Patrick Mahomes has a feeling that lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy will be a tough ask for the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, if they don’t match the 49ers’ intensity from start to finish.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday in Las Vegas, the Chiefs signal-caller detailed the exact strength that makes San Francisco an opponent capable of running Kansas City off the field at Allegiant Stadium.
“I think it’s just their intensity,” Mahomes said. “They play hard every single play. They bring energy. We know it takes our best football. And so for us, we have to come in with that intensity to go out there and play our best.”
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If the Chiefs, who head into Super Bowl LVIII as the money line underdog (+105) according to odds provided by our partner, PointsBet, fail to do so, the two-time Super Bowl winner knows what's at stake.
“And if we don’t, we will lose the game,” Mahomes added.
A player powering the 49ers’ undeniable intensity is linebacker Fred Warner.
San Francisco 49ers
The All-Pro is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, registering 132 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a career-high four interceptions throughout in 2023.
To Mahomes, Warner is a pivotal contributor to the 49ers' intensity, which separates San Francisco from the rest of the NFL.
“You have to know where he is at on every single play,” Mahomes told reporters. “I think the best part about Fred is that he has the physical ability. He can do everything. He’s tall. He’s fast. He can blitz. He can do whatever you want him to do.
"But [mentally], you can tell how much he studies the film, and how he’s able to adjust his coverage based [on] what team he plays. I think you have to know where he’s at on every single play. If you don’t, he will make a play happen that will be negative for us but positive for them. And so, someone you definitely have to account for.”
Whether Mahomes and Co. will be able to come out of the gates and match the 49ers’ intensity is a question that will be answered at 3:30 p.m. PT on Sunday.
The Chiefs making an attempt at it, however, is a non-negotiable for Mahomes.
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