Super Bowl 54: 5 49ers matchups vs. Chiefs no one is talking about

No. 1: 49ers Linebackers vs. Damien Williams

It’s almost ironic that the San Francisco 49ers faced and shut down two of the most talented running backs in the NFL in Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook and Green Bay’s Aaron Jones, yet Damien Williams may be the lesser-known talent who becomes the biggest threat.

The reason being: The Kansas City Chiefs are much better at using Williams in the running game, as well as a goal line back.

Williams isn’t a superstar talent, but he’s good enough to make plays. Over the last three games, he’s compiled five rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown to average two touchdowns a game. He’s been a trusted weapon in the Chiefs’ passing scheme with 11 catches for 95 yards.

Williams is a safety valve for the Chiefs’ high-octane offense. If the big play is covered, Williams is the one they dump it to underneath for yardage.

It’ll be up to the 49ers’ linebackers to contain this threat.

They did an excellent job of containing, if not smothering, Cook and Jones in the passing game, limiting them to 11 catches for only 35 yards combined. If WIlliams can be shut off as the safety valve for the Chiefs’ offense, it’d go a long way towards stifling their offense.

A one-dimensional offense is far easier to stop, even when Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback.