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LAS VEGAS — While the focus heading into the Super Bowl was on the offenses and defenses of the Chiefs and 49ers, it was a special teams play that swung the momentum in the third quarter Sunday and gave the Chiefs life in their 25-22 victory.
The 49ers stopped the Chiefs with just under three minutes left in the quarter and Kansas City was forced to punt from its own 35 after an incomplete pass on third-and-2.
Tommy Townsend boomed a 40-yard punt that 49ers returner Ray-Ray McCloud was going to allow to hit the ground with a lot of traffic around him.
But the ball hit off the foot of 49ers cornerback Darrell Luter. McCloud saw it hit his teammate and then tried to field the ball after it ricocheted his way, but he could not field it cleanly and Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson recovered the ball at the 49ers’ 16.
On the next play, Patrick Mahomes found Marquez Valdes-Scantling wide open in the end zone for a touchdown that gave the Chiefs a 13-10 lead with 2:28 left in the third quarter.
It was the first time the Chiefs reached the end zone in the game.
Mahomes and Co. had struggled to move the ball all night, but the muffed punt gave them the field position they needed.
“It was a huge momentum swing,” Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice said, “especially Tommy got a foot on it, got a leg on it. I don’t know what you say for punters but he can kick. It was a great kick from him. We knew being able to get a head start down there in the red zone, just being able to take advantage of it.”
This turnover led to points.
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There were other turnovers in the game that felt costly in taking potential points off the board.
On the first drive of the game, the 49ers moved the ball with ease to the Chiefs’ 29-yard line and then Christian McCaffrey fumbled at the 27 and the Chiefs recovered, ending the scoring threat.
The Chiefs then had a costly turnover in the second quarter.
After a 52-yard pass from Mahomes to Mecole Hardman set them up at the San Francisco 9-yard line, Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco fumbled and the 49ers recovered to dash the Chiefs’ hopes of getting into the end zone.
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