Tomorrow the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs will meet face-to-face at Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas. Brock Purdy, last year's "Mr. Irrelevant", has led his 49ers to the Super Bowl in only his second year. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes and his Chiefs are returning to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five years.
The Chiefs, despite a depleted receiving corps, are once again playing in February, thanks to Mahomes and a very stout defense. That defense will hope to disrupt the relatively inexperienced Purdy in order to give Mahomes as much time with the ball as possible. Mahomes is 2-1 in the Super Bowl and will likely become 3-1 if given enough chances to score.
Meanwhile, the 49ers' loaded roster and masterful coaching saw them run through most of the league during the regular season. They stumbled in the playoffs against the Packers and Lions, but overcame both obstacles to earn a Super Bowl berth.
The 49ers, who are seeking revenge for Super Bowl 54, haven't won the big game since the 1994-95 season, which saw a team led by Steve Young, Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders defeat the San Diego Chargers. Since then, the 49ers have made it to two Super Bowls and lost both.
Game Prediction:
This game will come down to defense. The most common adage in football is probably "defense wins championships", and we're about to see why. Whichever team can make the opposing quarterback more uncomfortable is likely going to win this game, and I believe that puts the 49ers at a significant disadvantage.
Despite possessing a superior pass rush and lining up across from the Chiefs' pedestrian receiving corps, the 49ers have their work cut out for them. Mahomes has more experience in big games than any other quarterback currently playing, and that will serve him well if he's forced to singlehandedly move his offense. He'll need to get tight end Travis Kelce and rookie wideout Rashee Rice involved, as he has no other options that he seems comfortable relying on.
The Chiefs will need concentrate on getting to Purdy and making the game physical. Purdy's lack of experience will be a major issue for the 49ers if the Chiefs' elite defense can force Purdy to scramble, make multiple reads or pass into tight coverage. In response, the 49ers will likely look to get their myriad of offensive stars involved early. Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle are dangerous receiving threats that can move both vertically and horizontally on the field. Meanwhile, Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey is a threat to run or receive and will also garner significant defensive attention.
Official Score Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs 27, San Francisco 49ers 23
Other Predictions:
Super Bowl MVP: Patrick Mahomes
If the Chiefs win, Mahomes will almost surely win this award. If the 49ers win, Purdy and McCaffrey are both names to watch. It'll likely depend on who the 49ers choose to run their offense through.
Notable Moment: A big Moody kick
49ers rookie kicker Jake Moody has been on both sides of some very important kicks this year. Regardless of whether it goes in, I expect Moody to leave his mark on this game.
Notable Moment: Someone gets jumped over
I'd watch 49ers weapons McCaffrey and Aiyuk for this one. These teams will have to make big moves after the catch if they want to win, and no one specializes in after-the-catch nonsense like Aiyuk and McCaffrey. However, Mahomes keeps finding new ways to surprise us, so don't count him out. Big games deserve big plays and I think we see one here.
Notable Moment: Taylor Swift does NOT get engaged
The internet has been abuzz with predictions regarding Taylor Swift's presence at the big game. She's made headlines for her relationship with Kansas City's Kelce and has been featured prominently in prior broadcasts. Many people predict a Chiefs win would lead to a Kelce proposal, but it's just too soon. If it happens, it'll break the internet, but I don't think this is the year for that.
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