Super Bowl LVIII pits the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. It is a rematch from Super Bowl LIV which the Chiefs won 31-20. This is the first Super Bowl to be played in Las Vegas, and there is a lot of star-power and intrigue surrounding the game. There are plenty of All-Pros on both of these rosters. Both the Chiefs and the Niners have been two of the best teams in the NFL for the last five years, so it is no surprise that both of them are here in the Super Bowl. As I always like to do, I'll first take a look at the storylines that surround the game, then give a preview and make a pick.
Super Bowl LVIII Storylines:
I) The Chiefs Dynasty: Patrick Mahomes has two Super Bowl titles already, and the Chiefs are looking to add their third Super Bowl in the last five years. This is the Chiefs fourth Super Bowl appearance in the last five years. They can get three Lombardi Trophies in four years. They also can become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the Patriots in 2003 and 2004. The Patriots had a remarkable run as the NFL's modern dynasty, and the Chiefs are right there on their heels now.
II) The Mahomes Legacy: Patrick Mahomes in only 28 and he is on the verge of winning his third Super Bowl title. If he retired after this game, he would be a first ballot Hall of Famer. He is on pace with Tom Brady in terms of wins and Super Bowls. He legitimately can chase Tom Brady for seven Super Bowls. He is on the cusp of winning another Super Bowl, and putting himself in the top five of greatest QBs ever at the age of 28 with a lot of football left in his career.
III) Kyle Shanahan's Quest: Kyle Shanahan has been a top 5 NFL head coach for the last five years, and he has done an amazing job in making the 49ers a powerhouse. The one achievement that alludes him is a Super Bowl title. He has been close, but losing as the offensive coordinator with the Falcons in Super Bowl LI to the Patriots, and losing Super Bowl LIV to the Chiefs as HC of the Niners are two big blemishes on his record, and he has taken major criticism for each loss. He needs to win a Super Bowl to cement himself as one of the best NFL coaches in this decade and era. He has another chance in Super Bowl LVIII.
IV) Mr. Irrelevant: The 49ers picked QB Brock Purdy with the last pick in the entire 2022 NFL Draft which earned him the nickname of "Mr. Irrelevant." After stepping in last season as a rookie after the Niners lost both QBs ahead of him, he has played great and never looked back. He was a MVP candidate this season, and now he finds himself in the Super Bowl going up against Patrick Mahomes. What a contrast: The face of the NFL in Mahomes against Mr. Irrelevant in Purdy. What a moment it would be if Purdy leads the Niners to a Super Bowl title.
V) Super Bowl Rematch: The Niners and Chiefs played a really good game only five years ago in Super Bowl LIV. Although the Chiefs won 31-20, the Niners outplayed them for three and a half quarters. They were up by 10 with about 7 minutes to go in the game, and they should have won that Super Bowl. They were the better team that year and they failed to get it done. Now, they get a chance five years later for revenge. It is kind of cool that these two teams are meeting up once again in a rematch. It reminds me of the Giants and Patriots. Those two teams met twice in five years in Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI.
VI) The Taylor Swift Era: Look, you can't talk about this Super Bowl without bringing up Taylor Swift. Ever since Swift started dating Chiefs TE Travis Kelce in September, the attention on the Chiefs and the entire NFL has expanded to a whole new level. You can't make up the irony of one of the biggest pop stars in the country dating a famous NFL player, whose teams happens to make it to the Super Bowl. Whether you like it or not, Swift's appearance at the Super Bowl will be a big story-as it should be.
Super Bowl LVIII
Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers
Final 2023 Regular Season Record: 143-110-18
Last Week's Playoff Record: 2-2
Overall Playoff Record: 7-4
A Case for the Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes proved that even in a "down" year for the Chiefs, he is still good enough to get them to a Super Bowl. They finished 11-6, lost games to teams like the Broncos and Raiders, and yet still went on the road and beat Buffalo and Baltimore to get back to the Super Bowl. Mahomes is at an all-time level already, and I'm not betting against in this game. I also like the matchup with KC's defense going up against Brock Purdy. Steve Spagnuolo will have a great plan and I could see the Chiefs defense making the big stop at the right time. I think you have to give the coaching edge to Andy Reid in this case over Kyle Shanahan. If you have the advantage in coaching with Reid over Shanahan and with the QB with Mahomes over Purdy, you have to take the Chiefs to win this game.
A Case for the 49ers: They have been close in recent years. They lost the Super Bowl to the Chiefs in 2019, they have been to the NFC Championship four out of the last five years and now they are back in the Super Bowl. They have been close and are due to breakthrough and win the Lombardi Trophy. The Niners have so much talent and star-power that they can take the game over like we have seen many times before. Whether it is Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk on offense. On defense, they have Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, Dre Greenlaw, Javon Hargrave, and Arik Armstead. This team is just loaded with All-Pros that a guy like Chase Young, who they traded for at midseason, is a forgotten piece. The Niners can win this game on talent alone. I do feel like Kyle Shanahan will have a chip on his shoulder knowing that he has another shot to get a Super Bowl, and he should put together a masterful gameplan. Perhaps the Niners are just the better team overall.
Prediction: Kansas City (+2) over San Francisco: I'm not betting against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. In a solid, competitive game that should come down to the wire, I'll take Mahomes and the Chiefs to win their third Super Bowl in four years.
Final Score: Chiefs-27 Niners-20
No comments:
Post a Comment