© Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
The 49ers’ first rule of business during “Chiefs week” was cranking up the practice music a few decibels. This week, another tune was added to the playlist: the Tomahawk chop.
The 49ers will hear that plenty Sunday when they visit Kansas City, home of Arrowhead Stadium, which has rightfully earned its reputation as one of the most raucous environments in the NFL. The stadium measured at 142.2 decibels back in 2014, the loudest an NFL stadium has ever recorded.
“We had a loud one in Minnesota in Week 1, but I do expect Arrowhead to be a little bit louder,” Kyle Shanahan said on KNBR Friday morning.
Any game at Arrowhead Stadium is challenging, but San Francisco’s Week-3 matchup with the Chiefs is raised another couple bars. It’s Kansas City’s 2018 home opener, which comes after notching impressive road victories against the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has taken the league by storm, throwing a league-record 10 touchdowns in two games — his first two as the full-time starter.
Arrowhead may threaten its previous noise record Sunday.
“When those fans are going,” Shanahan said Wednesday, “which I know they will be with the team that they have, it’s as tough of a place to play as any place.”
The 49ers sit at 1-1, which most would accept considering their opening two matchups at Minnesota and hosting Detroit. The Chiefs matchup opens a daunting five-game stretch that includes away games at Kansas City, Los Angeles (Chargers), and Green Bay. The Los Angeles Rams visit Santa Clara in Week 7.
The 49ers know all the challenges the Kansas City game presents. Their players and coaches have spoken with profound respect for their opponent, tinged with confidence.
The Chiefs are coming off a 42-37 victory at Pittsburgh, where Mahomes completed 23 of 28 passes for six touchdowns. Two of his five missed throws were his farthest throws downfield. Nearly all of his touchdown passes exploited weak coverage, however, with the Steelers failing to cover the seams and accounting for Kansas City’s quirky, option-friendly red-zone calls.
The 49ers are focused on not making the same mistakes as the Steelers.
“There were a lot of busts in that Pittsburgh game, lot of guys out of position,” Richard Sherman said Thursday. “(It) looks like they were trying to do too much. They had a bunch of checks. Any time you try to scheme up for every play you are going to get, it’s going to be tough. I think they made it way too complicated. (Mahomes) made great plays and great throws, but there were a lot of guys running scot-free, butt-naked, wide open.”
Shanahan and Sherman have praised Chiefs head coach Andy Reid’s ability to scheme his players open. The Chiefs have arguably the fastest skill-position players in the league, including Tyreek Hill and De’Anthony Thomas. First-team All-Pro Travis Kelce, who caught two touchdowns last Sunday, is one of the top-two tight ends in the league.
Mahomes— who impressed the 49ers brass in a pre-draft interview last year — entered the league revered for his exceptional arm talent. He has since impressed with his touch, quick release, and intelligence. He has made all the throws through two weeks.
Reid has taken parts from past offenses featuring Brett Favre, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, and Alex Smith, and applied them to the current Chiefs offense. Reid’s offense is unique because it incorporates option run plays and misdirection in non-traditional situations— specifically, the goal line.
In Week 1 at Los Angeles, the Chiefs scored two easy touchdowns by using their speedsters in misdirection plays. They were the same exact plays, used with slightly different personnel.
The first came on first goal in the third quarter, with the Chiefs leading, 17-12. The Chargers defense bit on the action for running back Kareem Hunt, and Thomas took the ball the opposite way for a walk-in touchdown.
One quarter later, same thing. This time, on third down, Hill was the ballcarrier.
“Andy will give you every single run in football in one game,” Sherman said. “Nobody else in this league runs option, and Andy will pull out option at the craziest possible time.”
Part of what makes the upcoming matchup intriguing is the contrast in styles. The Kansas City offense spreads out the field to maximize its speed. The San Francisco defense plays a Cover-3 zone. Its defensive backs, with Sherman as the prototype, are better known for their size than speed.
Last week, the 49ers nearly blew a 17-point lead to the Lions in the fourth quarter. They scored 14 unanswered points to make the game close. Detroit converted seven of 16 third-down attempts, many of which were enabled because of defensive breakdowns and mental miscues.
Kansas City feeds off similar mistakes.
“You’ve got to make those guys earn it,” Shanahan said. “You’ve got to make them work. You can’t give them freebies, and that’s the key when you have explosive, talented players.”
The Chiefs defense has been less impressive. Through two games, it has allowed 65 points. Some of that is attributed to Kansas City’s big leads, and its opponents being forced to speed up tempo and throw the ball.
But the Chiefs secondary isn’t as stingy as in recent years. All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters signed with the Los Angeles Rams in the offseason. All-Pro safety Eric Berry ruptured his Achilles in Week 1 of last season and hasn’t played since. His status is undetermined for Sunday.
The 49ers receivers struggled to break free from Detroit’s physical, man-coverage last week. Marquise Goodwin, who missed last Sunday with a deep thigh bruise, is “50-50” for Sunday, according to Shanahan. His presence opens up the entire offense.
Kansas City’s front-seven is the defense’s strength. The pass rush of Justin Houston and Dee Ford will pose challenges for San Francisco’s offensive line and Jimmy Garoppolo, who allowed six sacks last Sunday.
“(The Chiefs have) some speed I don’t think we have really seen yet,” Shanahan said on KNBR Friday. “When you play that on the road, when the guys can’t hear the snap count, they are going to get off those edges.”
Sunday’s matchup will be one of San Francisco’s most challenging games of the season. The 49ers will likely have to play better than they did in the opening two weeks to come away a win, as they clash with one of the hottest teams in the league, at a place where road wins come at a premium.
Brad Almquist is KNBR’s 49ers beat writer. Follow him on Twitter @bradalmquist13 .