Patrick Mahomes could deprive San Diego's Fred Warner of another Super Bowl ring – San Diego Union-Tribune

Patrick Mahomes knelt in victory and took off his helmet.

The first person to greet him was Fred Warner, who shook his hand as the two hugged.

If Warner had managed to get to Mahomes just a half-hour earlier, Sunday's outcome might have been different than if the Chiefs had beaten the 49ers again.

But isn’t that often the case with Mahomes?

It seemed cruel that the quarterback's latest attack came at the expense of Warner, the All-Pro linebacker who graduated from Mission Hills High School in San Marcos and trained on the beach in Oceanside with one of Junior Seau's sons.

Because if Mahomes wasn't Mahomes, Warner could own a pair of Super Bowl rings.

Warner, the QB of San Francisco's defense, couldn't stop Mahomes from rekindling the quick-thinking, do-it-all style that has won him three Super Bowl rings and now helped lead Kansas City (6-6). 0) The only undefeated team in the NFL is through Week 7.

Mahomes is the culmination of a fascinating game for football lovers interested in seeing how an offense's playmakers and coaches respond to rare adversity. Mahomes evaded Warner and a second 49ers linebacker for his career-high 33-yard run in Kansas City's 28-18 road win, a rematch of the last two Super Bowls.

Warner is a sure tackler, perhaps the best inside linebacker of his generation and a three-time All-Pro.

Mahomes, whose football speed far exceeds his track speed, escaped the 6-foot-1, 230-pounder's rollout to his left after escaping All-Pro edge rusher Nick Bosa.

Warner's quick thinking and efficient angle had given him the chance to trip the QB near the sideline and suffer a loss.

Mahomes kicked him with an errant pitch, deflected Warner's grab and slid to the 4-yard line, also making linebacker Dee Winters wheeze. The QB's 1-yard north-south run for a touchdown capped the 79-yard drive and extended the lead to 21-12 with 14 minutes left. Ball game.

The 49ers would have preferred Mahomes to follow his father, former pitcher Pat Mahomes, to the major baseball leagues.

The QB improved to 5-0 against them, including the two Super Bowl victories in which Warner and Co. led by double digits in the fourth quarter.

Sound off

Under the leadership of head coach and game manager Andy Reid, the Chiefs won as 1.5-point underdogs because their offense had adapted better. Kansas City was missing four key playmakers; The 49ers were missing their top three receivers and star running back Christian McCaffrey.

The combination of defensive excellence and teammates' injuries takes a toll on any quarterback.

Mahomes performed better, although Brock Purdy didn't collapse as several QBs might.

Throw away most QB stats. Mistakes by raw receivers contributed to one of Mahomes' two interceptions and one of Purdy's three interceptions. A batted pass on a quick throw gave Mahomes his second interception.

The best unit of the game was Steve Spagnuolo's defense. Crucially, it crowded 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan's high-level ground game in the first half and forced Purdy to victory.

What did the result mean for each team?

The Chiefs remained at the top of the race for the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, which means the AFC's only bye in the first round.

It shouldn't be a cause for concern for the 49ers (3-4) that they fell behind NFC West leader Seattle (4-3). This team still features a Super Bowl core led by Warner, Bosa, Purdy and offensive tackle Trent Williams. Add a healthy McCaffrey and you can have a late season. On the other hand, several other NFC playoff contenders have improved more than the Niners since last season.

Reid and his staff have once again performed well.

Drafts with multiple tight ends and the commitment to an interior game led by center Creed Humphrey and running back Kareem Hunt helped offset first-half injuries to receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Xavier Worthy and inconsistencies at left tackle.

Reid posted an NFL record .840 winning percentage after a bye week.

Originally published: October 20, 2024 at 6:52 p.m