When: Sunday, 1:25 p.m.
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
TV: FOX
Why you don’t want to miss it: Because it’s a rematch of Super Bowl 58, won by the Chiefs in overtime, 25-22, as Kansas City won its second straight title and third in five years.
The majority of that game was sloppy and hard to watch at times, as things didn’t really get interesting until the fourth quarter. It was just the second Super Bowl to go into overtime and the first played under new overtime rules that ensure both teams get the ball.
The 49ers kicked a field goal to take a 21-19 lead in OT, but Patrick Mahomes led a 13-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a game-winning 3-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman as time expired.
Who wins NFL Week 7 game? Kansas City Chiefs vs San Francisco 49ers picks, predictions
This game could easily come down to the wire again because both the Chiefs and the 49ers have their warts this year. Sunday’s 10 a.m. NFC North slugfest between the Lions (4-1) at the Vikings (5-0) will probably be a better overall game to watch, but it’s usually always a must-watch when there’s a Super Bowl rematch.
Truthfully, the Chiefs are lucky to be 5-0. They only rank 15 th in points per game (23.6) and they’re 29 th in touchdown red zone percentage (38.89). Penalties and dropped passes have been the main culprits — something coach Andy Reid has tried hammering home to his team this week.
“We were able to go back and look at some of that to be able to, offensively, keep our drives going and things that can help us sustain things that might have hurt those drives,” Reid told reporters. “Then, the obvious red zone questions, we kind of worked through that to make sure we’re a little bit more sound there.”
The Chiefs are coming off a bye and Reid has been notoriously successful in the week after his team has been off, going 21-4 during regular-season games as a head coach.
San Francisco rebounded from a difficult upset loss at home to the Cardinals by going to Seattle and beating the Seahawks, 36-24, on Thursday night. The 49ers still don’t have the services of their best weapon on offense, do-it-all running back Christian McCaffrey (calf, Achilles tendonitis issues), but they’re leading the NFC West and always seem to be a threat.
“As long as we can keep (quarterback) Brock (Purdy) upright, he’s going to carve the defense up,” 49ers tackle Trent Williams told reporters after last week’s victory. “As long as we can get the running backs to the line of scrimmage clean, they’re going to fall forward. They’re going to get yards. We’re not where we want to be, but we are on a good track.”
This game could go either way, but we see the Chiefs dropping their first game.
Prediction: 49ers 24-20
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Super Bowl rematch is the NFL's Game of the Week to watch
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