Road To Super Bowl 54: How The Chiefs & 49ers Got There | Top NFL Teams

The road to the Super Bowl hasn’t been easy. None is.

The Kansas City Chiefs will look to end a 50-year drought without winning the Lombardi Trophy. The San Francisco 49ers haven’t won it in 25 years. It took a lot from both NFL teams to get to this point.

Before we review the road of both squads, don’t forget to look at our Super Bowl pick and the insane amount of prop bets available for Super Bowl Sunday.

How the San Francisco 49ers got to Super Bowl LIV

When the season started in September, the Niners were 33/1 to win the Super Bowl. It’s safe to say they were not among the favorites.

What Happened To The Niners?

The team was coming off of a 4-12 record, with a quarterback in rehabilitation and a bunch of young players. Perhaps the best scenario would have been a playoffs berth in an ultra-competitive NFC West division. Even that looked tough to accomplish.

They drafted DE Nick Bosa with the second overall pick. The injury suffered by QB Jimmy Garoppolo prevented the team from being better in 2018. It was a blessing in disguise, considering they were able to land Bosa.

The general manager John Lynch also traded for DE Dee Ford and LB Kwon Alexander to make this unit the best in the league in 2019.

San Francisco Started To Win

San Francisco won the first eight games of the season before falling short of beating the Seattle Seahawks on a Monday Night matchup. That day the Niners played with a bunch of injuries.

• Their most significant win of the season was against the Green Bay Packers, in a match where they pounded Aaron Rodgers and beat the cheeseheads 37-8. That win gave validation to the Niners.
• A narrow loss in Baltimore and a close win in a high scoring game against Saints were enough to put San Francisco as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
• The Niners beat the Vikings and Packers with a combined 64-30 in their two playoffs games.

Players That Stood Out This Season

Raheem Mostert NFC Championship game performance of 220 yards and four scores is the best the NFL has seen in that round.

The team got to Miami with a fantastic run game, led by a fantastic play caller like Kyle Shanahan. Their defense is the best in the NFL, and they are ready for the challenge against the Chiefs.

How the Kansas City Chiefs got to Super Bowl LIV

After failing to beat the Patriots in the NFC Championship game last season, the Chiefs approached the 2019 season as their redemption year.

Patrick Mahomes was no longer the new kid on the block. He was now mentioned as the best QB in the game. Because of him, Kansas City was +330 to win the Super Bowl.

What The Chiefs Struggled With

Kansas City won the first four games of the season before the Indianapolis Colts manhandled them at home. The next game they lost to Houston in a very similar fashion.

It was obvious the defense has been struggling against the run, and that was their weak spot.

But the worst news came the following week in Denver. QB Patrick Mahomes had to leave the game against the Broncos with a dislocated knee. His status for the rest of the season would be a topic for discussion over the next month.

Chiefs Impressive Win-Streak

Kansas City would lose to Green Bay and barely beat Minnesota. When Mahomes returned to the lineup in week ten against the Titans, he threw three scores, but Tennessee ended up winning the game. That would be the last time the Chiefs lost this season.

The Chiefs won the last six games in a row, including a controversial victory over the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.

Impact By The Other NFL Team’s Performance

Kansas City was ready to host the wildcard round in the playoffs until the Miami Dolphins shocked the world and beat the Patriots in New England in week 17. That defeat set Kansas City as the second seed in the AFC.

After the Tennessee Titans beat the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens on consecutive playoffs games, Kansas City had a clear path to the Super Bowl. However, it was never that smooth.

Playoff Games Full Of Comebacks

The Chiefs had to come back from a 0-24 deficit against Houston in the divisional round. It took five touchdown passes from Patrick Mahomes to get it done.

The following week they hosted the Titans. They were down 17-7 in the second quarter, just until Mahomes worked his magic again.

The Chiefs punched a ticket to Miami with Patrick Mahomes throwing eight touchdowns without an interception during the playoffs.

Great Challenge As Young Chiefs Face 49ers Defense

His biggest challenge will come on Sunday. He’s set to face the best defense in football. Beating San Francisco will mean Patrick Mahomes will earn his first Super Bowl with just 24 years old and would end the 50-year drought from Kansas City.