As soon as once more, the San Francisco 49ers need to be kicking themselves after controlling a lot of Super Bowl LVIII, solely to give up a 10-point lead whereas falling to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in extra time, 25-22. For the gamers who skilled this similar feeling 4 years in the past, it have to be like Déjà vu. To have Patrick Mahomes and KC seemingly the place you need them then out of the blue get caught up in a back-and-forth battle have to be agonizing.
There’s one thing about this sport for Kyle Shanahan that creates a psychological block or possibly it’s simply plain unhealthy luck. Double-digit leads in three Tremendous Bowls (one as Falcons OC) and he goes again dwelling carrying an ‘L’ in each. The ‘C’ phrase may be harsh as seen within the Twitter submit above, nevertheless it’s onerous to argue at this level.
One thing malfunctions late in these Tremendous Bowls with Shanahan’s play choice. Some say he overthinks at occasions, or he will get tight late in these video games. For the previous few years, we’ve raved about Shanahan and his offense and the truth that he does it with no Mahomes or Tom Brady (although he did attempt to bring Brady on board) kind quarterback. Whether or not Jimmy Garoppolo or now Brock Purdy, the result within the sport’s greatest sport is similar.
San Francisco just about dominated the primary half of this sport and felt like they need to’ve been up a minimum of two touchdowns at halftime as an alternative of 1. It’s secure to say that one factor the Chiefs have confirmed time and time once more is that they’re by no means really out of any sport. They could lose occasionally, however on the largest stage within the greatest moments, they’ve that ‘it’ issue attributable to having Mahomes on their facet.
Figuring out you’re by no means out of any sport due to one participant is a sense of invincibility. There aren’t quite a lot of groups that may say that about their QB. Guys like Brady, Mahomes, and Joe Montana are onerous to wager towards. Once more, they might lose every so often, however you at all times really feel such as you’ve obtained an opportunity with that man. In Montana’s case, he by no means misplaced or threw an interception in a Tremendous Bowl.
Nevertheless, that period of 49ers soccer was generations in the past and that feeling has by no means been duplicated. Of their most up-to-date eras, the Niners have gotten shut however can’t money in. Below Jim Harbaugh, they misplaced to the Ravens in Tremendous Bowl XLVII by three factors and now they’ve misplaced two underneath Shanahan. This most up-to-date sport Sunday was one other three-point defeat.
Due to how the league has trended in recent times, Shanahan may very well be on the “hot seat” heading into subsequent season. It’ll be Yr 8 of his tenure with two Tremendous Bowl losses on his Niners resume. Finally, it will get to some extent the place a workforce has made all of the personnel adjustments doable and nonetheless can’t get it accomplished. That’s after we see a change within the head-coaching place. It may not occur now, however we’re approaching that fork within the highway for Shanahan. It’s time to poop or get off the pot.
That is going to be the longest off-eason ever for many of those 49ers. Getting this shut and even going into extra time with an opportunity at successful. Injuries to Dre Greenlaw (who didn’t return) and Deebo Samuel (who did return) through the sport didn’t assist, however SF nonetheless had a preventing likelihood. However when it got here right down to it, Mahomes sprinkled a few of his magic mud on the sphere and got here by way of within the clutch as soon as once more, leaving Shanahan and the Niners with nothing greater than desires of what may have been.
