Chiefs past 49ers with another double-digit deficit win
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) passes against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
2022.10.23 – Patrick Mahomes threw for 423 yards and three touchdowns to rally the Kansas City Chiefs back with another double-digit deficit win 44-23 over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Mahomes got off to a rough start in this Super Bowl rematch with an early interception putting Kansas City (5-2) in a 10-0 hole but that once again proved to be no problem as he led the Chiefs to touchdowns on six of the next seven drives.
“I think we like playing when we’re down,” defensive lineman Chris Jones said. “I guess we like challenging ourselves at this point. No one got rattled. We came together as a team.”
Falling into an early hole was just what the Chiefs needed to get going.
Mecole Hardman scored on two TD runs and an 8-yard catch, Justin Watson caught a 4-yard TD and JuJu Smith-Schuster finished it off with a 45 yard catch and run. Clyde Edwards-Helaire also scored on a 16-yard run as the Chiefs had their most productive offensive game of the season.
“To go out against defense like this and show that we can still be explosive and have those big plays, I think that will bode well for us as the season goes on and people don’t know where it’s going to come from,” Mahomes said.
2022.10.23 – (SF 49ers vs. KC Chiefs) NFL Video Highlights
Christian McCaffrey (23) runs in the first half as the San Francisco 49ers played the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, October 23, 2022. Carlos Avila Gonzalez, Staff Photographer / The Chronicle
2022.10.23 – (SF 49ers vs. KC Chiefs) NFL Video Highlights
The Niners dropped back-to-back games despite getting a boost from the addition this week of running back Christian McCaffrey, who had 62 yards on 10 scrimmage touches in his San Francisco debut.
But San Francisco settled for three field goals and came up empty on another chance when Jimmy Garoppolo threw an interception at the goal line before Kansas City ran away with it in the second half.
“We definitely had our chances,” defensive end Nick Bosa said. “It’s a great team and and we gave them too many easy ones.”
Christian McCaffrey trade
McCaffrey showed flashes in his debut for the Niners two days after joining the team, but a shoddy defense and costly mistakes on offense sent the 49ers into a spiraling loss to the Chiefs.
“Adding McCaffrey was was a big pickup for us, but at the end of the day it’s the truest team sport that there is,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “It doesn’t matter how many how much talent you got throughout a roster. I hate even talking about talent because at the end of the day, it all comes down to execution, playing with high effort, high physicality and just doing your job.”
Almost none of the 49ers (3-4) did that against Kansas City so it didn’t matter what McCaffrey did in his limited action.
The star running back had a package of about 20 plays he had learned since arriving on Friday following the trade with the Carolina Panthers.
He showed a couple of flashes, rushing for 38 yards on eight carries and catching two passes for 24 yards.
“This was a weird week for me and for them,” McCaffrey said. “I didn’t kind of know what to expect. I had a certain list of plays that were up and for me, mentally, this was just focus on everything I can and control what I can control and get rolling. Obviously, losing’s frustrating but I’m still getting to know these guys. But I’ve got to do my job. I’ve got to make a few more plays.”
2022.10.23 – SF 49ers vs. KC Chiefs (NBC sports: Post-Game Show)
Joshua Williams (23) grabs an interception in the end zone late in the first half as the San Francisco 49ers played the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, October 23, 2022. Carlos Avila Gonzalez, Staff Photographer / The Chronicle
2022.10.23 – SF 49ers vs. KC Chiefs (NBC sports: Post-Game Show)
2022.10.23 – SF 49ers vs. KC Chiefs (NBC sports: Post-Game Show)
The Chiefs took control with back-to-back touchdown drives to start the second half. Kansas City started the opening drive of the third quarter at the San Francisco’s 33 following a 48-yard kick return by Isiah Pacheco and a personal foul on Jauan Jennings. Edwards-Helaire scored three players later to make it 21-13.
Kansas City made it 28-13 when Mahomes found Watson for the TD one play after Jerick McKinnon gained 34 yards on a third-and-20 screen pass.
“Once the defense gets a stop and once you’re on one, it’s like you’re playing Madden,” Smith-Schuster said. “They have the X-factor on the quarterback. They had one on Pat today. He was on fire.”
Mahomes then answered a TD pass from Garoppolo to George Kittle by hitting Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a 57-yard pass on third-and-11 to set up Hardman’s second TD run.
Mahomes found Smith-Schuster on another third down play for the final TD.
“Our defense prides itself on eliminating explosive plays,” 49ers linebacker Warner said. “That’s just what the game felt like. Just explosive plays, one after another just keeping drives going and then them finding a way to get in the end zone.”
MISSED CHANCES
Both teams blew some scoring chances in the final two minutes of the first half. Jaylon Moore was called for a false start for San Francisco on a field goal attempt, leading the 49ers to punt.
But the Chiefs’ Skyy Moore muffed the punt and San Francisco recovered at the 12-yard line, only to give the ball right back when Garoppolo was intercepted by rookie Joshua Williams.
“I think we had some opportunities where we’ve made some pretty big plays and stuff on both sides of the ball,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “I thought that also happened today, but then we had some plays where I thought we had some opportunities and we didn’t do well, especially on some self-inflicted things, which I think went in all three phases.
“Regardless of the players we’ve added, we have good players I believe, and I believe we added another one. But we got to play better and take advantage of that.”
2022.10.23 – SF 49ers vs. KC Chiefs (KRUEGER: Post-Game Show)
Jimmy Garoppolo (10) looks for a receiver in the first half as the San Francisco 49ers played the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, October 23, 2022. Carlos Gonzalez, Staff Photographer / The Chronicle
2022.10.23 – SF 49ers vs. KC Chiefs (KRUEGER: Post-Game Show)
2022.10.23 – SF 49ers vs. KC Chiefs (KRUEGER: Post-Game Show)
The Chiefs drove inside the 10 but had a touchdown negated by a chop block and then Harrison Butker missed a 39-yard field goal try. Kansas City led 14-13 at the break.
The 49ers’ biggest issues came on the defensive side of the ball. After getting an interception of Mahomes on the opening drive, the Niners allowed the Chiefs’ QB to score touchdowns on six of their next seven possessions with the only empty trip coming on a missed field goal at the end of the first half.
The Niners allowed a 34-yard screen pass to Jerick McKinnon on third-and-20 to set up one touchdown, a 57-yard pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling on third-and-11 to set up another TD and a 45-yard touchdown pass on third-and-6 to JuJu Smith-Schuster.
The Chiefs averaged 10.17 yards per play and had eight gains of at least 20 yards on eight drives with Mahomes in the game.
“We definitely had our chances,” defensive end Nick Bosa said. “It’s a great team and and we gave them too many easy ones.”
REUNION WEEK
The Niners honored their alumni at the game, welcoming back the 2012 NFC championship team and presenting Bryant Young with his Hall of Fame ring. Coach Jim Harbaugh came back for the 10th anniversary of his team that went to the Super Bowl. It was his first time back with the 49ers since his the “mutual” parting following the 2014 season.
Quarterback Colin Kaepernick was not among the players who returned.
INJURIES
49ers LB Dre Greenlaw left the game with a right calf injury.
UP NEXT
Chiefs: Host Tennessee on Nov. 6.
49ers: Visit the Rams on Sunday.
Related: 49ers offense sluggish in defeat to Falcons (3-3)
Read more at: San Francisco 49ers Media Services / More AP NFL
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
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