S. Vegas — Patrick Mahomes has had to create the chip on his shoulder for most of the previous six years because the Kansas City Chiefs have been so good for so long that they are virtually always expected to win.
That’s no longer the case.
During a season in which the Chiefs struggled on offence and lost five of their last eight games, they moved from being the weekly favourite to something completely different: an underdog. They became the team that received the points when the betting lines were released, rather than giving them up, and that chip on Mahomes’ shoulder appeared on its own.
“It kind of lit a fire under some guys,” said Mahomes, “including myself.”
The Chiefs Are Super Bowl Underdogs Against The 49ers
It’s not worth giving the two-time league and Super Bowl MVP another reason to believe he needs to prove himself.
However, it is exactly what Mahomes has done in the playoffs, where he has played his best all season. He threw for 262 yards and a touchdown in a cold wild-card win over Miami, 215 yards passing and two touchdowns in a divisional victory over Buffalo, and 241 yards passing and a touchdown in Baltimore — all without throwing an interception.
The Chiefs were underdogs at kickoff in the previous two games, and they will most likely be again when they face the 49ers in the Super Bowl on Sunday in Las Vegas. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, San Francisco has been a constant 1.5-point favourite, although that number may fluctuate depending on the game.
Since 2000, only five teams have won the Super Bowl while being underdogs in all three of their final games.
“We understand the reasons behind it. “We understand,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “We may not be the most attractive lot, but we’re going to fight, and that’s been the personality of this team.
“I don’t think it bothers us,” Reid explained. “We understand, so it is what it is.”
The Chiefs love the underdog role.
The Chiefs Are Super Bowl Underdogs Against The 49ers
Mahomes surely does. He is 9-3 as an underdog, giving him the highest winning percentage of any quarterback with at least ten starts — playoffs included — in the last 15 seasons. The Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, whom Mahomes defeated in the AFC championship game a little more than a week ago, is next on the list at 9-5 as an underdog.
In fact, the Chiefs have been more successful as an underdog in recent years. Four of the five games in which they were at least a 3.5-point underdog since Mahomes took over as starting quarterback were won outright. In their only loss, a game against the Patriots in October 2018, they were 4-point underdogs and fell by a field goal while covering the spread.
49ers tight end George Kittle disagrees with the concept that the Chiefs are underdogs.
He was on the losing side of the Super Bowl four years ago when the Chiefs rallied for three fourth-quarter touchdowns to win their first Lombardi Trophy in 50 years. The remainder of the time, Kittle has watched from afar as Kansas City has gone to six consecutive AFC title games, won four, and lifted another Lombardi Trophy when they defeated the Eagles last season.
“They should have all the attention,” Kittle stated. “I guess they are used to it. I don’t believe it is a distraction for them. But, while we may remain beneath the radar for those on the outside, I believe the Chiefs are well aware that we are not.”
The Chiefs Are Super Bowl Underdogs Against The 49ers
No, the Chiefs rarely overlook their opponents. And it seems ludicrous that they would start in the Super Bowl, especially against the 49ers, who have been favoured in all 20 games this season.
Is there any NFL club that has been favoured so many times? The Chiefs in 2021, when they lost the AFC Championship Game.
“At the end of the day, there are playoff games. You want to win. This is what you play for,” Mahomes said, “and I believe that fire would have been sparked regardless of whether we were an underdog or not, because this is the time of year for which you train and put in those hard practices. I believe we have the mindset that if we continue to practise and work the way we do, we will not let it lapse. We’re going to make the most of every opportunity we get out there.”
SOURCE – (AP)
