2024 Super Bowl Play-by-Play

Although I don’t pay attention to the sports ball, my co-comms on the podcast, Ghoul Mike, does. He wanted to talk about football, specifically about the four teams heading towards the Superbowl. But all I know is that the Lions were in the game (and my wife is from Michigan so she cheers, without watching the games, for the Lions), and that Taylor Swift’s backup dancers, the Chiefs, were also in contention.

Rather than actually look up the teams and have a cogent discussion about the games, I grabbed a recent roster update for Tecmo Super Bowl and ran a simulation of the three upcoming games so we could talk about them on the ‘cast. This is the results of that run (which you can also find over on my YouTube).

Game 1: NFC Championship

Lions win the coin flip and take the ball, receiving at their 34.Run to the 40. Good pass to 48 and run up to the 52 for the early first down. A QB setup for a short pass gets run to the 28 for a solid first down. The Lions make a short run, followed by another quick pass, taking them up to the10. 49ers get in a sack, and then two blocked passes forces the Lions into an early field goal for a starting score of 3-0.

49ers receive at their 32, and then on their first play at their 38 they pass, with their receiver catching deep in Lions territory before taking the ball all the way to the end zone. Big early score, and the 49ers assert their dominance, 7-3 over the Lions.

Lions receive the ball at their 30 and take it to the 45, leading to a pass play at the 49ers 40 for a first down. Lions then get a tight run play for the next first down at the 49ers 20. Turn this into a pass for a touchdown. A field goal and the game is 10-7 Lions.

49ers get the ball to the 50 on the punt return. First pass stopped, second pass stopped. And we’re into the 2nd quarter. 49ers take the ball to the Lions’ 40 and get a first down. Stopped ruin play, failed pass to the end zone, but the next pass leads to a touchdown for the 49ers. 14-10 49ers.

Lions take the ball to their own 35. Big pass is blocked, by the following pass gets them all the way to the 49ers 35. A dangerous fumble recovery saves the Lions and they get it to the 12 yard line. 1st down at the 5 and the Lions call a timeout. A run in for a touchdown before the clock runs out and the game is 17-14 Lions.

But the 49ers take their punt reception all the way to the Lions 30. A stopped run play, followed by a stopped pass, and then a sack and the 49ers call a timeout. Field goal attempt from the Lions’ 48 and the ball goes back to the Lions, who quickly call their own time out. A big pass attempt fails before the clock runs out and we’re at halftime. 17-14 Lions.

Punt return for the 49ers only makes it to the 12, but then they sneak a big pass past the defenders. However a fumble at the Lions 45 is captured by the Lions and they get the ball back. A pass takes them to the 49ers 18. Failed run through the middle, and then a failed pass. And a quick run only gets them to the 8, so they field goal. 20-14 Lions.

49ers take their punt and get all the way to the Lions 30. Failed pass, followed by a successful pass get the 49ers to the 8 yard line. Failed pass for a touchdown, then another, but the third attempt goes through and, after a field goal, the 49ers are up by one, 21-20.

Lions only get their first ball to their 15. An 8 yard run, followed by a failed pass, and we’re in the 4th quarter. Quick run up the middle to get the 1st down. Lions throw the ball away, and then only gain a few yards on their second pass attempt, and are off by just inches on their 3rd down. They punt it away.

49ers get the ball and take it to their 18. A run up the middle is good to get them to their 38 and a first down. They try another run play for a few yards, then try a pass, which fails. A hand off, and a run, get them all the way to the Lions’ 38. This is then followed by another run to the 12. Three quick time outs are called at each point. Then they run along the outside line and get it in. Touchdown and field goal and suddenly the 49ers are up, 28-20.

But holy crap, on the punt return, a fumble at the middle of the field that the Lions scoop right back up gives them a touchdown and the score is only 1 point down, 28-27 49ers. However, right afterwards, a short punt to the 50 lets the 49ers return it right back all the way down and they get their own touchdown. 35-27 49ers, and the Lions simply don’t have time to respond. 49ers take the NFC.

Game 2: AFC Championship

Baltimore wins the coin toss, chooses to get the ball. Punt to the 5 and Baltimore runs it to their 18. Hand off just short for 1st down on a run, and then the Ravens get it to the 30 for 1st down. Run play to the Chiefs 40 follows. A big pass play fails and they should have gone for the closer man. Second pass is thrown away. An attempted pass leads to a fumble that goes out of bounds, and the Ravens go for the field goal. It bounces in and they’re up 3.

Chiefs take their punt return to the 25, and then a solid pass lets them run it almost to the Ravens’ 20. A short pass to a safe man and the Chiefs run it in, bringing the score to 7-3 Chiefs.

On their punt return the Ravens get it almost to the 50. They get sacked back to the 35, but then run it down the line. Another fumble goes out of bounds. Short pass allows the receiver to run all the way to the 10 for 1st down. A short run play, followed by a pass leads to an interception. Player is brought down in the end zone and the Chiefs take it to the 20.

Chiefs do a run, followed by a pass to the 25 and 1st down. Failed big pass, but a short pass to a defended receiver lets them get 1st down at the 50. A long pass to a diving catcher and the 1st down is at the 20. Then a quick pass play leads to the Chiefs running it in for a touchdown. 14-3 Chiefs.

On a long punt return the Ravens take it to the 23. A short pass with a long run behind it gets us just pas the 50 on a first down. Then the runner takes it but fumbles again and the Chiefs have it at the 45. Their runner goes around the outside, takes it to the 40, and calls a time out. Failed run play, with a time out, and then a sack follows for the last time out for the Chiefs. The QB sneaks it through to the 35, and then the field goal bounces in, giving us a halftime score of 17-3 for the Chiefs.

Top of the 3rd, Chiefs get the pass and run it up to their 45. The GB tries to move around for a pass, gets scaled. Run around the outside to the Raven’s 44 leads to a 1st down. A quick pass and their runner is able to get to the 8 for 1st down. A free pass leads to another touchdown for the Chiefs, and that’s 24-3 for the Chiefs without them even breaking a sweat.

Ravens get their ball to their 33, and then run it down to the 40. A fake hand off leads to a QB sack. A failed pass leads to the Ravens punting away and the Chiefs take over at their 28.

Another run around the outside and their at the Raven’s 45. The QB throws away the ball before a sack, but the next pass leads to a diving catch at the 30. What is becoming a patented play, the Chiefs run around the outside to get up the 15, and then do it again on the other side for another touchdown. 31-30 Chiefs.

That's the fourth quarter and the Ravens are at their 20. Pass interception by the Chiefs and they take over at the 50. QB throws the ball away before a sack, then runs it up the middle to the 45. Another toss away to avoid a sack and we have a punt. Ravens get a freebie with an over kick and they start at the 20.

Quick pass to the 30 followed by a run to the middle of the field and they get 1st down at the 50. Blocked pass, followed by a quick handoff to the 42, A fumbled run is recovered by the Ravens at the 40 and they get a messy 1st down. Run play, time out, then another run, just a yard from 1st down. Time out, another run, and the Ravens are at the 25. An attempted sack fails, QB tosses to the end zone, and the Ravens finally score again. 31-10 Chiefs.

A short attempt to a punt recovery fails and the Chiefs run it to the 35. They do their usual outside run play up to the 20. A short run up the middle fails, then they run around the outside to the 8. Final play is a run up the middle to the 5 which fails, but does run out the clock, and the final score is 31-10 for the Chiefs, winning the AFC.

Game 3: The Super Bowl

Chiefs take the coin flip, grab control of the ball. They run it to the 20, Then do a short pass to a defended receiver at the 28. Failed run up the middle gains them nothing, but then they do their outside run play and get 1st down at the 35. A big pass fails, and then the defenders go for a sack. Outside run fails, and the Chiefs actually have to kick it away.

49ers get it at their 28, run it up to the 35. Gain barely any yardage on 1st down then fail the pass on 2nd. The QB throws away on the third and then has to punt back.

Chiefs get the freebie to the 20, but then fumble it on their outside run, letting the 49ers recover at the 22. They run it in for a touchdown and get the early lead, 7-0 over the Chiefs.

Chiefs catch it just inside their end zone, run up to the 8. Then do their usual run play to their 44. Big pass is caught at the 30, run up to the 18. Failed run, and then a second failed run, both up the middle. Third run around the outside only gets them to the 15, so they field goal it. 7-3 for the 49ers.

Punt to the end zone is run up to their 5 for the 49ers, but the following run gets 1st down at the 17. Pass to a run advances them to the 50. And then a big sliding catch around the 25 is run all the way to the end and that’s a quick touchdown for the 49ers. 14-3 for them.

Punt return is caught at the 5, run up to the Chiefs’ 25. Qb does a quick jog to toss and the Chief’s receiver catches it at the 40. Before being stopped. Standard Chief’s run play follows around the outside then up the middle and a big run follows all the way to the end zone. 14-10 49ers.

49ers catch the punt at the 20, run it to the 32. A short pass fails, but then they try the Chief’s own run play and get it up to the 40. Time out, then field goal attempt, nut the ball bounces off. No score. The scrum that follows goes nowhere, and the Chiefs aren’t able to run it back at all before time out for Half Time.

49ers get the ball. Catch at the 14, run up to 24. A run up around and to the middle only gains a few, but then a big run around the other side immediately leads to a touchdown. Big score for the 49ers to set the back half, 21-10.

Punt return gets up to 42 for the Chiefs. A big pass follows at the 49ers 20, and they run uit to 12. Pass that follows fails, but the next to a player on the 2 is run in. Chiefs tighten things up, 17-21.

Punt to the 30 is fumbled, but recovered by the 49ers at the 40. Failed first down, but handoff for a run gets them to the Chiefs’ 48. QB sack, followed by a failed run. A good catch at the 40, though, is run all the way to the 4. A run up the middle fails, but the pass to the endzone is good. 28-17 49ers.

Chiefs get the ball at the 30, run it to the 40 with seconds on the clock for the 3rd quarter. A big pass fails, and as we enter the 4th, the Chiefs try to run for only a few yards. Another failed run gains little, but a defended catch gets them to the 30. Chiefs do their outside run play and get to the 5. A defended catch at the end zone is good and the Chiefs score again, bringing it up to 24-28. For once, the game feels close.

The 49ers have a massive punt return all the way to the 35, and then a pass follows quickly getting them to the Chiefs’ 8. Time out to save seconds, and then a pass to the 5 is run in for another touchdown. 49ers score, 35-24.

Chiefs get the ball at their 0, run it to the 28. They run their outside run play, get to the 35, a solid run gets them 1st down at the 45, and then a pass gets them up to the 49ers 35. Time out, and then a run play that fails. A short pass gets to the 14. Failed pass, and then a failed run play around the outside. Sadly that’s and this is an anticlimactic end for the Super Bowl. 35-24 49ers, who led essentially all game.

So there you have it. Tecmo Super Bowl says the 49ers will take it over the Chiefs at the big show, so if you are a gambling person… well, don’t listen to us at all. This is just a janky simulation for the fun of it. But it was fun, and I enjoyed doing my sports ball play-by-play.

Maybe we’ll do this again next year.