Super Bowl Recap: 49ers Defense vs the Chiefs Offense

Many people think you have to come up with crazy schemes to defeat the Chiefs. The 49ers did a very good job in Super Bowl 54 for the first 3 1/2 quarters

 In the Super Bowl, the 49ers played the Chiefs very tough and did an excellent job in their game plan. They dominated the first 3 1/2 quarters of the  game and were up 20-10 with 8 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. The Chiefs made a late run and in the end, Mahomes pulled some magic and gave them the narrow victory. Mahomes finished 26/42 for 286 yards with 2 interceptions and was sacked 4 times.

The game plan was very simple but effective and really was comprised of 3 components. They played certain coverages to 2x2, 3x1 and they had a very solid 3rd down package. 

1. The 49ers played primarily zone on early downs vs 2x2 sets. They really didn't deviate from that too much. They were consistent in playing solid zone with some match up principles and some cover 3 variations but didn't go away from that too often. This helped with some Chiefs motion concepts condensed sets and was mostly effective 

The only other thing they did was go  man free with 5 man pressures on 3 occasions. This was a nice change up but they didn't do it too much.

2. The 49ers played mostly combo coverage vs 3x1. They locked on the weakside with the cb. Depending on where the rb was aligned they either went zone with the weak lb or had him cover the rb. They played zone to the 3x1 side. 

3. On 3rd down and 3-9 they were all in some type of man free concept. You saw 2 man lurk and some traditional man free with 5 man pressures. On 3rd and 10 plus they played zone.

Here are some examples:

You can see the 1st 3x1 variation with 3x1 and the back strong:

Here's an example of 3x1 with the back to the weak side. mike will carry #3 vertical and the drop safety will play off #2. The 49ers play match principles so its tough to figure out exactly what they are doing.

Here's another variation with 1/4, 1/4 half when the Chiefs go empty but still locking the single side.

Safety does a nice job reading #3

On 3rd down they either brought 5 man pressure and played man free or played 2 man robber(lurk) concepts with one of the safeties.

Here is a 3rd and 3 where they bring 5 man pressure and play man free. Mahomes reads man to man and works to the TE/RB side which is the primary read vs man coverage. 49ers play it well and get off the field

The last concept they played was 2 man lurk which is a variation of man free. They got a big pick off it with 12 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. Safety does a great job breaking hard and forcing the bad throw. Nice Job                    

The turning point of the game was a 3rd and 15 and the 49ers play their cover 3 with the free safety playing the crosser weak. The Chiefs protect it well and Hill runs a double move vs cover 3. The cb has to hang on #1 who is running a skinny post curl concept. No chance for the free safety on this. I never saw a qb make more plays on 3rd and long than Mahomes! 

Hill gets open for the 44 yard gain. CB jumps the deep post by #1 and the free safety has no shot. He had time to throw this. This route swung the momentum but you get an idea of how the 49ers played the Chiefs. 

The Andy Reid Chiefs offense and potent passing attack.

 The Chiefs are a great football team and have an offense that is really tough to defend.

They can beat you in so many ways but do a great job of 2 things:

1. Andy Reid has some great concepts built in and some great adjustments vs various coverages. You play zone, they have various sit down options, high/low concepts and various elements built in. He is always one step ahead of you. Reid anticipates the matchup and knows your not doing the same thing next time and he calls the appropriate play. That is why I loved the meeting of the minds with him and Belichick. Bill anticipated the next moved and it was such a great matchup.

You can see that below:

https://coachkoufootball.blogspot.com/2020/10/andy-reid-vs-bill-belichick-chiefs.html

2. They use motions better than anyone to dictate coverage: How many times you see the Chiefs motion from empty back in to the backfield or move a player and know exactly what the coverage is. Look at all the presnap motions and then the play called off it. Looks like they have zone side and man side built in to numerous concepts. Meaning, if the defense is in man we are throwing to this side. 

Here's an example:

3. They are so hard to play in traditional man free because Tyreek Hill beats you on the crossing route at 10-12 yards. That's just one way.

4. If you take Hill away it with a safety, it opens up Kelce underneath. Especially when they are opposite each other because teams love to play the lurk concept with the other safety taking the crosser and it opens up Kelce underneath. Vs The Bills, you saw this as Hill had 180 yards and Kelce 118. Too much for teams to handle at times. 

SOME EXAMPLES:

Here's one of the ways the Chiefs will beat you when you play traditional man free.

Vs the Browns in the playoffs:

The Chiefs go empty, the Browns send the lb out on the rb so you know it's man free. No disguise single high safety ,easy pickings.

After a 26 yard gain,  and scoring on the first drive, they decide to make an adjustment when Hill is inside 3x1. They go combo with the safety robbing 3 tot the strong side. Man on the backside. This means the safety is robbing and no underneath help by the lb as a rat defender as the mike carries 3 vertical. The safety looking for the crosser. Well, the Chiefs line up Kelce opposite and go to him and he is  1x1 as the safety takes the deeps crosser. 

Now it's Kelce with an option route against a db. He wins.

The 3rd time they go 3x1 the Browns change it up again.

They play a crosser concept with the SS  but it's 3 under 3 deep. It's almost like Reid is a mind reader. The SS jumps #2 on the deep crossing route and Hill sits down and it's an easy 15 yard gain.

They motion Hill to #3 and the run #2 on the deep crossing route and sit down with hill. Great adjustment as Reid stays 1 step ahead.

On the next 3x1, they put Hill to the 1 wr side as the Browns go Special (man on the outside) with the safety weak playing crosser and leave the cb 1x1. Mahomes goes to Hill but good coverage but the design was great with the out and up.

Reid calls the 1x1 matchup with Hill but the Browns defend it well. Browns look they are running a variation of special where you are man to man on #1 on both sides and the FS weak is playing off #3. Leaving single coverage on Hill.

Mahomes sees it and throws to Hill, good coverage.

5. RB out/mesh concepts

The Chiefs also love to hit the rb out of the backfield out of 3x1 with the rb weak. This is usually the first read in mesh and some of their concepts vs man .

Here they try to hit Bell on the wheel route by setting a pick with Kelce. The Browns do a good job in man to the boundary while playing zone up top.(combo coverage) They'll run mesh and other concepts as well. The play is well defended but an excellent route concept.

They ran the same play vs the Falcons. The Falcons olb does a great job peeling and taking the back. He swaps with the inside lb and the ilb rushes. The OLB takes 2 steps up field so Kelce can't crack on him. As usual, Mahomes works the side of the back and the falcons do a nice job.

 

Here they run a variation of mesh with them bringing the back across the formation. Very tough to defend on the goal line.

route concept variation #1  (back opposite)

a variation is when you send the back opposite and set the mesh to the other side. The read is still the rb to the crosser to the side of the back. The Chiefs run this on the goalline for an easy walk in touchdown.

Here's another Chiefs favorite, Kelce sits down in  a gap between the lb's with Hill aligned at #2, running a deeper choice route(he can run the crossing route at various depths  or sit it down. Very nice concept against combo or zone coverage.  They love it vs. Cover 2

 

Here is the mesh concept with 3 screens especially being set on 3rd and 3 vs the Texans.

Again Motion tells them the coverage.  Texans travel and it's man free. Tough for the cb with 3 screens.

6. If all the above isn't enough they can beat you with the rpo game, both inside and off wide zone.

Here is off an inside type run.

How do you defend it. (See my Bradley and Belichick vs Reid posts)

1. Decide different ways to try to double Kelce and Hill. Play Hill man on the outside and you can get away with no help but you need to find ways to get double coverage on hill when he is inside and Kelce as much as possible. 

2. Collision and disrupt guys off the line of scrimmage. Need to sometimes give up pass rush but cause issues underneath. 

See my earlier posts but one way is to really collision the underneath routes and not let them get off the line. The Patriots did a great job with some of their concepts. Get hands on the underneath stuff.

Here is the collision concept but also they matched it and put their best db on Hill. Gilmour was on him.

Here is the outside zone rpo where #3 runs the out cut and #2 runs the quick slant. Good route concept and again the Chiefs motions pre snap and knew it was man so they attacked leverage. 

Great route vs outside man

I have more coverage on my other posts but I hope you enjoyed some insight to how the Chiefs offense works and some of the concepts they will use.