Chiefs, MVP Patrick Mahomes outlast the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, 25-22, in overtime

LAS VEGAS — Hours after the pomp and circumstance of pregame theatrics and halftime performances, Super Bowl LVIII waited for its defining moment well into the night.

The spectacle of the NFL’s final game can sometimes be about anything but the game, but the Kansas City Chiefs’ 25-22 victory over the San Francisco 49ers crescendoed into an overtime thriller in which Patrick Mahomes obliged late with a walk-off touchdown to Mecole Hardman.

Sloppy play and offensive stagnation gave way to the league’s two best teams coming down to the wire and, for the second year in a row, Mahomes leading a game-winning drive. It’s Mahomes’ third title and also the third for Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who came to Kansas City in 2013 after getting fired by the Eagles.

Here’s our instant analysis off the game:

Mahomes sprinted to the Chiefs sideline, somersaulted onto the team logo just off the 50-yard line, and watched as the confetti fell down on him.

The 28-year-old Chiefs quarterback found Hardman in the corner of the end zone moments earlier to push Kansas City past the Niners. In a scrappy game that featured sluggish starts from each team, Mahomes delivered in crunch time, further cementing his well-earned reputation as the best quarterback of his era.

He was named Super Bowl MVP, finishing 34-for-46 for 333 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He had a handful of key first-down runs as well, finishing as the Chiefs’ leading rusher with nine carries for 66 yards.

His biggest run came on third-and-1 during the overtime period, scrambling for 19 yards and getting the Chiefs into the red zone for the decisive touchdown.

The raucous vitriol from 49ers fans when Taylor Swift was displayed on the massive screens at Allegiant Stadium while chugging a beer painted a perfect contrast for the first half that her significant other put together.

With Swift watching from a suite with Jason Kelce and the rest of their family, Travis Kelce had just one catch for 1 yard in the first half. The CBS broadcast caught the 34-year-old’s frustration boiling over as he forcefully bumped into Reid, nearly knocking him over as he shouted in his ear.

As hot as he was in the first half, it took some time for his play to follow suit midway through the third quarter. He caught three passes for 25 yards in the quarter and finished as Kansas City’s leading receiver, tallying nine catches for 93 yards. His impact grew as the game wore on, making a pivotal 22-yard catch and run off a mesh concept late in the fourth quarter with the Chiefs facing third-and-5. Kelce’s catch gave the Chiefs a chance at the end zone with regulation time dwindling down but ultimately set up a 22-yard field goal from Harrison Butker to force overtime.

Kelce helped set up another pivotal field goal earlier in the fourth quarter with a 13-yard catch when the Chiefs faced third-and-10 from their own 41-yard line. Eight plays later, the Chiefs tied the game with a field goal.

Facing fourth-and-3 from the Chiefs’ 15-yard line, Kyle Shanahan’s resolve paid off.

The 49ers coach with a spotty track record in moments like these kept his offense on the field trailing by three points early in the fourth quarter. Niners quarterback Brock Purdy hit tight end George Kittle for a 4-yard completion and, two plays later, found receiver Jauan Jennings for a 10-yard touchdown to give San Francisco a 16-13 lead.

The touchdown pass capped a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive that was initially sparked by two long completions to Jennings and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk for 13 and 20 yards, respectively.

It wasn’t Shanahan’s only gutsy call of the game.

Midway through the second quarter, the 49ers broke out a trick play that evoked memories of the Philly Special six years earlier.

Call it the San Fran Special or, more accurately, the Santa Clara special. A backward pass from Purdy to Jennings looked like it would result in a end-zone shot before Jennings threw back across the field to Christian McCaffrey. The All-Pro running back, perhaps assisted by some early blocks to the Kansas City secondary, darted for a 21-yard touchdown to put the Niners up, 10-0.

The stakes weren’t as high as when Doug Pederson called a reverse pass on fourth-and-goal from the New England Patriots 1-yard line in Super Bowl LII, but it proved to be a turning point for a San Francisco offense getting in its own way. The Niners had two drives go deep into Chiefs territory to that point, but a fumble by McCaffrey cost them a chance at points on the opening series.

With both offenses sputtering for most of the game, poor ball security and special-teams gaffes proved to be the biggest inflection points of the game.

None felt bigger than when San Francisco special-teamer Darrell Luter Jr. failed to avoid a Kansas City punt that caromed off his foot midway through the third quarter, resulting in a live ball recovered by the Chiefs deep into Niners territory. It took just one play for Mahomes to capitalize, finding receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a 16-yard touchdown pass that gave Kansas City the lead. The muffed punt netted the Chiefs 49 yards after facing fourth-and-2 from their own 35.

It wasn’t the only costly fumble from the 49ers in the evening. McCaffrey gave up the ball to end a promising opening series for the Niners. Kansas City linebacker Leo Chenal ripped the ball out from the All-Pro running back and edge rusher George Karlaftis dove on it, completing a pivotal play for the pair of 2022 draft picks.

The Chiefs had their share of fumbles as well, underlining a notably sloppy performance from each team.

Javon Hargrave came into Sunday as the lone player capable of avenging the Eagles’ Super Bowl loss a year ago.

“That’s the plan,” Hargrave said during media night last Monday.

Although his efforts would be in vain, Hargrave got started on that mission early Sunday, combining with Nick Bosa for a tackle behind the line of scrimmage on Kansas City’s first play from scrimmage. He followed that up on the Chiefs’ third series, diving on an Isiah Pacheco fumble jarred loose by Deommodore Lenoir in the second quarter.

Hargrave also played a part in a dominant showing from the 49ers’ defensive front. The Chiefs averaged just 3.3 yards per carry in the first half and Mahomes was sacked twice and pressured on several more of his dropbacks.