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SANTA CLARA — Six months ago on the shores of Lake Tahoe, I checked the 49ers’ Super Bowl odds, and they had fallen from a 50-to-1 opening line to 22-to-1 at Caesars.
Once the 49ers secured a Super Bowl LIV spot Sunday, they were installed as 1 1/2-point underdogs to the Kansas City Chiefs. Two teams left. Lot of odds overcome. And now a jam-packed mailbag to answer via my Instagram and Twitter booths:
Who is a potential unsung hero in the Super Bowl? (@givo_the_illest)
Super Bowl history is steeped in unsung heroes, starting with the Packers’ Max McGee in Super Bowl I. So, who will it be in Miami, site of John Taylor’s last-minute touchdown catch for the 1988 49ers’ triumph?
To make the unsung-hero cut, you must be off the household-name radar or on the bench, like these nine Niners: Richie James Jr., Jaquiski Tartt, K’Waun Williams, Solomon Thomas, Kendrick Bourne, Matt Breida, Dante Pettis, Ross Dwelley and Kyle Juszczyk. Disclaimer: most already have had big moments this season, and Juszczyk is perennial Pro Bowler (who I just learned is my daughter’s favorite.)
Do you believe it is destiny for Jimmy to beat the Chiefs as payback for tearing his ACL? (@angeltrigger805)
Jimmy Garoppolo’s ACL tear indeed came in Kansas City in September 2018. The Chiefs’ fingerprints weren’t ever on his knee, which simply gave out after his foot lost traction. The Lombardi Trophy would be a sweet reward for his rehab more than revenge for the play, in which Garoppolo got ear-holed by a Chiefs defender’s high hit.
Is Deebo being used the way Shanahan planned to use Hurd? If so, what happens to Hurd? (@geoffcast)
Will we ever know how these wide receivers overlap? Deebo Samuel (2019 second round) is an all-around physical force, from end-around runs to fearless catches over the middle. Jalen Hurd (2019 third round) showed a glimpse of that style before a back injury shelved his entire rookie season. BTW, I haven’t seen Hurd in months, which isn’t uncommon for injured-reserve players, so I have no update on his health.
Sherm has to blitz or intercept Mahomes. (@deesuzz)
Blitzing is not Richard Sherman’s bag. He is the crafty veteran who can sleuth out what quarterback and receivers are thinking, better than any cornerback I’ve covered in 20 years. His NFC Championship-clinching interception showed great speed and ball-tracking skills. Now the 31-year-old is in his third Super Bowl, on the way to Canton.
Will Jeff Wilson be activated if TeCo can’t play? (@xkrodx)
Tevin Coleman has “a good chance to play,” Kyle Shanahan said Monday, a day after Coleman got carted off with a dislocated right shoulder. If not, there’s a great chance Wilson will be activated for the first time in five games (and 11th overall). No need to bring in a free agent when Wilson has shown goal-line instincts (back-to-back, two-touchdown games in September, game-winning touchdown catch against Arizona on Nov. 17).
Do you think Kyle will do the same thing he did with the Falcons that year? (@kingbry2006)
You mean build a 28-3 lead in a Super Bowl and watch the defense cough up the lead, your running back miss a block, your quarterback take a sack, your left tackle draw a holding penalty, and then have all the bullets hail toward the offensive coordinator? Shanahan will be as aggressive and call pass plays if it means exploiting a defense – then leave it up to the players to execute, for better or worse.
What team will Joe Montana choose to win the Super Bowl (@_kestin01_)
The Joe Bowl features Montana’s two teams and not one outright prediction, other than him tweeting: “I GUARANTEE my team will win the SUPER BOWL!!” Joe Cool gave more insight in a Monday interview with the Los Angeles Times’ Sam Farmer, a former San Jose Mercury colleague.
You heard from me first. I GUARANTEE my team will win the SUPER BOWL!! pic.twitter.com/WAndTV2hBN
— Joseph Montana (@JoeMontana) January 20, 2020
Who gets an extension this offseason? (@familyguy702)
We’ve long projected George Kittle and DeForest Buckner as top priorities among those with one year left under contract. Add into that mix Richard Sherman, Kyle Juszczyk and Jaquiski Tartt. Pending free agents Arik Armstead, Emmanuel Sanders, Jimmie Ward and Ronald Blair will make it hard for the 49ers to pay everyone. Restricted free agents include Kendrick Bourne and Matt Breida.
Where will the victory parade be at when the 49ers win the Super Bowl? City/street/date. (@joe_cool_bro)
Putting the parade before the trophy, huh? It could be as simple as the San Francisco 49ers having a San Francisco parade, a couple days after the Super Bowl. The team won’t dare jinx it and say. I facetiously recommend a motorcade from Highway 101 to 237 to 880 to every bridge, because no one moves in Bay Area traffic anyhow and they can get out of their cars to salute.
Will the Niners be allowed to wear the ‘94 uniform? (@NasirPHX)
Nope, the all-white, throwback jerseys are not allowed and the 49ers instead will wear white jerseys and gold pants; the Chiefs will be in red jerseys and white pants.
How come nobody is talking about how good this o-line has been all season? When everyone talks about the run game they mention Kittle and our WRs but never our o-line. (@Mr_UnPopOpinion)
The, ahem, “bro-line” indeed deserves praise. I knew this unit would be special when they were pouring beers all over each other in a San Jose Sharks playoff suite last spring. Injuries tested their chemistry, and now they’re steamrolling into the Super Bowl with the best look since that 2012 line (Staley-Iupati-Goodwin-Boone-Davis) which the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award.
Watch party at Levi’s Stadium? (@j.m.p.9)
Rather than re-open Levi’s Stadium, the 49ers announced they’ve enlisted other venues for Super Bowl watch parties: at San Francisco’s Spin SF (690 Folsom Street) and San Jose’s SP2 Communal Bar + Restaurant (72 N. Almaden Ave.).
Any send-off event for the team prior to leaving for Miami? (@liveloveandlift)
Sunday’s 37-20 win for the NFC Championship made for a pretty good send-off. We’ll keep you updated if the 49ers announce a bon-voyage rally.
Are you still in shock? (@mote9er)
Actually, no. What NFC team looked more worthy all season? The 49ers got better, while most of the league did not. I picked the 49ers to win every week, gaining more confidence as they got on their 8-0 role. My preseason prediction: a 10-6 record with a who-knows-what-will-happen-in-the-playoffs addendum.
Can you scoop me up some of that confetti and send it to me? (@Shoney25)
Forget NFC Championship confetti. Only Super Bowl-grade quality is a worthy keepsake. I’ll be sure to scoop up some and drop it in a bottle off South Beach to drift your way.
