Super Bowl 2024 Predictions: San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs:
We have a great Super Bowl 58 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers against the Kansas City Chiefs, but who will hit the jackpot in Las Vegas?
These games are decided by small margins: big plays here and there and moments of magic that demonstrate the difference between the ultimate glory of winning the Lombardi Trophy and the desperate desperation of trudging off that confetti-laden field knowing you’ve arrived so close so far .
Brock Purdy play better than Patrick Mahomes? Can the Chiefs defense slow down Christian McCaffrey in any way, and what other players, tactics or coaching trivia should you keep an eye on in the big game? We’ll take a look…The Chiefs will win if…
Their defense and running game continue to dominate because even though they have a generational talent in star quarterback Mahomes, those are the two big things that brought the defending champions back to the Super Bowl . Isiah Pacheco runs the ball as hard as anyone and on defense they have only allowed 27 points in a game all season.
Lamar Jackson, who was named this week’s Most Valuable Player, and his Baltimore Ravens team have just 10 at home in the AFC Championship Game, proving they are an elite group .
Their defense kept them in games all season while the receivers struggled to catch passes, allowing Mahomes to work his magic when needed. So the final part of the plan is to keep him upright and keep San Francisco’s troublesome defender, Nick Bosa, at bay.
Who are the Chiefs’ star men? Alongside Mahomes and Pacheco is Travis Kelce, who has caught the most passes in playoff history, eclipsing the great Jerry Rice this year. Also look for defensive giant Chris Jones to wreak havoc in the trenches, hounding Purdy at every opportunity.
Who will be Super Bowl MVP if the Chiefs win? Mahomes – obvious but true. The defense will be a team effort, but at some point the quarterback has to do something special — and he usually does.
Watch out for…Rashee Rice The Chiefs need someone other than Kelce to catch the ball, and rookie receiver Rice has answered that call, as his 223 receiving yards in the playoffs are already the third-most for a rookie in the NFL history.
He’s fast, tough and even though he only had one touchdown in the playoffs, he had 12 first-down catches, proving that Mahomes trusts him in big moments.
Mahomes used two unheralded receivers to secure victory in last year’s Super Bowl classic – could Rice be the man in Vegas? The 49ers will win if… McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel see a lot of the ball and Bosa sees a lot of Mahomes.
A major weakness of the Chiefs defense is allowing yards to runners after the catch – this is where McCaffrey, Samuel and George Kittle excel. Purdy will have to deal with his nerves, but if he can get short passes to his three stars, San Francisco will like their chances.
Defensively, Bosa is a nightmare for pposing quarterbacks, and Kansas City’s offensive line has had issues with penalties all season – this looks like a crucial play that could decide the entire game.Who are the stars of the 49ers? We mentioned them offensively, but San Francisco had nine Pro Bowl selections, which says a lot about their quality.
You need to add linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw as they are tasked with stopping the two biggest threats: Pacheco controlling the ball and Kelce making short, crucial passes up the middle.
Who will be the Super Bowl MVP if the 49ers win? McCaffrey’s form in the postseason has been exceptional: he has scored touchdowns in all six career games and totaled more than 100 yards in five of them. It’s highly unlikely that San Francisco can win without another big, flashy day from the new Offensive Player of the Year winner.
Watch out… Jauan Jennings Brandon Aiyuk is their primary receiver, but the Chiefs are so good in the secondary that they could take a gamble on him and force Purdy to look for other options. One of them is Jennings, a stocky receiver who made crucial catches in the playoffs.
Also noteworthy is his exuberant blocking on the pitch. Super Bowl rematch for teams and coaches Kansas City is looking to win its third NFL title in five years and started that streak with a Super Bowl victory over San Francisco in 2000.
This is the fourth head coaching rematch in Super Bowl history, with the coach who won the first game, won all three previous rematches: it’s a great sign for the Chiefs.
Veteran Andy Reid has a quarter-century of experience, is the only coach with more than 100 wins with two different teams and has the best-ever record of 30-7 in a bye week, which means he usually gets it opponents over time.
Like Reid, Kyle Shanahan is an innovative offensive coach, but he has demons to shake off as his Niners not only blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of the last Super Bowl against the Chiefs, but it was also Atlanta Offensive Coordinator for the Falcons when they blew a 28-3 lead to the New England Patriots in 2017.
And with the Super Bowl’s extended halftime, head coaches can really make a difference in this game more than any other – so Shanahan won’t be comfortable listening to Usher because of his past, even if the 49ers have a lead.
Another loss in a big game would put Shanahan in doubt, but even if the worst happens, he can trust Reid, who took 21 seasons to win a Super Bowl and is now hoping for the third of five seasons
Super Bowl Facts and Stats Patrick Mahomes is the first quarterback to start four Super Bowls before turning 30 Brock Purdy is the third youngest quarterback to start the big game Teams that wear white have won 16 of the last 19 Super Bowls – although the 49ers were among the losers when they met the Chiefs in 2020 and will wear white again in Vegas.
A win would mean the 49ers would tie the Steelers and Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins with six. Who will win the Super Bowl and why? – What players think Tyrann Mathieu, New Orleans Saints safety and former Chiefs player: “I won the Super Bowl ring with Kansas City and I have a hard time betting against Patrick Mahomes.
As long as he’s playing, as long as he’s healthy, it’s hard to stop him.” Jones, two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots: “I think it depends on who has the ball at the end of the game.” And if it’s Mahomes, it’s hard to imagine them not winning.
Michael Vick, former Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback: “Obviously Mahomes is the difference – I think he can take control of the game at any time, but we have to be careful what the 49ers defense can do.
You have Fred Warner and Nick Bosa, who can make the game more difficult than it should be. [Head coach] Andy Reid will try to thwart that. The best team will win – and the best teams will meet on Sunday.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Cleveland Browns linebacker: “Defense is important. Defense wins championships. Whoever has the best defense that night will be the team that emerges victorious.Dion Dawkins, Buffalo Bills offensive lineman: “The passers will be the difference.
Passers must be able to take control of the football game, and if they can, each team has a chance to win. “That’s what everyone thinks. It’s about the quarterbacks, but that’s not true. It’s about the big guys in the trenches. Detroit Lions offensive lineman: “It’s going to be played in the trenches.
I may be biased, but there are two good offensive lines there, so whoever performs better there has the best chance of winning. Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle: “San Francisco has a very strong team from the bottom up, but I can’t pick them because they’re our rivals.
I really think Kansas City can do it. It’s tough to bet against Mahomes in the playoffs. Jason McCourty, Super Bowl 53 winner with the Patriots: “It’s going to be a fun day. As much as we talk about quarterbacks, these defenses have been exceptional all year.
If I had to pick one, I couldn’t take on Mahomes. This guy already beat me.Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr.: “It’s going to be a close game.” It is a mistake. 50-50. But I have to pick KC – I just can’t bet against Mahomes in the Super Bowl.
Las Vegas Raiders offensive lineman: “I always lean towards the line of scrimmage – whichever offensive line takes it, they’re going to win because it opens up the ground game and they can protect the quarterback- back.” – 24- 21, with Christian McCaffrey as MVP.
