San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Nick Bosa found a clear path to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes but couldn’t make the play as Super Bowl hopes evaporated on Sunday.
“It was tough. I think I had to dive, and he pulled it. I got somebody open,” Bosa told reporters regarding his missed shot at Mahomes, who threw a game-winning touchdown in a 25-22 overtime win over the 49ers.
While San Francisco sacked Mahomes three times in the game, Bosa couldn’t get home when the team needed it most. Mahomes instead floated a wide-open pass to wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. near the end zone to win the Super Bowl.
“I was speechless. I couldn’t really look anybody in the eye, especially all my teammates,” Bosa said about the defeat. “I could have done more. Everybody could have done more. And there’s really not much to say at this point. It’s going to hurt, and it’s going to hit in waves, but that’s life.”
THE CHIEFS WIN THE SUPER BOWL pic.twitter.com/0YTNIiX6RU
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) February 12, 2024
San Francisco once had a 10-0 lead and looked poised to do what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did to Mahomes and the Chiefs in a 31-9 blowout in the 2021 Super Bowl. The 49ers held the Chiefs to three first half points, but San Francisco’s defense couldn’t make the stops needed after halftime.
“That first half was a very good defensive performance, but there were missed opportunities in the first half too. [And] we definitely wanted to lap them a couple more times to give us a cushion because you know who we’re playing and they’re going to play to the end,” Bosa said.
Niners Started Hot on Defense Before Dre Greenlaw Went Down
Bosa and company held the Chiefs in check on a three-and-out and another punt in the first two defensive series of the first half. The Chiefs threatened to score on their third drive amid a deep shot by Mahomes, but running back Isiah Pacheco fumbled the ball.
San Francisco forced another punt, but things shifted when the Niners lost linebacker Dre Greenlaw to an Achilles injury on that drive. Bosa acknowledged the difference.
“It was hard. Sometimes when things like that happen, it could sway the momentum just because it’s such an emotional feeling,” Bosa said. “But I do think we did a good job of continuing to play the way we were playing.”
“He was pushing through so much this year,” Bosa continued regarding Greenlaw. “And I think 99 percent of players wouldn’t have been able to do what he did. And he put his body on the line for this and it sucks that we can’t get him one.”
San Francisco gave a scoring drive for the first time after Greenlaw’s exit when Mahomes moved the team methodically down field late in the first half. Niners defensive lineman Arik Armstead sack limited the Chiefs to a Harrison Butker field goal that cut the lead to 10-3, but Kansas City gained momentum.
Niners Defense Missed Chances Key Second Half Moments
Patrick Mahomes 🎯 Ji'Ayir Brown
pic.twitter.com/v9eJ3oGCFy— PFF (@PFF) February 12, 2024
A defense built to win a Super Bowl couldn’t hold back the Chiefs in the second half despite another Pacheco fumble and a Ji’Ayir Brown interception in the third quarter. Pacheco got the ball back, and the 49ers offense couldn’t capitalize on the Alexander pick over Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Kansas City didn’t turn things around quickly on offense either. It took multiple Mahomes runs with less than six minutes left in the quarter to cross the 50-yard line, which set up Butker’s new Super Bowl record 57-yard field goal, which trimmed the lead to 10-6.
In addition, Mahomes’ lone touchdown pass in regulation to wide receiver Marquez Valdez-Scantling came off of 49ers wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III‘s failed fumble recovery on a punt return. Then with less than two minutes to stop Mahomes, the 49ers defense couldn’t contain him and Kelce as the Chiefs got comfortably in field goal range for Butker to send it to overtime.
“We were playing good defense most of the game and obviously it hurts when it comes down to defense and we don’t get it done,” Bosa said.
