PARADISE, Nev. -- The 2023 NFL season comes to a head in Sin City this Sunday, as the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers face off in Super Bowl LVIII. On one side, we have a quarterback already making his case for "greatest of all time," while on the other, we have a former Mr. Irrelevant who made the Super Bowl in his first full year as a starter.
Brock Purdy isn't Patrick Mahomes, but where exactly does he rank among NFL quarterbacks? Is he just a point guard, or is he a top-five signal-caller? After all, San Francisco had the No. 2 offense this year in yards per game, and No. 3 scoring offense.
San Francisco's offense features several elite weapons, such as dual-threat running back Christian McCaffrey, Swiss Army knife Deebo Samuel, the hard-to-contain Brandon Aiyuk and the well-rounded George Kittle. McCaffrey can establish the run, which sets up play action. And then Purdy's passing attack operates off timing routes where the ball gets out quickly.
Purdy may be one of the best quarterbacks when it comes to quick reads and throwing with anticipation. He's the NFL's all-time leader in yards per attempt (9.2), minimum 500 attempts. When that offense is clicking, it's hard to stop. The Chiefs defense is up to the task, being the No. 2 unit in the league this year. But containing the 49ers' weapons is a tall task that may just decide the Super Bowl.
On Super Bowl Opening Night, CBS Sports asked several starters on the Chiefs defense how they are approaching this game. How do you disrupt timing routes? How do you get an offense like the 49ers' out of rhythm? All-Pro defensive back Trent McDuffie says it's about being physical with receivers.
"Press 'em. Get your hands on 'em," McDuffie said. "Just like we did against Miami with speed."
Keep an eye on McDuffie as a pass rusher as well. He recorded the most QB hits this season by a cornerback since the stat was first tracked in 2006 with nine, and quarterbacks have completed 46% of passes for zero touchdowns and two interceptions when McDuffie is fired off the edge by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
"He's the best," McDuffie said of Spagnuolo. "I mean, honestly, I look to him like a father figure. He shows so much love, but I always say it's tough love. He's gonna make you work hard, make you want to feel like you want to quit some days, but then come back in the next day and be like, 'I got you.'"
As for Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton, he doesn't like how the descriptor of "game manager" is used when it comes to Purdy. He's earned the NFL's respect as a legitimate quarterback.
"I think that term kind of gets thrown around a little bit. In terms of the quarterback we're playing this week I don't necessarily think he's a 'game manager,'" Bolton said. "You throw on the tape, he can make any throw. Far hash, throws an out route, throws a comeback, throws a seam ball. Throws a stick, throws a slant, does it all. So I honestly think that in terms of just 'game manager,' ultimately this game gets judged by wins and losses, and they find a way to win so we gotta give them respect because he's earned it."
Bolton had a monster Super Bowl last year, and even could have won Super Bowl MVP, as he recorded nine combined tackles and a fumble recovery he took back for a 36-yard score in the 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.
This year, Bolton will play an important role in not only stuffing the run, but patrolling that second level as well. Kittle is one of the best tight ends in the game, and he can get loose for big gains after the catch.
"It's going to take all 11, it's not going to be one single person go out there and stop [Kittle]," Bolton said. "He does great run blocking, catching the ball, vertical routes, short routes, blocking for his teammates. He does a little bit of everything for them. It's a reason why he's the player he is. It's going to take all 11, it's not going to be just one guy."
Chiefs safety Justin Reid brought up a great point with how his defense needs to eliminate broken tackles. If the first hat to the ball carrier can take him down, that limits explosive plays.
"Man it's so tough, because they're so talented," Reid said. "They have so many weapons. The biggest thing is just tackling first and foremost, just because they have so many guys that can break tackles well. The first guy that gets there, if we're able to tackle with the first guy getting there, I think that's going to help us tremendously throughout the game. And then second, it's just finding ways to get pressure, which is no easy task just because they're so dynamic in getting the ball out. But if we can create some pressure and make Brock a little bit uncomfortable, I think that will help us be successful, too."
In Super Wild Card Weekend, the Chiefs defense held the Miami Dolphins to season-worsts in points (7), yards per play (4.5) and third downs (1 of 12). Against the Buffalo Bills in the next round, Kansas City held Buffalo to its fewest yards per attempt (4.8) since 2021, and fewest yards per completion (7.2) since 2018. In the AFC Championship win over the Baltimore Ravens, the Chiefs held Baltimore to a season-low 81 rushing yards and the lowest time of possession (22:30) in Lamar Jackson's career. Come Sunday, another tough test awaits them.
