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After two weeks of agonizing over every micro-matchup on the field, all we had to do was simply remember

1. Patrick Mahomes was an underdog

2. Andy Reid is off the bye

3. Kyle Shanahan is in a big game

I kid, I kid. Sort of.

Pat was great, especially when it mattered. Andy called a great game (and had overtime figured out), and Shanny had bad luck coupled with some late-game mistakes.

Outside of a pretty rough interception early in the 2nd half, Pat was masterful. The rushing is expected but came in such clutch moments late. Two massive late-down pickups in overtime, making up over a third of the 75-yard game-winning drive. This along with a 34-46 day passing makes me wonder how this game was even close. Eight receivers had at least two catches for KC. In the end, a team without a star WR spread the ball all over instead of trying to create one (Rashee Rice was pretty good though.)

Plenty of blame is going to fall on the decision-making by the 49ers coaching staff late, but this 49ers defense had made it to the 4-minute mark in the 3rd quarter without allowing a KC touchdown.

The muffed punt flipped the game script around a bit, forcing the 49ers to play from behind for the first time all day. They did answer with a nice 75-yard scoring drive that saw nearly every offensive weapon involved, but the blocked extra point was maybe just one mistake too many in a spot this big.

As some pointed out, it may have actually helped keep them alive a bit longer as the drive that saw a first and goal from the SF 4-yard line is probably called a bit differently/more aggressively by Andy Reid if the team is down by four points with seven minutes remaining rather than the three.

In the end it had the whiffs of the famed Buffalo OT game from two years ago, especially after the 49ers kicked the field goal in the extra frame.

I tried to imagine a world where the ensuing drive ended on a turnover and my mind just couldn’t come to grips with it. The most excruciating part for 49ers fans and bettors alike had to be the fact that it was a bit of a slow, painful death. 13 plays, 75 yards, and only one nervy moment as the Chiefs took a timeout to talk over the 4th and one play.

As far as the 49ers go: Purdy was good, certainly good enough to merit the win. McCaffrey was great when they used him, but looking at his stat line is the problem. The Chiefs fumbled five times and lost just one, the 49ers fumbled twice, lost both. Coupled with going 3-12 on 3rd downs and not getting stops in some key spots, it’s just a recipe for an L. I’ll be digging into free agency more now, but I would be surprised if this team wasn’t at least in the NFC title game again next year.

Overall, despite starting slow and boring, turned out to be a great game. Probably in the top five fun-to-watch Super Bowls strictly based on the fact that we had OT, I would just start a rewatch in the 3rd quarter if I had to do it again.

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Overtime Debacle

Maybe I’m off base with this, but I don’t think the players not fully understanding the overtime rules was as big of a deal as some thought. The coaches not fully grasping things is a whole other hornet’s nest though. I suppose the only real impact that we could have seen would have been some confused players thinking they had won the Super Bowl had San Francisco scored on that opening drive. That would have been incredibly funny/heartbreaking.

Not much changes on most drives from the old rules to the new rules. If the 49ers punt or are turned over, you’re staring down the barrel of Pat Mahomes having the ball in his hands where a FG beats you. If you kick the FG you’re still in the same spot as the “old rules”. The other team has the advantage of knowing that they have four downs to use and knowing they can extend the game if they get within field goal range

I think the real crime is the quote from Shanahan, saying he wanted the ball third. Now, to be fair, I’m blessed with the hindsight of hearing that the Chiefs would have gone for two if the overtime started with dueling TDs, but unless you have the balls/brain damage to go for two after scoring a 1st drive touchdown, even that touchdown does not guarantee a third possession.

I like that the Chiefs had planned on going for two as well and wish to God we had gotten to see the play they would have called. They had to be incredibly confident in it (or lacked the confidence to stop the 49ers from using CMC on eight straight plays to get them lined up for a GW FG.)

Offseaseason Plan

Obviously a lot less frequent newsletters during the February-June part of the season. Experts will say that you should have some sort of schedule so that folks can expect your content, but I plan on being all over the place. Likely once or twice a week looking at ways to bet on…..

• The combine

• THE DRAFT!

• Offseason Free Agent Markets

• Early 2024 Season Stuff

• 2024 awards

I’m going to try to go down to the combine, but mostly just to talk to folks down there to gather some intel, I don’t think I’ll want to hang around and watch 5 days of underwear Olympics. Hopefully, we can get some info from the bar scene in Indy.

Draft stuff has been up for a while, but we’re slowly seeing more fun stuff trickle out. We’ve got like 10 weeks to sort it all out to spend one night stressing over a grumpy old man announcing young men’s names for several hours.

Poll:

Did you answer Golf???