In a game which seemed to fly by due to the heavy run game on both sides, we got to witness Andy Reid win his first Super Bowl as the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in a game which was decided in the final minutes. Right when it looked like the 49ers were going to run away with it, a late game surge by quarterback, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs sparked their historic Super Bowl comeback, allowing for the Chiefs to win their first Super Bowl since 1970.
Here are my four biggest takeaways from Super Bowl 54.
Jimmy Garoppolo used every weapon in the book
After throwing the ball only eight times in the AFC Championship game, Jimmy Garoppolo threw the ball 31 times last night. Despite a slow start for Garoppolo, he began to control the game. Jimmy G used every single one of his weapons, as he completed passes to eight different receivers. His favorite target, tight-end, George Kittle, had a relatively quiet night, catching only 4 passes, but Garoppolo didn’t allow for that to be a problem for himself, or his offense, which put up a total of 351 yards. Garoppolo’s best drive was the opening drive of the 2nd half, where he went five of five, 42 yards, completing passes to four different receivers.
Damien Williams was the difference
Chiefs running back, Damien Williams, the man who put the game on ice with his 38-yard touchdown with under 2 minutes remaining, was a problem for San Francisco defensive coordinator, Robert Saleh’s defense all game long. Williams rushed for 104 yards on 17 carries, two of those carries coming vital fourth downs. Not only did Williams have many key runs that ended up being critical, he was also a threat in the pass game. Williams racked up 29 yards off four receptions and a five yard touchdown, which gave the Chiefs a 24-20 lead late in the fourth quarter. He was a vital target for Mahomes in the outlet all night. Whenever Mahomes seemed to have no open targets, or was being rushed by that monstrous 49ers defensive line, he would find Williams in the outlet.
Andy Reid was the better coach last night
It’s been a long time coming for the 65-year-old, Andy Reid, as he was able to secure his first Super Bowl victory as a head coach. He was able to keep his Chiefs in the game as it looked like things were slipping away, as he did with the previous two playoff games. We saw some very gutsy fourth down play-calls that both paid off, thanks to short runs by Damien Williams.
Kyle Shanahan did an exceptional job with his offense. He was able to utilize every single one of his weapons and got everything he could get out of his young QB. However, he may have made a brutal mistake with his questionable time management to close out the first half. The 49ers got the ball back on their own 20 with :59 left in the half after forcing a Kansas City punt. The first two plays on that drive? A three yard run and a two yard run. This milked 33 crucial seconds off the clock after gaining only five yards. The drive ultimately ended with no points.
Patrick Mahomes stayed poised
Just when it looked like it was all but over for the Chiefs, quarterback, Patrick Mahomes stayed poised and lead his team to a historic Super Bowl comeback victory. Despite not being the same exciting, flashy player as usual, Mahomes was still able to put up a Super Bowl MVP performance, as he threw for 286 yards and two touchdowns. His most important throw, which brought the Chiefs back into the game, was a 44-yard bomb to wide receiver, Tyreek Hill on third and 15 with just over seven minutes remaining in the fourth. This play led to a one yard Mahomes to tight-end, Travis Kelce touchdown, bringing them back within three. The following Kansas City drive, Mahomes marched his team down the field and threw another touchdown to Damien Williams, putting them up 24-20 with 2:44 remaining. This would end up being the game-winning touchdown, as this gave them the lead for good.
This game allowed for us to witness a very close game, where the world got to see Patrick Mahomes become the youngest player in NFL history to win an MVP and a Super Bowl.