The Kansas City Chiefs offense has shown resilience over the years against tough defensive opponents. Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes have found ways to humble some of the better defensive units around the league.
In Week 7, Mahomes will be faced with the San Francisco 49ers’ talented defensive line that has helped skyrocket the defense to amongst the league’s best. He had battles with their defense during Super Bowl LIV, most notably lineman Nick Bosa. The former league MVP shared his thoughts with reporters Wednesday on Bosa’s impact during games, explaining that he’s someone that you have to know where he’s lined up at all times.
“Very important (laughter). That dude’s a monster out there,” said Mahomes. “(He) does everything well, but obviously extremely good at rushing the passer with power, with speed, and so it’s someone you have to account for on every single snap.”
The 49ers’ defense was rated the top group in the league by Pro Football Focus entering last week’s slate of games. Bosa, however, hasn’t been playing due to a groin injury. He could, however, make his return to the field in Week 7 after posting a limited practice to start the week on Wednesday.
Chiefs right guard Trey Smith will be one of the many attempting to slow down Bosa and the rest of the 49ers’ defense down. The second-year offensive lineman shared his thoughts on the challenge during Wednesday’s press conference.
“Yeah – they’re well coached. That’s the first thing for starters,” said Smith. “They do a lot of different things. They play very violently, physically, and they play fast. When you have a group and a combined effort like that, it’s going to lead to great things. It’s going to be a tremendous challenge up front. They have a lot of really good players as well – guys like (49ers DE Nick) Bosa, (40ers DE) Arik Armstead (and) some young guys they brought in as well, but they are a very talented group. It’s going to be a challenge up front.”
The Chiefs will be in for a battle in San Francisco, but it’s safe to say they are well aware of their opponent’s capabilities.