Eight months after the Kansas City Chiefs edged the San Francisco 49ers for a Super Bowl title, the reigning champions prevailed again on Sunday, with the two contenders meeting again at Levi's Stadium. It wasn't the cleanest game for Patrick Mahomes, who tossed two interceptions while spreading the ball to an injury-plagued receiving corps, but the Week 7 matchup was even uglier for Brock Purdy, whose three picks were a byproduct of San Francisco's own battered supporting cast. In the end, Mahomes came up clutch late, as did Steve Spagnuolo's defense, guiding K.C. to a 28-18 victory to stay undefeated.
The Chiefs, now 6-0 on the 2024 season, got two touchdowns from running back Kareem Hunt, who once again headlined their remade backfield, as well as an end-around rushing score from wideout Mecole Hardman. Mahomes, meanwhile, was responsible for several crunch-time highlights, including a 33-yard sideline scramble that set up a second-half touchdown drive. And Spagnuolo's "D" saw three different players, including reserve defensive backs Jaden Hicks and Christian Roland-Wallace, nab takeaways.
The 49ers were without three of their top playmakers for much of the matchup, with running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) and wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Deebo Samuel (illness) all sidelined by the end of the day. Their final touchdown, a sneak by Purdy, came with under two minutes to play.
Here are some wrap-up highlights and takeaways from Sunday's Super Bowl rematch:
Play of the game
On a day where he didn't have the cleanest stat line through the air, Patrick Mahomes made the 49ers' entire defense look silly on his 33-yard scramble that set up a touchdown:
Both teams need reinforcements
The Chiefs are better-suited for the long haul for a few reasons: 1.) They're 6-0, meaning they've already stacked enough wins to be in the playoff conversation with just a few more; and 2.) They've proven to be an inevitable contender, surviving key injuries around Patrick Mahomes in the past. Both sides could clearly afford to add skill-weapon insurance, however, as Mahomes was especially dependent on rookie Xavier Worthy, and Purdy struggled to stay on the same page as San Francisco's fill-in wideouts. Otherwise, with Brandon Aiyuk reportedly set for an extended absence, they'll need Ricky Pearsall to make a major impact as he gets acclimated to the offense.
Spagnuolo's defense has a championship gear
We saw it back in February, and we saw it again on Sunday, albeit with the 49ers missing several key regulars: Steve Spagnuolo knows how to get after a beleaguered front. While the Chiefs technically only sacked Purdy once, they also logged five tackles for loss and did enough in the trenches to have the 49ers' young quarterback forcing balls to unproven pass catchers in tight windows. It was certainly the most human Purdy has looked in a long time, though again he was without many of his top weapons.
What's next
The Chiefs (6-0) will visit the rival Las Vegas Raiders (2-5), who fell to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. The 49ers (3-4) will stay at home to host the Dallas Cowboys (3-3) on "Sunday Night Football."




















