San Francisco @ Kansas City preview
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 11, 2017 ) San Francisco 27, Kansas City 17
The Arrowhead Stadium faithful will get their first live look at their electric young quarterback when the Kansas City Chiefs host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. It will be the first home start for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has set an NFL record with 10 touchdown passes through his first three starts – all of which have come in two games this season.
Mahomes has been named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week in each of the first two weeks of the 2018 campaign, and although he’s facing a San Francisco secondary that has been lit up for 556 passing yards in two games, the Chiefs know the league is bound to find a way to slow him down eventually. “As defensive coordinators study and see these things, they will throw different wrinkles at you, and you have to rise up every week,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid told reporters. “That’s not a simple part of this. In this business, it’s not so much about what you did the week before, it’s about what you do today. We have to keep answering these different challenges.” The 49ers also are excited about their quarterback, as Jimmy Garoppolo is in his first full season as the team’s starter. They were derailed by four turnovers in a season-opening 24-16 loss at Minnesota but rebounded with a 30-27 triumph over Detroit last week.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Chiefs -6.5. O/U: 55.5
ABOUT THE 49ERS (1-1): Garoppolo’s numbers have been pedestrian thus far, but the 49ers have benefited from having a solid backfield duo in Matt Breida – the NFL’s leading rusher with 184 yards – and Alfred Morris (86 yards). The defense has been a mixed bag, with a solid pass rush led by DeForest Buckner - who ranks second in the league with 3.5 sacks - but a suspect secondary. Getting back linebacker Reuben Foster from a two-game suspension will help solidify the middle and give the 49ers another pass-rushing threat.
ABOUT THE CHIEFS (2-0): The Chiefs possess one of the league’s most explosive offenses, but also one of the NFL’s most combustible defenses. Mahomes has thrown touchdown passes to seven different players, including three to speedster Tyreek Hill, who has made 12 catches for 259 yards to go along with a punt-return touchdown. The secondary has been dreadful, however, as the Chiefs rank last against the pass as they have surrendered 860 yards through the air over two games.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Mahomes is trying to become just the fourth quarterback in history with at least four touchdown passes in three consecutive games.
2. San Francisco rookie LB Fred Warner has reached double digits in tackles in each his first two contests.
3. Chiefs LB Anthony Hitchens ranks second in the NFL with 26 tackles over his first two games with the team.
PREDICTION: Chiefs 33, 49ers 27