The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs were part of something rare in Super Bowl 58. For only the second time ever, the big game went into overtime. But, this time around, there were some new rules in place for the postseason.
Previously, the team who got the ball first could win the game as it was a sudden death period; the first score wins. In the regular season, that rule was amended so that only a touchdown on the first possession could end the game, otherwise, the other team would get the ball with a chance to score.
In the postseason, both teams are guaranteed to have the ball at least once regardless of the first drive outcome. Whether the team scores a touchdown or not, the other team will get a chance to play offense, a change that was made after the Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round two years ago.
NFL News & Rumors: Kyle Shanahan, Super Bowl 58, San Francisco 49ers Updates
After the game, several 49ers players claimed that they didn’t know there were new overtime rules. They were under the impression that at the coin toss, their team elected to take the ball because a touchdown would have ended the game and kept Patrick Mahomes on the sidelines.
While the players may have been left in the dark, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that he did have a game plan in place. He met with his analytics staff before the postseason run to discuss overtime plans and lay out what to do if they were in that situation.
His assistants were instructed to tell the team the plans before the overtime period began what the plans were. But, he didn’t think it was necessary to discuss plans with the team before that point.
“We told everyone as we were waiting for the coin toss to review everyone to make sure they’re sure before we go out,” Shanahan said. “So, we asked position coaches to do that. But I didn’t cover it in a meeting on the Super Bowl week. I don’t think that changes anything.”
The decision for the 49ers to take the ball first has been scrutinized. Part of the rationale behind it is that they would have received the ball first in the part of the overtime period where the first team to score wins the game.
NFL News & Rumors: Kyle Shanahan, Super Bowl 58, San Francisco 49ers Updates
That isn’t exactly a vote of confidence for your defense, as you are essentially assuming the Chiefs and Mahomes will go right down the field and score. Shanahan and his staff were correct about that, but their offense was only able to muster a field goal, while Kansas City got into the end zone.
With the decision the 49ers made, they were essentially giving Mahomes four downs to get a first down, not three, as Kansas City needed to score points. It is hard enough stopping him three times; putting your defense in a position to have to do it four is not where they want to be.
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