Four years ago, the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs played in the Super Bowl. The coaches were the same. The general directors were the same. The quarterback dynamic was similar to some extent, even if one of the teams traded their quarterback in the meantime.

Is this replay of Super Bowl LIV really almost the same as Super Bowl LVIII? Not quite.

AFC manager before SuperBowl: “The Niners have much more talent than the Chiefs”

“I think the Niners are a lot more talented than the Chiefs, a lot more explosive than the Chiefs,” one AFC executive told me last week. “But the Chiefs have surprised me the last two weeks. I have never been an enemy of [Patrick] Mahomes, but now you can really see why Mahomes is the right guy. He grows with his tasks.”

That might lead you to believe it's Mahomes' game against the 49ers. But that is not the case.

Chiefs vs. 49ers happened four years ago in Miami

Four years ago there were two teams that were in a relatively similar state: young, balanced squads that were being built aggressively; now there are teams in different stages. The Chiefs have to pay Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones.

The 49ers need to make up for their many stars. For Kansas City, that meant they had to rejuvenate significantly at some key positions. For San Francisco that meant getting an affordable quarterback in Purdy.

Here both teams are structured differently than they were before. What makes their achievements even more special is the way both teams work.

But how will Super Bowl LVIII compare to Miami in February 2020? Probably a little different regardless of the outcome.

These factors will decide the SuperBowl

What you need to know about the game:

Between Jones and Steve Spagnuolo's scheme, there should be a chance for the Chiefs' defensive front to win against a 49ers offensive line that, while very good, is also vulnerable.

However, San Francisco has a very clear way of approaching this. “Combining [Christian] McCaffrey, [Brandon] Aiyuk, Deebo [Samuel] and [George] Kittle is very important to Kansas City's defense,” said a second AFC executive.

“I don't like the Niners offensive line, but they don't have many plays where they have to wait 10 minutes for people to punt. I imagine San Francisco can move the ball and score pretty easily. “I don’t like matchups against Kansas City.”

Deebo Samuel as the key to victory

The key to this will, of course, be Samuel's health. And in more ways than one. First, as our second AFC expert says: “He can create so many explosive plays from simple things that he doesn't need to block well. He has a lot of plays that take pressure off the quarterback and the offensive line, he can go 15 to 20 yards out of nowhere.”

And then there is his influence in the running game, and not just when he carries the ball. “When you line up Deebo, you have to take one more man out of the area to take him into account,” says the AFC head coach. “Without him, now you have an extra player who can give a little more to help shape the running game.”

The Chiefs have to keep up with San Francisco

On the other hand, Joe Thuney is dealing with an injury, the Chiefs' tackling has been inconsistent lately and playing against a 49ers defensive line that hasn't played to its full potential this season could be a major factor. Additionally, the Chiefs have no outside attackers who can exploit the Niners' secondary, giving DC Steve Wilks the opportunity to be aggressive with his game plan.

“The question for me is: Can the Chiefs keep up with the Niners?” says one NFC executive. “I know this sounds crazy, but I think San Francisco is just more explosive offensively; Kansas City won in Buffalo because they controlled the ball. Kansas City is a different team than it used to be, and that's a byproduct of the Tyreek Hill trade, all the picks and the money they put into defense. “It’s a different Chiefs team.”

A third AFC executive added: “Can they protect Mahomes? I think that's another point where Mahomes has to be magical because they don't have playmakers, so he has to extend plays and try to create.”

Travis Kelce could become the X factor

So he

“Kelce looked much better in the playoffs,” said the AFC's head coach. “He was a shadow of his former self during the season. He and Mahomes are back on the same page (Kelce had 11 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in the AFC Championship). He's figured out how to play because they're limited in the skill positions you need to be open at sooner.”

For San Francisco, that would mean they can block Kelce from center and force Mahomes to look elsewhere.

With that in mind, it could be hugely important if the Niners can contain a less explosive Chiefs offense behind the sticks and out of the game plan. The same goes for the other side: The 49ers' offense, led by second-year forward Brock Purdy, shows weaknesses when he plays from behind or for long yards. This is an area where Kansas City's defense could gain an advantage. “It's a more balanced Chiefs defense,” the NFC coach said.

“Where before they were looking for the big play, the turnover and possession of the ball so that the offense could extend the lead, now they play more balanced.”

49ers star Brock Purdy had 'ups and downs'

As for Purdy? Much of success is related to the team around you, yes. People I've talked to feel Purdy is good enough if the 49ers can run the ball and keep things manageable from distance. “He has a really good team around him, he is a capable quarterback on a good team and with a team that believes in him,” said the NFC manager. “He had ups and downs, the weather took its toll on him. But he played well when he was needed.

David vs. Goliath in the Super Bowl

That brings us back to Mahomes and what he is and can be in this game. In many ways, this is an opportunity for him to leave a growing legacy, because winning with the group he has now would be very different than what he accomplished four years ago or even last year. He would win with less, just like Tom Brady used to do, and on the biggest stage.

“Like Brady, when Mahomes plays well, it's just tough,” our AFC No. 2 coach says. “He's more than likely to outrun your quarterback, and when that happens, the team usually wins.”

“It's a little bit like David versus Goliath, with the Niners being the Goliath,” the AFC's No. 3 coach said. “But maybe Mahomes is the Goliath.”

This is also what it looked like on Sunday. The Super Bowl will give him the chance to do it again and add something significant to everything that has been said about him since that night in Miami four years ago.

By Albert Breer