The San Francisco 49ers (13-3) have defeated the Kansas City Chiefs (15-1), 21-7 to capture the franchises first Super Bowl Championship in nearly 25 Years. Coming into the game, in Atlanta, Georgia's Mercedes-Benz stadium, the Kansas City Chiefs were riding a 15 game winning streak which included two impressive playoff wins against Jacksonville in the Championship round and Tennessee in the Divisional Round.
As for San Francisco, after a rough stretch of games during the middle of the campaign, San Francisco rebounded down the stretch before taking down the New York Giants, who previously bested San Francisco in Week 10 in the Divisional Round before going on the road and upsetting the No.1 Seed Washington Redskins in the Championship game.
After winning the ceremonial coin toss, Kansas City elected to kick off to San Fran's 4th ranked scoring offense which turned out to be a great call as they quickly forced SF to punt after a 3-and-Out series. Patrick Mahomes and the high powered Chiefs offense came out on the field and were held to a 3-and-out of their own after a conservative series of plays to start the game. On the 49ers second series of the game, after methodically moving the ball, Jimmy Garoppolo was able to connect with WR Marquise Goodwin for a 48 yard gainer to the Chiefs 14 yards line but were ultimately held to a FG.
What happened next can only be described as chaotic, as Mahomes and Co. came back to work after the ensuing kick off and on the first couple of plays of the drive threw an INT to LB Reuben Foster. Setting up the 49ers in scoring range to begin their next drive and with a chance to really take control of the game early. However, two plays later Garoppolo was picked off by CB Steve Nelson on a Corner route intended for Goodwin.
Mahomes made the most of his first drive after the INT, connecting with WR Tyreek Hill for 73 Yard pitch and catch in which the speedy WR was able to get behind three 49ers defenders for a TD to put KC up 7-3 at the end of the First Quarter. To start quarter two it was a game of defense and battling for field position which the Chiefs won when they pinned SF on their own 10 yard line with 3:45 left in the half. After a second down sack of Jimmy G, KC had the 49ers with their backs against the goal line for a 3rd and 18. KC elected to rush only 3 lineman which proved costly as Garoppolo would scramble for 21 yards. After the game, Coach Howie described this play as "momentum shifting". San Francisco would go on to add 3 points on a Robbie Gould FG just before the half.
Starting the half with a one point lead, the Chiefs offense was back to work but after only gaining 15 yards was forced to punt. 49ers rookie WR Dante Pettis was back to await the return. Pettis, who holds the NCAA record for punt return TD's with 9, fielded the ball at the 49ers 21 Yard line and proceeded to return it 79 Yards untouched for the TD. Putting the 49ers up 12-7 before adding a Pierre Garcon 2pt Conversion. Later in the third, San Francisco would add another TD by RB Jerick McKinnon to go up 21-7 which were the final points scored as the game as SF played keep away and stifling D to prevent the Chiefs from closing the gap.
While the 49ers will go on to celebrate the victory, the Chiefs will head home but despite the disappointing loss have nothing to hang their heads about. Following the best season in franchise history, the team will still contain the same young nucleus on offense which propelled them to a 10-0 record in Conference. They remain the early favorite to come out of the AFC in 2019.
As the 2018-2019 NFL Season comes to a close, dozens of NFL players have to make the pain staking decision on wether to walk away from the game that they've been playing almost all their lives. This year we saw nearly 50 players decide to hang up their cleats.
Among them, some players that are shoe-ins for the Hall of Fame and some others that definitely have a case including; 11 time Pro Bowler and second on all time recieving yards list, Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald, Longtime 49ers RB Frank Gore, who sits 4th all time in Rushing Yards, Two time SB MVP Eli Manning, 9 time Pro Bowler and 4th on all time Sack list, Panthers DE Julius Peppers, Super Bowl Champion and 7 time Pro Bowler Terrell Suggs of the Ravens, and long time Chargers TE Antonio Gates who boasts 9 Pro Bowl selection and ranks among the best TE's to ever strap it up.
Other players we can't forget to mention are longtime Eagles LT Jason Peters, Walter Payton Man of the Year winner, Thomas Davis of Carolina, Brandon Marshall, Vernon Davis, among others.
For a complete list of retirees, scroll down below:
NFL
MVP: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
COY: Howie (15-1), Kansas City Chiefs
AFC:
OPOY: Blake Bortles, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
DPOY: CJ Mosley, LB, Baltimore Ravens
OROY: Sony Michel, RB, New England Patriots
DROY: Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Buffalo Bills
Best QB: Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars
Best RB: Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs
Best WR: DJ Chark Jr, Jacksonville Jaguars
Best OL: Andrew Norwell, Jacksonville Jaguars
Best DL: Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers
Best LB: CJ Mosley, Baltimore Ravens
Best DB: Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs
Best K: Zane Gonzalez, Cleveland Browns
NFC:
OPOY: Derrius Guice, RB, Washington Redskins
DPOY: Reuben Foster, LB, San Francisco 49ers
OROY: Derrius Guice, RB, Washington Redskins
DROY: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Dallas Cowboys
Best QB: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
Best RB: Derrius Guice, Washington Redskins
Best WR: Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers
Best OL: Trent Williams, Washington Redskins
Best DL: Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams
Best LB: Reuben Foster, San Francisco 49ers
Best DB: Jaquiski Tartt, San Francisco 49ers
Best K: Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers
NFL
MVP: Ezekial Elliot, RB, Dallas Cowboys
COY: David Shaw, Minnesota Vikings
AFC
NFC
Listed below are the Award Recepiants for the 2017-18 4th &Inches Season:
NFL
AFC
NFC
By now, we all know the story of Roberto Aguayo; from being a record-setting kicker at Florida State, to being selected in the second round of the 2016 draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, to becoming a NFL draft bust and living meme basically overnight.
With huge expections on him his Rookie season, Aguayo struggled to adapt to the bright lights of the NFL. After a shaky preseason, which he attributed to be all mental, his kicking issues carried over into the regular season. Through 16 games Aguayo missed nine FG's and two XP's not only making him statistically the NFL's worst kicker, but also putting doubt into the Tampa Bay coaching staff.
In his first NFL offseason, Tampa Bay signed veteran kicker Nick Folk to give Aguayo some competition hoping it would bring out the best in him, however, his struggles only worsened. After missing a 47 Yard FG in their first Preseason game, the organization ultimately decided to release him.
After a brief stint with the Chicago Bears, Roberto found himself in the all too familiar spot of being unemployed. Being released twice in the span of a month, the 23 Year Old Kicker was ready to hang up his cleats for good. Then one day in late September, Aguayo recieved an unexpected call from new Minnesota Vikings Head Coach, Donald J. Trump IV. After losing their Kicker Kai Forbath for the season with an Achilles injury, Trump IV, who had familiarity with Aguayo while an Assistant Coach at Florida State decided to give the kicker one more shot. And boy, has it paid off! After his first full season with the Vikes, Aguayo has hit a league leading 23 (of 24, 95%) FG's and 55 (of 56, 98%) XP's and is currently a top contender for the league's prestigous Kicker of the Year award.
There's no telling what the future holds for Roberto Aguayo and the Minnesota Vikings, but right now, in the present, it's a pretty darn good rags-to-riches story.