Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers are keenly aware of their track record versus the Kansas City Chiefs as they prepare for their marquee Super Bowl 54 and 58 rematch.
‘I think everyone understands that we’ve lost the two Super Bowls to them. So I mean, that can give a little post-traumatic stress when you turn on the tape, but I think that’s human nature,’ Shanahan said this week. ‘But you’ve got to make sure you don’t get caught up in that. This game has nothing to do with past games. That was last year.’
Shanahan and the 49ers reviewed tape of Kansas City’s five wins this year and San Francisco’s 25-22 Super Bowl 58 loss to the Chiefs last year. Shanahan’s assessment is the Chiefs defense is improved from the NFL’s second-ranked unit from a season ago.
‘I think it’s gotten better and better each year. I thought last year was the best defense that we played all year and I feel that way this year so far,’ Shanahan said. ‘They’ve got guys who’ve been playing a long time together. They’ve been doing his scheme for a while.’
The Chiefs once again have a top-10 ranked defense and are allowing just 17 points per contest. But the Chiefs’ two preeminent forces are quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
‘Andy’s been doing it for so long, does a great job on offense,’ 49ers offensive line coach Chris Foerster said. ‘That’s a very, very good staff.’
Mahomes is 4-0 in his career versus the 49ers, including the two aforementioned Super Bowl wins. Reid is 4-1 against San Francisco through the regular and postseason since becoming Kansas City’s head coach in 2013.
‘I think it features around their quarterback, obviously. Puts them in a great position to make a ton of plays and he has a guy who can make a ton of plays,’ Shanahan said. ‘They always dabble in all screens, RPOs, you’ve always got to be ready for new plays, one that you haven’t seen. Always enjoyed watching Andy since he was back in Philly and he continues to evolve also.’
Statistically, however, Mahomes is off to a slow start by his standards. Mahomes’ 247 passing yards per game are a career low and his 88.9 passer rating is the lowest since he became Kansas City’s full-time starter. But Mahomes’ numbers don’t paint the whole picture for the undefeated Chiefs, according to Shanahan.
‘I think everyone says down year just because their numbers aren’t just crazy, but Pat is as good as it gets. He’s been as good as it gets since the first year that he got to play,’ Shanahan said. ‘Pat is Pat and he’s as good as it gets and I don’t see that changing at all.’
49ers defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen agrees.
‘However many times you’ve gone against Mahomes, it’s going to be hard,’ Sorensen said. ‘He’s so difficult because he doesn’t always do the same thing. The arm angle’s never the same, he doesn’t have to set his feet, sometimes he does. He’s really good at reading the defense and kind of throwing it to where he needs to.’
The 49ers know firsthand how difficult it is to defeat the Chiefs, even if the numbers say Mahomes and Kansas City’s offense aren’t as potent. Shanahan has never defeated the Chiefs as the 49ers head coach. All San Francisco has to do is turn on past tape and they’ll get ‘a little post-traumatic stress’ all over again.
Although, San Francisco can get some revenge at home Sunday.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.