There was not just one reason the 49ers lost 25-22 to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII. It was not just one play, one decision or one theme that can be singled out. It was a lot of things, beginning (and ending) with Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes being the best player on the field.
Maybe because there is no easily identifiable reason for the 49ers’ loss, it makes it more confusing and confounding for everyone associated with the team to accept.
Ultimately, there were a lot of reasons. And here are 10 plays and talking points, ranked in order of significance, from the 49ers’ devastating season-ending defeat ./cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71475128/1432041038.0.jpg)
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes figured to keep the ball in his hands on fourth down, so the 49ers should have made it more difficult for him to pick up those 8 yards with his legs around the right tackle.
Even if it meant sacrificing something in coverage to assign someone to be a spy on him, that would have been the better option. At least, it would have required Kansas City to complete a high-pressure pass. The Chiefs had more dropped passes this season than any team in the NFL, so the 49ers should have forced them to make a play rather than not even challenge Mahomes with the ball in his hands.
The 49ers’ defense got slower the longer the drive lasted and offered very little resistance the rest of the way en route to the Chiefs scoring the game-winning touchdown.
