This Chiefs team is way, way different than the one that beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl four years ago.

That team was led by its offense. This team is led by its defense — it was the second-ranked defense in the league during the regular season. The 49ers need a great plan to attack it.

So what makes the Chiefs defense so good? It’s outstanding against the pass. It allowed just the fourth-fewest passing yards in the NFL this season. That’s because they have excellent cornerbacks, they have safeties and linebackers who can cover and an elite pass rush that led the league in sack percentage during the regular season. Since then, the Chiefs have lost defensive end Charles Omenihu to a torn ACL, but their pass rush is still outstanding. And the 49ers offensive line is decidedly sub par.

Every time the 49ers have faced a dominant defensive front this season — Cleveland, Philadelphia, Baltimore, etc., — they’ve abandoned their under-center offensive identity, moved to the pistol and the shotgun and called lots of quick, horizontal passes to negate the pass rush. Look for the 49ers to do that against the Chiefs.

Expect to see Brock Purdy in the pistol in the shotgun on the first play of the game and for most of the game, and expect to see him get rid of the ball extremely quickly. Expect to see lots of RPOs and screens and the occasional deep play-action pass from the shotgun.

Kyle Shanahan doesn’t want to let the Chiefs defensive line beat them the way it beat them in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl four years ago.