Chiefs week. It seems crazy, silly almost, that the 49ers and their fans have assigned a name to a week leading up to a matchup with an AFC foe. But when you’ve lost two Super Bowls to an ever-ascending dynasty, and take the field as two of the best teams in the NFL each time you face off, it’s necessary.
The boogeyman (Boogeymen?) visit Levi’s Stadium Sunday afternoon for a Super Bowl rematch that headlines Week seven of the NFL slate. It’s a matchup that triggers euphoria for Chiefs fans and induces vomit for 49er fans. Of course, the stakes are lower this time around, but that doesn’t mean the ballgame will be without venom and vitriol. The way the young 2024 season has unfolded, San Francisco (3-3) needs a win more desperately than Kansas City (5-0) just from a practical standpoint. But even from an intangible point of view, the Niners need a win more than their counterparts.
Murph and Markus discussed what a win and loss would mean for the Niners this week, and how as ebay as it is to get caught up in the opponent, the result on the field this week matters as much as any other game.
Of course it would be nice to inflict some pain on Mahomes and the CHiefs by issuing them their first loss of 2024 on Sunday. It would be a nice boost in the standings, and show the NFL that the early slump was just that. But nothing that happens on Sunday will truly ease the pain of Super Bowls 54 and 58.
Steve Young joined Tolbert and Copes for his weekly spot on Wednesday afternoon and delivered just that point. This is a low ceiling matchup for the 49ers. No matter what happens on Sunday, the Chiefs were the ones doing confetti angels in February. Until the Niners beat them then, or beat anyone then, they can’t gain much emotional capital from regular season wins.
Ricky Pearsall has begun practice with the 49ers less than two months after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest in an attempted robbery in San Francisco in August. His remarkable recovery has been a guiding light for an embattled 49ers squad this season, and it looks like the first round pick may finally be able to contribute on the field as soon as this weekend.
It’s not yet clear if he will officially be active on Sunday, but his presence on the practice field and the prospect of his on field contributions has been enough to emotionally ignite the Niners.
NBC Sports Bay Area 49ers insider Matt Maiocco joined Murph and Markus on Thursday morning. He offered an encouraging update on Pearsall and expressed what many in the building feel about their first round pick.
Listen to the full Maiocco appearance here: