The San Francisco 49ers got here up quick towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in Tremendous Bowl 58 for a number of causes.
They misplaced too key fumbles. They failed to attain after a Patrick Mahomes interception within the third quarter. They usually couldn’t run out the clock to strive a game-winning discipline aim try as time expired.
However maybe the most important mistake of all got here firstly of time beyond regulation when, because it seems, they in some way didn’t know the precise guidelines.
San Francisco 49ers Gamers Admit To Not Understanding Tremendous Bowl Additional time Guidelines
The NFL launched a significant change to its time beyond regulation guidelines previous to the 2023 postseason.
Within the common season, the sport ends if the crew that receives the time beyond regulation kickoff scores a landing. However beneath the brand new time beyond regulation guidelines, each groups are assured a possession, no matter whether or not that crew finds the tip zone.
This seemingly provides a bonus to the crew that kicks off. That crew is now conscious of what it must do to tie or win the sport when it will get the ball.
The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have been effectively conscious of this.
“We talked by this for 2 weeks,” Chiefs star defensive sort out Chris Jones informed Lindsay Jones of The Ringer. “How we was going to present the ball to the opponent; in the event that they scored, we was going for 2 on the finish of the sport. We rehearsed it.”
In some way, the San Francisco 49ers weren’t.
“A number of San Francisco gamers mentioned after the sport that they weren’t conscious that the time beyond regulation guidelines are completely different within the playoffs than they’re within the common season, and technique discussions over how one can deal with the time beyond regulation interval didn’t happen as a crew,” Jones wrote.
“Defensive lineman Arik Armstead mentioned he discovered the small print of the postseason rule when it was proven on the Allegiant Stadium jumbotron throughout a TV timeout after regulation,” she continued. “Fullback Kyle Juszczyk mentioned he assumed the 49ers requested to obtain once they received the toss as a result of that’s what you do within the common season, when a landing wins the sport.”
That’s inexcusable.
San Francisco received the time beyond regulation coin toss and opted to take the ball.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan claimed this was in anticipation of needing a number of possessions.
Kyle Shanahan detailed why the 49ers took the ball after profitable the coin toss in time beyond regulation.
“We needed the ball third. If each groups matched and scored, we needed to be those who had the prospect to go win.” pic.twitter.com/MyuRRpGvTA
— KNBR (@KNBR) February 12, 2024
But it surely’s clear his gamers have been on the identical web page.
As an alternative, San Francisco kicked a 27-yard discipline aim on its first possession in time beyond regulation to take a 22-19 lead.
Patrick Mahomes, as he’s wont to do, then lead the Chiefs down the sphere for a game-winning landing.
Even when Shanahan and firm had scored, he would have been put within the awkward spot of figuring out whether or not to go for two. And he’d have to take action with out understanding what Kansas Metropolis would do.
Had they kicked an additional level, the Chiefs may have received the sport on a 2-point conversion.
It’s an unenviable spot. But it surely’s one Shanahan put him personal crew in. And it might have price them a Tremendous Bowl 58 victory.