The media circus has arrived in Las Vegas and the biggest day of the NFL’s calendar is almost here.
Super Bowl LVIII takes place on Sunday, with the Kansas City Chiefs hoping to make it three titles in five years, while the San Francisco 49ers are looking to end a 29-year wait for their sixth title.
The clash is a rematch of Super Bowl LIV, where Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to victory via a fourth-quarter comeback, but these are both very different teams since then, with each side having just nine players each on their 2020 rosters that locked horns in Florida.
So who will the most important players be this time out? Here is a look at ten players who are likely to have a big say on how the Super Bowl pans out.
1. Patrick Mahomes
Not only is Patrick Mahomes the best player in the NFL, but he’s just about arrived on the global stage as one of the planet’s most famous sportspeople.
While the two-time NFL MVP hasn’t had his most spectacular season, he’s come up with the goods time and time again this term, dragging up a misfiring supporting cast.
The Chiefs offense as a whole began to click more during their playoff run and that has resulted in a fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years. It’s somewhat obvious to state that Mahomes will be one of the key players in Vegas, with the 49ers knowing just how dangerous the 28-year-old can be both in and out of the pocket.
2. Brock Purdy
The spotlight will also be on Mahomes’ opposite number, with Brock Purdy preparing for his first Super Bowl with a completely different set of narratives. The second-year QB has been a lightning rod for debate this season, with his critics lining up to criticise him as being a mere game manager with the luxury of a stellar supporting class. His supporters will point to league-leading statistical play, a coolness under pressure and two fourth-quarter comeback playoff wins this year.
It will be fascinating to see how he deals with the pressure of a first Super Bowl performance on an evening where the former ‘Mr Irrelevant’ will have the chance to silence the doubters and make history.
3. Christian McCaffrey
Away from the two quarterbacks, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is the player most likely to settle this game.
McCaffrey eased to the NFL rushing title this season and would clock up more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage along with 21 touchdowns, as he consistently hurt San Francisco’s opponents, week after week. Fans of omens will also point to the fact that the last 49ers team to win the Super Bowl featured McCaffrey’s father Ed at wide receiver, playing under offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan - Kyle’s dad.
4. Chris Jones
Jones is the beating heart of the Chiefs defense and has been the beneficiary this season of Steve Spagnuolo's brilliant scheming to cause havoc across the defensive front.
He will look to get in Brock Purdy’s face at every opportunity and with the defensive tackle currently slated to hit free agency in the offseason, he will want to make sure he puts in a big game on the biggest stage.
5. Travis Kelce
The only player who might end up with more limelight than Mahomes in the build-up (you don't need us to remind you why), Kelce’s relatively slow start to the season is now a thing of the past after the tight end delivered in the Chiefs playoff wins over the Bills and Ravens.
He has been Mahomes’ favourite target for years now and the prospect of him going up against the 49ers physical linebacking corps of Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw is something to savour.
6. Deebo Samuel
The fifth-year standout is perhaps the perfect wide receiver for Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
He has the usual skills you’d expect from a WR1 in speed, good hands and agility, but he also brings to the table the ability to break tackles, eat up yards after the catch and a versatility that sees him operate as a threat in the running game as well.
And herein lies one of the big issues for the Chiefs - how do you put in the resources to stop Deebo, without giving space for one of the 49ers other dangerous skill players to take advantage?
7. Nick Bosa
Containing Mahomes will be top of defensive coordinator Steve Wilks’ to-do list on Sunday night, as the Niners know that they must not let the Chiefs quarterback escape the pocket where he has the ability to improvise and make big plays.
Enter Nick Bosa. The 49ers defensive end will be key here and although his sack total was down this season, his QB pressures were up. His two-sack day against the Lions is a good sign for the Niners, as would be the absence of Joe Thuney on the Chiefs line, should the All-Pro guard lose his fitness battle.
8. L’Jaruis Sneed
Cornerback Sneed will likely have a busy evening in Vegas as the Chiefs gear up for an assault from the 49ers quartet of McCaffrey, Samuel, Aiyuk and Kittle, but Sneed has proved during the Chiefs postseason run that he is up for the challenge.
His forced fumble on Zay Flowers in the AFC Championship game was perhaps the biggest play on the Chiefs run to Vegas and Kansas City fans will be hoping for more of that big play appetite from another player who could be set for free agency this spring.
9. Isiah Pacheco
The 49ers have shown a vulnerability up the middle this postseason, with Green Bay and Detroit both enjoying a lot of joy on the ground.
Pacheco’s hard-running style can set an offensive tone for the Chiefs and if we’re in for the close game that the bookies are predicting, a performance of that nature could make the difference.
10. George Kittle
This game features the two best tight ends of the past five years, with Kittle’s excellent season going somewhat under the radar this year, thanks to all the other shiny toys in this Niners offense.
But Kittle averaged a career-high 15.7 yards per catch and has been a brilliantly reliable safety value for Purdy during the playoffs. He’s also a player who prefers to operate against man coverage and should find plenty of that on Sunday.
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