On Sunday, Feb. 11, the 58th Super Bowl of the NFL’s glorious history will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The game will be played between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, two of the NFL’s perennial powerhouses that always seem to make a deep playoff run. Below are two of our editors’ picks on which team will emerge victorious:
Owen’s Pick: Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes doesn’t lose. He’s 29 and his 14 playoff wins put him behind only two quarterbacks in history. Forget that he hasn’t had a good wide receiver to throw to since Tyreek Hill left. The Baltimore Ravens had been the best team in the league all year. They beat the 49ers easily in Week 16, but when Patrick Mahomes came into their stadium one week ago, they never had a chance.
The Chiefs struggled in the regular season and the 49ers didn’t. If this matchup was just another regular season game between these teams, the powerhouse San Francisco roster would outmatch the Chiefs’. It’s not.
Three quarters into Super Bowl 54, the 49ers had the Chiefs beat. They led 20-10 and had every bit of momentum. Patrick Mahomes couldn’t get the offense going, and what was seemingly a dominant defense was about to lead the team to a championship. But Patrick Mahomes knows how to win and put up 21 points in the fourth quarter, winning 31-20. The Eagles last season were almost unbeatable, but not when they faced the Chiefs in the big game.
It’s not just Mahomes. The Chiefs have Travis Kelce, who’s been nearly unstoppable this playoff run. Isiah Pacheco has the ability to run through a good San Francisco defensive line. And more importantly, Brock Purdy simply isn’t very good. He has weapons, but he is not a Super-Bowl-level winning quarterback. And that’s what it takes to win.
Score Prediction: 21-17 Chiefs
Logan’s Pick: San Francisco 49ers
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Four years ago, the San Francisco 49ers lost this game to the Chiefs in dramatic fashion. Jimmy Garapollo, with the weight of the world on his shoulders and the chance to cement himself in NFL immortality right in front of his face, overthrew a wide open Emmanual Sanders when a completion inevitably would have resulted in a Super Bowl victory. Instead, he, alongside the San Francisco coaching staff and players (many of whom are on the roster for this year’s game), had to watch helplessly as Patrick Mahomes hoisted the trophy over his head.
This year, history will not repeat itself.
This 49ers team is a well-oiled machine that knows how to face adversity. They came back from a 24-7 deficit in the conference championship to defeat a Lions team that was being propelled by the cheers of everyone outside the state of California. Their MVP candidate Brock Purdy has been as level-headed and steady as anyone could ask from a Mr. Irrelevant, and Kyle Juszczyk continues to cement himself as the most under-appreciated player in professional football. And that’s not to mention the other offensive weapons of Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, two all pros that have proven their ability to dominate games.
On the other side of the ball, the 49ers are anchored by Fred Warner, the best linebacker in the league who is the impetus of the franchise. His grit, communication, and overall talent anchor the whole defense. On the line, Patrick Mahomes will be under constant pressure from the tandem of Nick Bosa and Chase Young, both of whom are seen by Chiefs offensive lineman in their nightmares. If any defense can slow down Mahomes and Coach Andy Reid, it is this one, and it is the defense that will ultimately win them the game.
Score Prediction: 30-24