yards per carry for the game. Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman, and Deebo Samuel were providing a potent rushing attack and Jimmy G was making the throws he needed to make. Through this offensive scheme, the Niners offense was keeping the vaunted Chiefs offense off the field. By consistently gaining yards by running the football, the Niners were controlling the game by chewing large chunks of time off the clock each possession.
#Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu on ESPN: “We were grateful they got out of the run and started to throw the ball.”
Yet, with a 10-point lead with 11 minutes to play in the 4th quarter and the Lombardi Trophy within arm’s reach, the 49ers ran 5 plays: 2 runs and 3 passes. After a 1st down run for a yard, Coach Shanahan called a pass play which wound up incomplete, stopping the clock in the meantime. After a false start which made it 3rd and 14, Shanahan was forced to call another pass play which wound up with Jimmy G scrambling for 3 yards. After a Niners punt, Patrick Mahomes and Co. marched right down the field and promptly scored a touchdown making the score 20-17. With 6 minutes to play and the ball, the Niners gained 5 yards on a 1st down rush from Mostert. Now, any human being with half of a functioning brain would run the ball the next play. But not Shanahan. No, that clown decided to call a pass play on 2nd and 5. On a day when the Chiefs hadn’t shown they were capable of stopping the run, Kyle Shanahan decides to pass the ball on the most important 2nd down of the game. A fun fact for the crowd out there, the Niners had 1 negative rush and it was their 1st play of the game for -1 yard. Why for Heaven’s sake would you throw the ball on 2nd down? In the words of the great Sandra Bullock in the movie The Blind Side “Enough with the trick plays Burt! Run the dang ball!!!!”
Run the freaking ball and watch the clock just keep ticking. Honestly, the worst thing that could happen is Mostert rushes for no gain. That sets up a 3rd and 5 but keeps the clock running. And where the heck was Deebo Samuel in all of this? A pivotal part of the 1st 3 quarters, the most athletic man on the Niners was simply taken out of the game plan in the 4th quarter. I would honestly wonder if Shanahan had taken the Chiefs -1.5 but then I remembered he has another total 4th quarter meltdown on his resume. Lest we forget he was the offensive mastermind behind the 2016-2017 Atlanta Falcons, the team that would go on to blow a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl. Even in that game, Shanahan completely abandoned the game plan when he needed to stick to it the most. By refusing to stick to the rushing game in the 4th quarter, head coach Kyle Shanahan frankly cost his team a Super Bowl.
Kyle Shanahan has been oustcored 46-0 in the 4th quarter and OT in his 2 Super Bowls as an OC or head coach
The 49ers have a great young core and will most certainly be back in the big game soon. However, as a rental fan for the night Kyle Shanahan completely pissed me off last night with his abhorrent play calling in the 4th quarter.
As Super Bowl weekend draws near, our contributors at Grad School Sports put together a list of their NFL position rankings. Please voice both your agreements and disagreements in the comments section. As always, please email us at gradschoolsports@gmail.com if you wish to be a contributor. Let’s start with the most important position on the field, the Quarterback.
The road leads here! Super Bowl LIV has finally arrived and two of the best teams all year will square off for the Lombardi Trophy: the 13-3 San Francisco 49ers and the 12-4 Kansas City Chiefs
These teams did meet last season in Arrowhead Stadium during Week 3, a game in which the Chiefs won 38-27, but that game has little to no significance.
Let’s take a quick look at how each team got here.
San Francisco 49er’s path to Super Bowl LIV:
The 49ers finished the regular season as the one seed in the NFC. Their 13-3 record was good enough to win them the NFC West division and have the road to the Super Bowl come through Levi’s Stadium on the NFC side of the bracket.
In their first playoff matchup, they were pinned against a confident Minnesota Vikings team in the NFC Divisional round after the Vikings took out Drew Brees and the Saints in the Superdome in New Orleans during the NFC Wild Card Round. Some doubted the 49ers and believed they would be upset, but Jimmy Garoppolo, Nick Bosa, and Co. made sure to dispel that notion. The Niners won 27-10 as Garoppolo completed 11-19 passes and threw for 131 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. The Niners offensive line and RB Tevin Coleman controlled the line of scrimmage, as Coleman had 22 carries for 105 yards and 2 TDs.
Next, the Green Bay Packers came rolling into Santa Clara boasting a 13-3 record for themselves, but I for one was not a huge advocate of Green Bay. I thought they would lose against the 49ers, but I did not expect San Fran to jump out to the lead they did.
The Niners jumped out to a 27-0 lead at halftime and never looked back. Thanks to a monster game from RB Raheem Mostert, which included 29 carries for 220 yards and 4 TDs, San Fran ended up winning 37-20 in a game that felt much more lopsided than a 17-point ball game.
While Green Bay’s offense out-gained the Niners’ offense (358 yards to 354 yards), Green Bay also turned the ball over three times, which says a lot about the capabilities of the 49ers defense. DEs Nick Bosa, DeForest Buckner, and Dee Ford (former Kansas City Chief) are a presence to be dealt with up front, while CB Richard Sherman and S Jaquiski Tartt and Co. are holding down the secondary. The strength of this 49ers team is their defense and run game and they have ridden those two to their first Super Bowl since 2013.
Kansas City Chiefs path to Super Bowl LIV:
The Kansas City Chiefs finished with a 12-4 regular season record for the second season in a row, winning them the AFC West division while securing the number two seed in the AFC, thanks to the Miami Dolphins knocking off the New England Patriots in Foxboro in Week 17. Due to the way the chips fell in the AFC, the road to the Super Bowl went through Arrowhead for a second consecutive season.
In the AFC Divisional Round, Kansas City welcomed the confident Houston Texans to town. Houston had just come off a dramatic comeback win at home against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card Round, and with the Baltimore Ravens losing the day before, both teams knew that if they won, they would be hosting the AFC championship game against the Tennessee Titans.
Houston jumped out to a 24-0 lead, but from then on it was the Patrick Mahomes show. The Chiefs went on a 51-7 run to close out the game (28-0 run in the 2nd Quarter alone), winning 51-31. Mahomes completed 23-35 attempts for 325 yards and 5 TDs while TE Travis Kelce was able to shake off a couple early drops for 10 receptions, 134 yards, and 3 TDs. Houston QB Deshaun Watson played well, completing 31-52 passes while throwing for 388 yards and 2 TDs, but ultimately it was not enough to replicate Houston’s success against the Chiefs earlier in the season.
Next in the AFC Championship Game, the Tennessee Titans. All the talk heading into the game was about the Chief’s run defense and if they could stop Titans RB Derrick Henry, who had been absolutely terrorizing teams. Henry started off well, but after he scored his lone TD in midway through the 1st Quarter, the Chiefs run defense stepped up, thanks in large part to DT Chris Jones, who missed the Houston game with a leg injury. Jones, among other Chiefs defensive linemen like Frank Clark, Derrick Nnadi, and Terrell Suggs, were able to penetrate the backfield often enough to force Henry to adjust his running lanes, which gave the Chiefs an advantage. QB Patrick Mahomes played out of his mind again, and might have even had the best play of his Chiefs career right before halftime to give KC the lead going into the locker room.
From that point on, the Chiefs never looked back, ultimately winning 35-24 and clinching a spot in the Super Bowl for the first time in 50 years.
3 KEYS TO THE GAME FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
The Niners must convert on 3rd downs. The 49ers must control the ball. Granted in both of the Chief’s playoff games, the opposing team had the Time of Possession advantage, but I believe converting on third downs is of the utmost importance in this game because the 49ers are a more well-balanced team than either the Texans or Titans. The Niners have a good QB in Jimmy Garoppolo who is fully capable of throwing the football, especially when you surround him with weapons like TE George Kittle and WRs Emmanuel Sanders and Deebo Samuel. If the Niners can stay balanced on offense while picking up third downs and eat time off the clock, it gives Patrick Mahomes a lot less to work with and creates a sense of urgency for the Chief’s offense to keep up.
The 49ers must pressure Patrick Mahomes. They have to attempt to disrupt the timing of Mahomes and his receivers. San Francisco has 9 sacks in postseason play thus far. Nick Bosa, DeForest Buckner, and Dee Ford must have an impact on the game if the 49ers are to hoist the Lombardi trophy. If they can consistently penetrate the backfield and pressure/knock down Mahomes or forcing Mahomes to improvise and disrupt the timing of him and his receivers, the Niners will have as great chance of winning.
Finally, San Francisco must utilize play action. Their running game is strong enough that the Chiefs will devote tons of time in preparation for it. If the 49ers can have some success running the ball, it will open up play action. If the Niners have success on play action, the Chiefs defense will have a very hard time defending because they will be off balance so much.
3 KEYS TO THE GAME FOR THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS:
The Chiefs defense must force the 49ers to become one dimensional on offense. If Jimmy G and co. keep the Chief’s defense off balance, the Chiefs will have a very difficult time winning. This means that DT Chris Jones, DE Terrell Suggs, and LBs Anthony Hitchens and Reggie Ragland must step up, play sound football, and cover their gaps to stop the running attack of the 49ers. RBs Tevin Coleman and Raheem Mostert are more than formidable opponents. They can shift the game in their favor in the blink of an eye. The Chiefs must replicate what they did to Derrick Henry in the AFC title game if they are to win.
Sammy Watkins must be a factor. In the regular season, Sammy Watkins popped off for 3 TDs against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first game of the season, but did not do much the rest of the season. Watkins has played a big role in the Chief’s offense this postseason and must continue to do so if KC is to come out on top. Having to cover him, TE Travis Kelce, and WRs Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman is a nightmare for any defense, but especially so if Watkins is performing like he is capable of doing.
Patrick Mahomes must play at an MVP level. Mahomes has been the unquestioned leader of the Chiefs on offense and must play excellent. The Chiefs cannot afford a game where Mahomes is shut down like he was in the first half of the AFC Title game last season against the New England Patriots. The 49ers defense is too good to spot them a double digit lead. Whether Mahomes scrambles to pick up first downs, is making the correct reads on RPOs, or dissecting the coverages correctly, he must take care of the ball and perform at a high level. If he does so, I think the Chiefs have a great chance to come out on top.
PREDICTION:
I think the 49ers try to control the ball throughout the first half. Mostert and Coleman get into a groove offensively by picking up some key first downs. However I am confident that even if the 49ers attempt to control the ball for extended periods of time, the Chiefs will do what they do best, which is striking quickly on offense. I believe this game could come down to turnovers, and I like the Chiefs to get at least one turnover this game. Steve Spagnuolo’s defenses have been known for being very tough to dissect and have proven to work in the Super Bowl against the best of the best (see the Giants Super Bowl title against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII). Kyle Shanahan is one of the brightest offensive minds in the game and will certainly make adjustments to what he sees from the Chiefs defense, but I think Patrick Mahomes will make just enough plays for the Chiefs to prevail in the 4th Quarter. I’ll take Kansas City 28-24.
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