Tag: Super Bowl LVIII

Former Chiefs QB Alex Smith: ‘This 49ers defense doesn’t do a lot’

#Chiefs legend Alex Smith seemed confident in Kansas City’s ability to move the ball against the #49ers during a podcast appearance this week.

The Kansas City Chiefs are slight underdogs for their Super Bowl LVIII matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, but one former quarterback who played for both teams likes the defending champion’s chances of escaping Las Vegas, Nevada with their second-consecutive title.

Chiefs legend Alex Smith appeared on The Adam Schefter Podcast this week to break down his thoughts on the highly anticipated matchup between the NFL’s top teams.

In speaking about the 49ers’ defense, Smith didn’t seem sure of their ability to do enough to keep Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City’s offense from taking over the game.

“This 49ers defense doesn’t do a lot,” Smith explained. “They don’t present a lot of volume. I think… they’re going to be in for it. The only chance I think the Niners have to win is a little bit of a shootout, and again, this Chiefs defense just continues to elevate their game.”

Whether Smith’s prediction will prove to come true remains to be seen, but fans in Chiefs Kingdom can rest easy knowing that their former signal-caller is confident in Mahomes’ ability to move the ball against San Francisco’s stout defensive unit.

Chiefs fans react to Charles Omenihu’s season-ending injury

#Chiefs fans on Twitter reacted to the news of Charles Omenihu’s season ending injury.

After a phenomenal performance against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game that saw him strip-sack Lamar Jackson, news broke on Monday that Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Charles Omenihu tore his ACL and would miss Super Bowl LVIII.

Omenihu, who signed with the Chiefs as a free agent in 2023, grew into a major role on Kansas City’s defense after missing the first six games of the regular season.

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His absence in the Super Bowl will be a crushing blow for the Chiefs against the San Francisco 49ers’ prolific running game, and Kansas City’s coaching staff is sure to be hard at work finding a fix to fill his spot on the team’s front-four.

There was an outpouring of support for Omenihu on social media when Chiefs Kingdom found out about the extent of his injury.

Check out some of Twitter’s top reactions to the bad news about Omenihu’s knee:

Panthers fans react to Christian McCaffrey, Steve Wilks making Super Bowl LVIII

Are Panthers fans rooting for CMC, Wilks and the Niners?

A few old friends took the next step towards football immortality.

Last night, Christian McCaffrey, Steve Wilks and the rest of the San Francisco 49ers topped the Detroit Lions and clinched themselves an NFC championship. Both once a part of the Carolina Panthers organization and beloved by its fans, the two—just a season after their departures—are now set for Super Bowl LVIII.

Here’s how those fans are reacting to their win:

Several with Cowboys connections to vie for Super Bowl LVIII as 49ers, Chiefs

From @ToddBrock24f7: A pass rusher, a tight end, and an assistant coach are among those with ties to America’s Team as they prepare for a world championship.

Super Bowl LVIII’s matchup gives Cowboys fans a difficult decision on who to root for. While many may feel oversaturated with talk of a Chiefs dynasty and perhaps a little weary of the Mahomes/Reid/Kelce/Swift Extravaganza, no one in Cowboys Nation is particularly eager to see the 49ers move past Dallas by winning a sixth Lombardi Trophy.

But while the teams taking playing in Las Vegas on Feb. 11 may not spur much enthusiasm from the Cowboys faithful, there will be a few individuals on the field with connections to the star.

Here’s a quick look at a few of the names that may be familiar to Cowboys fans when this year’s big game kicks off.

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Poll: Which team will win Super Bowl LVIII?

Share your thoughts on which team will win Super Bowl LVIII.

We want to hear from you! Sound-off and tell us which team you think will hoist the Lombardi Trophy following Super Bowl LVIII.

And then there were two …

 

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes understands the importance of managing a game

#Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes explained that he understands the importance of managing a game after Kansas City’s win over the #Ravens.

The latest AFC Championship game victory for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs puts them in rare company among the NFL elite in historical context. The success of Mahomes since the beginning of his career is quickly approaching the legendary status of Tom Brady, who coincidentally has the only Super Bowl victory against the Kansas City quarterback.

Mahomes has never made it a secret that he wants to win more accolades and Super Bowl titles before his career is over. He spoke with reporters during the AFC Championship postgame press conference about his willingness to change his aggressive, offensive approach to accommodate the spectacular defensive effort of Kansas City in Sunday’s victory.

“It’s special because that’s a great team and quarterback,” Mahomes explained. “Spags (Steve Spagnuolo), when the games get bigger, when the challenges get higher, he performs even better, and the guys executed the game plan well; they got timely turnovers that play down at the goal line, punching the ball out. I think it was (L’Jarius) Sneed and recovering it. That was a timely turnover.”

Mahomes was aggressive with his passing in the first half as the Chiefs jumped out to an early lead following his 19-yard touchdown pass to Travis Kelce. In the second half, he played a more conservative approach as Kansas City’s defense took control of the game, changing his focus to setting up the run game and protecting the football.

“Whenever they’re rolling like that, I have to kind of manage my game,” Mahomes said. “That’s stuff that I’ve learned throughout the season is even if we’re not having the success that I want to have the defenses rolling and getting stops, just take the safe choice, get the ball out of my hand, don’t turn the ball over and let’s go with a football game.”

Mahomes’ ability to ignore his past ways of being known as a gunslinger for the team’s betterment is the next step in his evolution as a quarterback. He always places the team winning above his personal goals and challenges the game manager’s negative narrative for quarterbacks.

7 former Jaguars set to play in Super Bowl LVIII

The Jaguars still haven’t played in a Super Bowl, but a handful of their former players are set to play in the big game in two weeks.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are still one of 12 teams that have never won a Super Bowl and one of four that have never reached the big game.

On Sunday, the Detroit Lions spoiled their chance to scratch themselves from at least one of those lists when they blew a 24-7 halftime lead against the San Francisco 49ers. Instead, it’ll be the five-time champion 49ers meeting the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas in two weeks.

While the Jaguars will hope for better results in the future, a handful of former members of the team are set to compete for a chance at a Super Bowl ring.

Here are seven former members of the Jaguars who are set to play in Super Bowl LVIII (plus another two on the Chiefs’ practice squad):

Andy Reid applauds Chiefs’ mental toughness through long seasons

#Chiefs head coach Andy Reid applauded his team’s mental toughness through long seasons after Kansas City’s win over the #Ravens.

The familiar sound of the Kansas City Chiefs as AFC champions heading into a Super Bowl will never get old for the team’s many fans in Western Missouri. Experiencing this level of success is nearly impossible to keep up in today’s rapidly moving free-agency and trade market.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has devoted over 25 years to his craft and has seen almost everything in the league. He appreciates his player’s efforts annually, from rookie mini camps to this point. He explained the grind to reporters in his postgame press conference on Sunday.

“It’s tough the back-to-back-to-back seasons, that’s a tough thing,” Reid explained. “We played a lot of football games, and you’ve got to work through that. You [have] got to work through that mentally; that’s not an easy thing. So, I’m so happy for the guys and how they handled that.

“When it came time to put the hammer down, they put the hammer down, which was important. The best part is we’re not done; we’ve got another game, and you love the seasons to carry on as long as they can possibly carry on. We’re there, and now we gotta get right back at it. And start grinding for whoever wins us this game here.”

Since the 2018 season, the first with Mahomes as the starter, the Chiefs have played in the AFC Championship game and will now appear in their fourth Super Bowl. Reid acknowledges the toll playing late into seasons can have on a veteran team and understands the target on his players’ backs as they still overcome it and succeed.

“What you get is everybody’s best shot. So every week, you’re gonna get the best shot,” Reid said. “There are no games off for that stuff. Not in the NFL anyway, but they’re no games off. There’s no light opponent. You’ve got to bring it every week. So, again, to be in this position, that tells you a little bit something about the mental makeup of this football team.”

Reid is tied for third in most Super Bowl appearances for a head coach. He can join Joe Gibbs, Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh, and Bill Belichick as the only head coaches with three rings if the Chiefs are victorious in Super Bowl LVIII.

Chiefs GM Brett Veach calls QB Patrick Mahomes ‘a blessing’ for the franchise

Kansas City #Chiefs GM Brett Veach calls quarterback Patrick Mahomes ‘a blessing’ for the franchise.

The Kansas City Chiefs are heading to their fourth Super Bowl in five seasons, adding another exciting chapter to the team’s growing dynasty. It was a triumphant moment for everyone involved with the franchise, especially in the front office, making decisions for the personnel on the field.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach is often praised and criticized weekly for the team’s performance, considering he is one of the architects of the roster. He handles it well daily but doesn’t appreciate spectators or opponents not having faith in his franchise quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.

Veach spoke about his appreciation for Mahomes being the face of the franchise during the AFC Championship postgame press conference.

“It’s a blessing that he’s part of this organization. He’s the best, and I try to describe a player like him because of everything he does,” said Veach. “He gives everyone that belief and hope that doesn’t matter what the odds are and where we’re playing and where we’re going. If we have ’15’ (Patrick Mahomes) under center, we have a shot. So it’s really hard to explain someone that good, but he’s the best.”

Mahomes shredded the Baltimore secondary mainly in the first half, finishing the game 30-39 for 241 yards and a touchdown, securing his fourth trip to the Super Bowl. During the postseason, various forms of criticism have been thrown at the reigning league MVP regarding his lack of experience in road games and other picky moments that Veach doesn’t understand.

“I’m not sure why anyone would do that and throw shade at him like that because he’s gonna give you his best shot anyway.” said Veach, “So there’s no need to poke the bear. But if they want to do it, we certainly appreciate it.”

The Chiefs will seek back-to-back Super Bowl titles in two weeks in Las Vegas as they remember being in this position during the 2020 season. The result at that time was falling short to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but they went into this contest knowing they would genuinely have a neutral field.

Chiefs, players around NFL react to Kansas City’s Super Bowl LVIII berth

#Chiefs players and stars around the NFL reacted to Kansas City’s Super Bowl LVIII berth after their win over the #Ravens on Sunday.

The Kansas City Chiefs earned a Super Bowl berth on Sunday evening by defeating the Baltimore Ravens in a hotly contested AFC Championship Game that turned into an instant classic in the fourth quarter.

Arguably the best matchup of the 2023 NFL season, Kansas City’s win sent shockwaves around the league and was a display of outright domination by the Chiefs, who handled business against the presumptive MVP, Lamar Jackson.

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Few analysts thought that Kansas City could secure a Super Bowl appearance as the No. 3 seed in the AFC, which forced the Chiefs to play two of their three playoff games on the road. The defending champions, however, didn’t look back once they defeated the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round and marched into M&T Bank Stadium with a chip on their shoulder to take down the Ravens.

While fans and the media had a field day on Twitter after the game, players on Kansas City’s roster and around the NFL made their voices heard about the Chiefs’ incredible playoff run on Sunday night.

Check out some of their top reactions below: