Chiefs-49ers: 5 questions with the enemy

On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs face the San Francisco 49ers. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Kansas City is favored to win by a point. We welcome Jordan Elliott of Niners Nation — our sister SBNation site covering the San Francisco 49ers — for Five Questions with the Enemy.

1) . Do the 49ers see this as a revenge game?

No, I wouldn’t say that. I’m sure there is still a bit of residual disappointment left from their loss in Super Bowl LIV, but there are a lot of players on this squad who weren’t apart of that 2019 team. I think they’re much more interested in making a statement that they can beat a team as good as the Chiefs this season rather than having any kind of “revenge game” mentality coming in.

2. Who has stepped up for the 49ers while so many players have been out?

There have been a number of players who have, but I would say most notably has been Tashaun Gipson who has filled in at safety all season with Jimmie Ward dealing with injuries. The interior defensive line has been huge as well, with Hassan Ridgeway and Kevin Givens filling in admirably while the 49ers have been without both starting defensive tackles

3. Do you foresee any scenario in which Jimmy Garoppolo is the starting QB next season?

The only scenario where I can envision Jimmy G starting for the 49ers in 2023 would be if there was a major setback with the recovery of Trey Lance’s injury. It’s Lance’s team now, and the only way I could see him not starting in 2023 is if it is due to some kind of health-related issue.

4. How much of a difference will Christian McCaffrey make?

This week, I’d imagine not a major difference. He will likely get a handful of snaps and be incorporated into some red-zone packages, but I wouldn’t expect him to get a ton of work on such a short week with his new team. Going forward, I think he will make all the difference in the world. He is by far the best running back head coach Kyle Shanahan has ever had, and his skill set is perfect for what the 49ers like to do in both the ground game as well as their passing attack.

5. The Chiefs are slight favorites on DK. Is that fair or do you expect the 49ers win now that they have a few key names back?

I think it’s absolutely fair the Chiefs are favored in this one. There was a lot of uncertainty with injuries coming into the game, and the Chiefs are one of the premier teams in the NFL. The line of Chiefs -1 is very appropriate given the circumstances. As for the 49ers winning, if Nick Bosa can stay on the field for the entirety of the game, I think they have a good shot to pull out a close win.