With all the star power both the 49ers and Chiefs have, it's easy to overlook both of the elite defenses.
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (KOIN) -- The Super Bowl in Las Vegas is filled with marquee skill position guys like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Brock Purdy and Deebo Samuel.
However, with all the star power both the 49ers and Chiefs have, it's easy to overlook both of the elite defenses.
With the old saying that defense wins championships, these two teams have bought into that belief.
For San Francisco, it starts up front. Nick Bosa, Chase Young and Javon Hardgrave are hungry to get to Mahomes and put him in the ground. All three have been pro bowlers at a point in their careers, with 25 total sacks combined this season.
On the other side, Chiefs Kingdom has expected excellence from its group, despite having the youngest starting defense in the league.
Chris Jones is the keystone of it all, signing a big deal early in the season and backing it up.
Safety Justin Reed credits the unit’s success to its architect, Chiefs' defensive coordinator Steve Spagunulo, who has a blitz package called "NASCAR" because it hits the quarterback so fast.
Overall, for the season, the Chiefs are ranked second in total defense.
"Have a mindset that no one is going to catch a ball on you," said Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed. "That's the mentality I have had all season."
Not to be outdone, Steve Wilks is the defensive coordinator for the 49ers --- Mahomes went out of his way to name-drop Wilks for having some of the most complex schemes.
"Steve has come in and helped us out in being able to make us more dynamic," said 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw.
