Heading into Super Bowl LVIII, the Kansas City Chiefs and their defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, were well aware of the threat posed by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. Throughout the 2023 NFL season, Purdy had been exceptionally successful in dismantling opposing defenses when faced with blitzes. His impressive stats included 101 completions out of 150 attempts, resulting in 1,534 yards, 701 air yards, 15 touchdowns, two interceptions, and a passer rating of 128.6. Notably, the Chiefs had employed blitzes on 208 occasions, the fourth-highest in the league, resulting in 112 completions for 1,122 yards, eight touchdowns, three interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 76.2.
Interestingly, the Chiefs had only blitzed 81 times with man coverage prior to the Super Bowl, allowing 33 completions for 360 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 56.6. However, when facing five or more pass-rushers with man coverage, Purdy had performed even better. He completed 40 out of 64 attempts for 806 yards, 404 air yards, six touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 137.5.
Given these circumstances, one might have expected defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to be cautious with his blitzing strategy in the biggest game of the season. But, contrary to expectations, the Chiefs chose to blitz on 27 of their snaps, with man coverage behind it on 23 of those occasions. This decision demonstrated an astonishing level of confidence in the Chiefs’ defensive backs to effectively disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage and maintain tight coverage throughout the field.
In the face of the Chiefs’ aggressive defensive strategy, Purdy completed 11 out of 21 passes for 149 yards, scoring one touchdown and avoiding any interceptions. His passer rating was 91.2, a decent performance but not up to the standard we have seen from Purdy in similar situations this season.
So why did the Chiefs succeed in pressuring Purdy? The answer lies in their ability to present him with defensive schemes that were unconventional yet effective, even when the 49ers had countermeasures in place.
A key moment came with 7:04 remaining in the second quarter, with the Chiefs trailing 3-0. They executed a zero blitz, sending all available defenders to rush the quarterback. Surprisingly, the 49ers managed to block the pressure well, with Willie Gay and Nick Bolton joining the rush from the left and right sides respectively. With George Kittle in the formation, the numbers were even at six-on-six. However, Purdy found both of his receiving options tightly covered. His choices were limited to either targeting Christian McCaffrey on a choice route or hitting Brandon Aiyuk on a short pass to the left side. Either option would have likely resulted in a gain of six yards, as Chamarri Conner had Aiyuk well-covered. This play highlighted the trust that the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator, Spags, has in his defensive backs to effectively neutralize offensive concepts that typically favor the offense.
Another significant factor was that most of the 49ers’ yards came after the catch when the Chiefs employed man blitzes. There were few opportunities for explosive plays downfield, with the exception of an 18-yard completion to Chris Conley in the first quarter, where Conley managed to beat cornerback Jaylen Watson on an out-cut.
Reflecting on the game, Purdy acknowledged the challenge posed by the Chiefs’ defense, particularly on first and second downs. He recognized the effectiveness of their man coverage and expressed the need to improve his execution on third downs. Purdy also lamented the missed opportunities presented by the 49ers’ defense, who consistently provided their offense with favorable field position but failed to capitalize on those chances.
Overall, the Chiefs’ defensive strategy proved to be a significant obstacle for the 49ers throughout Super Bowl LVIII, catching them off guard and limiting their offensive productivity.
According to the Source touchdownwire.usatoday.com