Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo bested the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, but the veteran coach still has plenty of respect for San Francisco's potent offense.
"Listen, this offense still is a headache to defend," Spagnuolo told reporters Thursday, three days before the Chiefs visit the 49ers at Levi's Stadium. "I know they're minus the running back [Christian McCaffrey], but I think the guys that have plugged in there for them make that whole system effective."
In Kansas City's Super Bowl LVIII triumph, its defense relied on a heavy dose of man coverage to thwart San Francisco's offensive rhythm -- a strategy heavily influenced by 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy's ability to carve up zone defenses.
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"I think the quarterback is really good against zone and finding those pockets and spaces," Spagnuolo said. "I think the receivers adjust routes to do that. That makes it really challenging in zone. One of the things you got to remember is we had, last year was a little different. [Cornerback L'Jarius Sneed] was here, Trent [McDuffie], we had him in a different spot. So, we'll see if we can do the same things.
"I just think their system is built that they really can expose zone coverage, and yet I think they got enough skill that if you don't have the right man people covering their men, that can be really challenging, too. It's going to start up front, and stopping the run, and hopefully we can get the quarterback in timing like he is.
"I can't find a weakness in this quarterback. Every time I put the film on, I'm more and more impressed."
Pro Bowl safety Justin Reid also echoed Spagnuolo's praise of the 49ers' offense, highlighting the incredible star power at San Francisco's disposal.
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"Well, they have a lot of talent," Reid said. "This is still a Super Bowl team from last year. Super-talented group, super-talented quarterback. Skill positions, in the trenches. Trent Williams, all over the place. They do what they do, and our challenge is to just be consistent with the plays. Stop the run game, try and limit the explosive plays in the pass game. They're very dynamic, and we have a game plan going forward to them.
"So, we just got to stay consistent, focus on what our job and responsibility is each play, and try not to make it any bigger than what it is, which is just another football game to show what we got."
The 49ers haven't beaten the Chiefs since the 2014 NFL season, a streak of four consecutive defeats that includes two heartbreaking losses in Super Bowls LIV and LVIII.
While a Week 7 win never could adequately avenge a championship loss, a San Francisco win would go a long way in establishing the team as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. It also would be Kansas City's first loss of the season.
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