Shocking Reports: Chiefs continue to confound the 49ers, But Patrick Mahomes is Confirmed to be….See Details

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Kansas City Chiefs will play the remainder of the season without their top two wide receivers. Their first-string running back is on injured reserve, and the Chiefs have major problems at offensive tackle.

The Chiefs, however, still have head coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and a defense that has provided the foundation for back-to-back Super Bowl championships. And, well, the NFL’s other 31 teams don’t have anything close.

As much as the successful San Francisco 49ers aspire to be in Kansas City’s class, they’re not, which was evident against Sunday afternoon in the visiting Chiefs’ 28-18 victory at Levi’s Stadium.

Before a sellout crowd of 71,309, the Chiefs (6-0) continued their mastery of the 49ers (3-4), remaining undefeated in Mahomes’ five career starts in the series. After Week 7, there’s only one remaining undefeated team in the NFL – and it’s based in Kansas City, Missouri.

“We obviously want to beat a team that’s had our number since I’ve been here,” star defensive end Nick Bosa said. “We just did not play well enough.”

Two of Kansas City’s victories over San Francisco occurred during Super Bowls LIV and LVIII, increasing the buzz about this marquee matchup in the regular season. Unlike in three of Mahomes’ previous starts against the 49ers, when the Chiefs had to rally from double-digit deficits, they controlled the game from the second quarter on: Kansas City led by as many as 16 points (28-12) in the fourth quarter. With the game all but decided, San Francisco scored a cosmetic touchdown with a little over 1 minute to play.

Even with Mahomes totaling only 154 passing yards, no touchdown passes and two interceptions, the Chiefs’ offense made enough plays to set the tone. One play early in the fourth quarter was emblematic of how badly things have gone for the 49ers against the Chiefs during the Mahomes era.

Quarterback Brock Purdy’s 1-yard touchdown helped the 49ers cut the Chiefs’ lead to 14-12 early in the third quarter. For the Chiefs, it was no problem. Late in the quarter and early into the final one, Mahomes directed a 13-play, 79-yard touchdown drive, punctuating it by steamrolling 49ers safety Malik Mustapha in the end zone as he gained the final yard on fourth down.

“I was actually not trying to lower my shoulder. I was trying to absorb the hit because I knew I was going to be right there in the end zone,” said Mahomes, who also had a 33-yard, highlight-reel-worthy run three plays earlier. “I had enough weight on me where he went down.

“So it wasn’t like I was necessarily trying to seek out contact. I was trying to absorb it and get in the end zone, and it just ended up looking good for me.”

After Mahomes’ powerful run, the Chiefs held a 21-12 lead in the first minute of the fourth quarter. With the way the Chiefs’ defense played, it might as well have been a 90-point lead.

Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is second to none in his line of work, and Spagnuolo cooked as usual again Sunday.

Purdy threw three interceptions and only completed only 17 of 31 passes. Although the Chiefs only sacked Purdy once, they pressured him in the pocket when it mattered most. After Mahomes’ touchdown run extended the Chiefs’ lead, the 49ers drove from their 30-yard line to the Chiefs’ 5-yard line.

On third-and-5, Purdy dropped back to pass and was hit by defensive end George Karlaftis as he began to throw. Safety Jaden Hicks intercepted the pass in the end zone.

Said Purdy, “I’ve got to play better, for sure, just with my throws and some decisions. That’s pretty simple.”

For the Chiefs’ defense, attention to details is the key. Spagnuolo has an eye for it, and “it is always going to be about the details,” said Karlaftis, who had the Chiefs’ only sack. “Ironing out, making the corrections, and all the stuff we need to improve on [each week]. Watching it, learning it and being a better team.”

The Chiefs took possession with 9:29 remaining in the game. Only 3:16 showed on the game clock after wide receiver Mecole Hardman went in motion from right to left, took a handoff from Mahomes and scored on an 18-yard touchdown run to cap the Chiefs’ scoring.

Hardman, who also had a 55-yard punt return, enjoys playing at Levi’s Stadium. When the teams met here in Week 7 of the 2022-23 season, Hardman scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving). Hardman also caught the touchdown pass in overtime of last season’s Super Bowl that clinched the Chiefs’ third Super Bowl championship in five seasons.

“I guess it’s just one of those types of things that happen,” Hardman responded when asked about his success against the 49ers.

On Sunday, the 49ers’ defense performed poorly against the Chiefs’ running game. The Chiefs rushed for 184 yards (with a 4.7-yards per carry average). Running back Kareem Hunt had a team-high 78 yards and scored two touchdowns.

“They know how to win a lot of different ways,” Bosa said. “We were hoping for more opportunities to get him [Mahomes] in the second half. But you have to stop the run to do that. We weren’t doing it.”

Yet again against a team that has dominated them, the 49ers simply didn’t do enough right. And after five consecutive losses to the two-time defending Super Bowl champions, the 49ers don’t appear any closer to figuring out what to do to end their long-running nightmare.