The San Francisco 49ers return to the Super Bowl for the second time in five years, facing the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Niners have found the playoffs to be more difficult than they had anticipated. They needed a game-winning
drive and then an interception against the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round, followed by a historic second-
half comeback against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship game. However, the 49ers have successfully
navigated the gauntlet and possess the talent required to win it all.
Many fans are familiar with San Francisco’s talents, including Brock Purdy, Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey, and
Nick Bosa. However, are there other players that can influence what happens on February 11? Below, we’ll look at
five under-the-radar players who could make the difference between San Francisco and Kansas City.
Perhaps we should simply write “the entire interior offensive line” here. Quarterbacks are most uncomfortable when
under pressure from the inside. That’s what Chiefs standout defensive tackle Chris Jones excels at. This season, he
had the second-most sacks (10.5) and quarterback hits (33) among defensive tackles, as well as the second-most
pressures (75). Banks has started 16 games this season, including the playoffs, and has yet to allow a sack in 528 pass
blocking snaps.
The Chiefs boast an excellent offensive line, particularly among their three inside guys. Bosa will win some games on
the outside, but imagine if Kinlaw and the 49ers’ interior defensive lineman can collapse the pocket or win those
battles to quickly stuff the run? It would be an absolute game changer. Kinlaw was one among the players that got to
David Montgomery behind the sticks on third-and-goal from the 3-yard line late in the fourth quarter, forcing the
Lions to call a timeout that may have won the game. Kinlaw really made several good plays on tape that game,
getting off blocks on runs and pressuring the quarterback on passes. Keep your eye on him.
