The 49ers try to end the hex by the Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch

Kansas City (5-0) at San Francisco (3-3)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT, Fox

BetMGM NFL odds: 49ers by 1 1/2.

Against the spread: Chiefs 4-1; 49ers 3-3.

Series record: Chiefs lead 9-7.

Last meeting: Chiefs beat 49ers 25-22 in overtime in Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas on Feb. 11, 2024.

Last week: Chiefs had bye last week, beat Saints 26-13 on Oct. 7; 49ers beat Seahawks 36-24.

Chiefs offense: overall (11), rush (16), pass (9), scoring (15).

Chiefs defense: overall (9), rush (5), pass (20), scoring (6).

49ers offense: overall (2), rush (3), pass (2), scoring (8).

49ers defense: overall (11), rush (7), pass (17), scoring (12).

Turnover differential: Chiefs minus-4; 49ers plus-3.

Chiefs player to watch

RB Kareem Hunt. With Isiah Pacheco injured, Hunt has had a revival since rejoining the Chiefs. He rushed for 102 yards and a TD in his previous game for his first 100-yard rushing game since 2020. He has 202 yards from scrimmage in his two games back in the lineup for the team he starred for in 2017-18.

49ers player to watch

QB Brock Purdy. After a somewhat shaky performance two weeks ago in a loss to Arizona, Purdy was back in top form last week when he threw for 255 yards and three TDs in a turnover-free performance at Seattle. Purdy played well in the Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs last season but came up empty on two key third downs late that could have been the difference between winning and losing.

Not PARSE.LY: San Francisco 49ers

Brock Purdy will miss Sunday’s game for the 49ers with a shoulder injury

 

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday’s game against the Packers with a sore throwing shoulder

 

Brock Purdy’s status for the 49ers in doubt this week because of sore shoulder

 

Key matchup

Chiefs DT Chris Jones vs. 49ers RG Dominick Puni. San Francisco struggled to block Jones in the Super Bowl, allowing him to pressure Purdy six times, including on a key third down in overtime in the red zone that forced a field goal. Puni has been a pleasant surprise as a rookie but will be in for his toughest test yet when he goes up against Jones.

Key injuries

Chiefs DL Mike Danna is dealing with a pectoral injury that will sideline him for the game. ... Rookie WR Ricky Pearsall will make his debut for the 49ers 50 days after being shot in the chest. He returned to practice this week and will help fill the role of injured No. 3 receiver Jauan Jennings (hip). ... The Niners will be on their third kicker in as many games with Anders Carlson set to replace Michael Wright, who injured his shoulder and back last week. Wright was signed to replace Jake Moody (high ankle sprain). ... San Francisco RB Jordan Mason will play after injuring his shoulder last week.

Series notes

The Chiefs have won all four meetings between the teams since Kyle Shanahan took over as coach in San Francisco in 2017, including wins in the Super Bowl following the 2019 and 2023 seasons. ... San Francisco is 5-2 at home in the series, losing the first meeting in 1971 at Candlestick Park and two years ago at Levi’s Stadium.

Stats and stuff

This is the 10th Super Bowl rematch in the following regular season with the Super Bowl winner going 6-3 in the previous nine. ... Kansas City lost as the defending champion in a rematch last season against Philadelphia. ... The Chiefs are the 10th defending Super Bowl champion to start 5-0 the following season. The previous nine all won their sixth games. ... Kansas City is seeking its third 6-0 start in franchise history after previously doing it in 2003 and 2013. ... Chiefs coach Andy Reid is 21-4 coming off a regular-season bye for the best winning percentage for any coach with at least 10 games after a bye. ... Kansas City has won 11 straight games, playoffs included, while scoring 27 points or fewer in each game. The only team to do that in NFL history is the 1928-29 Packers. ... The Chiefs are the first team in the Super Bowl era to win seven straight regular games while not winning the turnover margin in any of them. ... Mahomes is 4-0 with 11 total TDs, a 104.6 passer rating and 339 yards passing per game in four career starts against San Francisco. ... Kansas City WR JuJu Smith-Schuster had seven catches for 130 yards in his previous game for his most yards in a game since 2018. ... San Francisco seeks its first back-to-back wins this season. ... Purdy has 13 first downs rushing this season. ... Jordan Mason’s 610 yards rushing are the most ever for a 49ers player in the first six games of a season. ... San Francisco got INTs last week from rookies Malik Mustapha and Renardo Green. It was first time the Niners got INTs from two rookies in the same game since Dec. 24, 1989, when Keith DeLong and Johnnie Jackson did it against Chicago. ... San Francisco is fifth in the league with 11 takeaways. ... The 49ers tied for the fewest three-and-outs this season with six. ... San Francisco’s Deebo Samuel caught his 20th career TD pass last week and is the only WR in NFL history with at least 20 TD catches and at least 20 TD runs. ... Niners LB Fred Warner joined Marlon Humphrey (2020) as the only players since 2000 with at least four forced fumbles and five passes defensed in the first six games of a season. ... San Francisco ranks sixth in the NFL by converting 45.7% of third downs.

Fantasy tip

TE George Kittle has been Purdy’s favorite target in the red zone early this season. All five of Kittle’s TD catches have come in the red zone and he needs one more TD reception to match the second most he’s had in an entire season. Kansas City has struggled against TEs this season. The Chiefs have allowed the most catches per game (7.4) to opposing TEs and the most yards receiving (81.8).

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