NFL Playoffs Cheat Sheet: Super Bowl LVIII

by Joe Kuzma (joe_kuzma) on February 10, 2024

NFL Playoffs Cheat Sheet is a weekly series featuring a quick glance at upcoming games, including odds, records, things to watch for, and how to watch/listen to the games.

On Sunday, February 11, the San Francisco 49ers (14-5) and the Kansas City Chiefs (14-6) will meet in Super Bowl LVIII (6:30 PM ET, CBS) at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Here are some notes for this game.

Series Notes

Regular Season Series History

Leader: Series tied, 7-7
Last Game: 10/23/22: KC 44 at SF 23

Postseason Series History

Leader:KC leads series, 1-0
Only Meeting: SB LIV: KC 31 vs. SF 20

The Teams

49ers
- Playoff Record: 38-23
- Championships: 5 [1981 (XVI), 1984 (XIX), 1988 (XXIII), 1989 (XXIV), 1994 (XXIX)]
Chiefs
- Playoff Record: 23-21
- Championships: 4 [1960, 1969 (SB IV), 2019 (SB LIV), 2022 (SB LVII)]

The Coaches

49ers: Kyle Shanahan
- vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 0-3
- Regular Season: 64-51 (.557)
- Postseason: 8-3
Chiefs: Andy Reid
- vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 9-4
- Regular Season: 258-144-1 (.641)
- Postseason: 25-16

Gameday Information

Date: Sunday, February 11, 2024
Time: 6:30 PM ET
Location: Allegiant Stadium
Las Vegas, NV
Capacity 65,000 // Natural Grass
TV: CBS, Paramount+
- Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson, Evan Washburn
National Radio: Westwood One
- Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner, Laura Okmin, Mike Golic
Satellite Radio:
- National: SiriusXM 88 and the SXM App
- 49ers: SiriusXM 81 or 225 and the SXM App
- Chiefs: SiriusXM 82 or 226 and the SXM App
Referee: Bill Vinovich

Team Leaders

Leaders	49ers		Chiefs
Passing	Brock Purdy	308/444, 4280 yds, 31 TDs	Patrick Mahomes	401/597, 4183 yds, 27 TDs
Receiving	Brandon Aiyuk	75 rec, 1342 yds, 7 TDs	Travis Kelce	93 rec, 984 yds, 5 TDs
Rushing	Christian McCaffrey	272 rush, 1459 yds, 14 TDs	Isiah Pacheco	205 rush, 935 yds, 7 TDs

Team Rankings

	49ers	Chiefs
Home Record	5-3-0	5-4-0
Away Record	7-2-0	6-2-0
Record vs. Spread	9-7-1	10-7-0
Points Scored/Game	28.9 (3rd)	21.8 (15th)
Points Allowed/Game	17.5 (3rd)	17.3 (2nd)
Takeaway Diff.	+10 (5th)	-11 (28th)
Pass Yds/Game	257 (4th)	246 (6th)
Rush Yds/Game	140 (3rd)	104 (19th)
Def. Pass Yds/Game	214 (14th)	176 (4th)
Def. Rush Yds/Game	89 (3rd)	113 (18th)

49ers Notes

49ERS advanced to 8th SB, tied-2nd most among NFL teams. Can tie NE & PIT for most SB wins (6). Have 38 postseason wins, most among NFL clubs. Overcame 17-point deficit to win NFC-C, largest halftime deficit overcame to win in a Championship game in NFL history Ranked 3rd in scoring offense (28.9 ppg) & scoring defense (17.5). Became 4th team ever with 4,000-yard passer & 4 players each with 1,000+ scrimmage yards in same season.
QB BROCK PURDY had 315 yards (267 pass, 48 rush) & TD pass in NFC-C & became 4th QB ever with 4 playoff wins in his 1st 2 seasons. Led NFL in rating (113.0), ranked 3rd in TD passes (31) & 5th in pass yards (4,280) in reg. season. Became 5th player ever with 8 games of 120+ rating in a season.
RB CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY had 132 scrimmage yards (90 rush, 42 rec.) & 2 rush TDs in NFC-Div. vs. GB. Can become 1st player with 6 rush TDs in single postseason since 2018 (Sony Michel) Can become 3rd player ever (HOFers Marcus Allen & Terrell Davis) with 50+ scrimmage yards & TD in each of his 1st 7 career playoff games. Led NFL in scrimmage yards (2,023) & rush yards (1,459) & tied-1st in scrimmage TDs (21) in reg. season. Made SF debut in last meeting vs. KC (Week 7, 2022).
WR BRANDON AIYUK had 68 rec. yards & 1st-career playoff TD catch in NFC-C. Had 75 receptions for career-high 1,342 rec. yards (7th-most in NFL this season) & 7 rec. TDs in reg. season. Had 7 catches for 82 yards in last meeting.
WR DEEBO SAMUEL had career playoff-best 8 catches for 89 yards in NFC-C. Had 60 catches, 1,117 scrimmage yards (892 rec., 225 rush) & 12 TDs (7 rec., 5 rush) in reg. season. Had 5 catches & 92 scrimmage yards (53 rush, 39 rec.) in SB LIV vs. KC.
TE GEORGE KITTLE had 6 catches for 98 yards & rec. TD in last reg. season meeting. Had 65 catches for 1,020 rec. yards (most among TEs in 2023) & 6 rec. TDs in reg. season. 49ers became 1st team ever with RB, 2 WRs & TE each with 1,000+ scrimmage yards in same season.
DL NICK BOSA had 2 sacks in NFC-C & has 10 sacks in 11 career playoff games. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. KC with sack, incl. playoffs. Can become 6th player since 1982 with 12 playoff sacks & 4 career playoff games with 2+ sacks.
DL ARIK ARMSTEAD had 1st career playoff FR in NFC-C.
LB FRED WARNER had playoff career-high 13 tackles in NFC-C. Led team with 132 tackles & had career highs in PD (11) & INTs (4) in reg. season. Had INT in SB LIV vs. KC.
LB DRE GREENLAW has 5+ tackles in 8 of 11 career playoff games.
CB CHARVARIUS WARD led NFL with career-high 23 PD & had career-high 5 INTs in reg. season. Has 13 PD in 16 career playoff games. Had 38 PD in 67 games, incl. playoffs, with KC (2018-21).

Chiefs Notes

CHIEFS seeking 4th SB win in franchise history. Can become 9th team all-time to win consecutive SBs & 1st since NE in 2003-04.
ANDY REID has 25 career playoff wins, 2nd-most by ever by HC. Can become 5th HC ever with 3+ SB wins.
QB PATRICK MAHOMES is 6-0 with 11 TDs vs. 0 INTs & 107.6 rating in his past 6 playoff starts. Can become 6th starting QB all-time with 3+ SB wins. Is 14-3 in 17 career playoff starts & can become 3rd QB all-time with 15+ career playoff wins, joining Tom Brady (35) & HOFer Joe Montana (16). Is 3-0 with 1,023 pass yards (341 per game) & 9 TDs (8 pass, 1 rush) & 106.7 rating in 3 career starts vs. SF, incl. SB LIV victory.
RB ISIAH PACHECO has 75+ scrimmage yards in each of 6 career playoff games & rush TD in each of his past 4 playoff games. Has TD in 7 straight games overall. Rushed for 76 yards & TD in SB LVII vs. Phi.
TE TRAVIS KELCE led team with 11 catches for 116 yards & TD in AFC-C vs. Bal., 8th-career playoff game with 100+ rec. yards, tied with HOFer Jerry Rice for most ever. Has 156 postseason catches, most ever, & 1,810 playoff rec. yards & 19 playoff rec. TDs, both 2nd-most ever. Has rec. TD in 8 of past 9 playoff games & has TD catch in 2 of 3 career SBs, incl. SB LIV vs. SF.
WR RASHEE RICE (rookie) had 8 catches for 46 yards in AFC-C vs. Bal. & has 5+ catches in 8 of past 9 overall. Needs 6 catches to surpass Ja’Marr Chase (25 in 2021) for most playoff catches ever by rookie.
DT CHRIS JONES aims for 3rd in row with PD. Had 3 PD in SB LIV vs. SF. Had 2 sacks & FF in last game vs. SF (10/23/22).
DE GEORGE KARLAFTIS had sack & FR in AFC-C vs. Bal. & has sack in 3 of his past 4 overall.
LB NICK BOLTON has 10+ tackles in 3 of past 4. Had 9 tackles & FR-TD in SB LVII vs. Phi.
LB DRUE TRANQUILL led team with 8 tackles in AFC-C vs. Bal. Aims for 3rd in row with 7+ tackles.
CB L’JARIUS SNEED had 5 tackles & FF in AFC-C vs. Bal. Had 7 tackles & 2 PD in SB LVII vs. Phi.
S JUSTIN REID had sack in AFC-C vs. Bal, 1st-career playoff sack. Has 6+ tackles in each of 2 career games vs. SF.