Chiefs win the battle of Super Powers
The entire football world was peering into Arrowhead Stadium Sunday as the 11-1 Kansas City Chiefs took on the 10-2 San Francisco 49ers in a battle of NFL super heavyweights. As expected, the game was dominated by the defenses and it took a late 4th quarter drive by the Chiefs to secure the victory, 13-6.
Not much was happening on the offensive side of the ball in this game. The Chiefs managed a mere 233 total yards, while the 49ers were worse at 191. The Chiefs managed a little bit of a running game as they pounded the rock 32 times for 94 yards, while the 49ers were held to just 26 yards rushing. The Niners came into the game averaging 141 on the ground, while the Chiefs were among the league’s best at 151 per game.
The difference in the game was the constant pass rush on 49ers’ QB Steve Young. The Chiefs’ defense pounded Young throughout the game. They sacked Young seven times and forced him to throw an ill-advised interception because of the pass rush that thwarted a 49er drive. Young had his worst passing efficiency game of the year with a quarterback rating of 76.
The Chiefs got the drive they needed late in the 4th quarter. They were leading 6-3 and they finally got their offense going with a mix of a running and passing. The biggest play in the drive was a strike from QB Rich Gannon to WR Andre Rison for 30 yards on a crucial third -down play that set the Chiefs up at the 49ers one-yard line! On the next play, RB Marcus Allen leaped over the pile and scored the only touchdown of the game giving the Chiefs’ a 13-3 lead with just 2:45 remaining.
Young led the 49ers down the field with a barrage of completions to the Chiefs’ 25-yard line with 45 seconds to play. Kicker Gary Anderson drilled a 42-yard field goal to cut the lead to 13-6; however, the Chiefs recovered the ensuing onside kick and ended the game.
The Chiefs are now 11-1 and are in the driver’s seat for the #1 seed in the AFC. They host the Oakland Raiders next weekend. The 49ers are still atop the NFC West as they are now 10-3 and they will face the Minnesota Vikings at home in Candlestick with a chance to lockdown the #2 seed in the NFC.