With the big game slated for Sunday evening, the Zone Coverage staff got together to make their selections for Super Bowl 54 in Miami.
Chiefs 35, 49ers 24
Patrick Mahomes’ wizardry and Andy Reid’s scheming on offense are enough to overcome the vaunted Niners defense. When forced into a shootout, Jimmy G and San Francisco fall short, and Mahomes delivers the first Super Bowl to Kansas City since, gulp, Super Bowl IV.
49ers 28, Chiefs 24
When it comes down to predicting and looking at the Super Bowl 54 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, I think this game will ultimately come down to who can slow down the opposing offense on the defensive side of the ball and string together a few stops during the game.
That sounds obvious, but in a game like this between two high-powered and entertaining offenses, whichever defense is able to step up on the big stage will grab a large advantage and will exit Miami with the Super Bowl title at the end of the night.
Containing one of the more dominant defenses throughout the regular season and in the playoffs to this point, I think that advantage will go to San Francisco. Although Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City will present the 49ers with arguably their toughest test yet, San Francisco’s defense will do just enough to allow Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers offense to get out to a lead late and edge past the Chiefs.
49ers 27, Chiefs 23
The Chiefs are favored in this game, and it’s easy to see why. Superstar quarterback, myriad offensive threats, a high-scoring offense that the public loves to gamble on. But folks may also be forgetting that the Chiefs spotted their first two playoff opponents with double-digit leads, and that the 49ers have yet to trail in the postseason, winning both games convincingly with their suffocating defense and unstoppable ground game.
The contrasting styles present a fascinating dichotomy. In the end, I’ll go with the better defense and trust that Jimmy Garoppolo takes care of the football in a game where he’ll surely be expected to throw more than eight passes.
49ers 24, Chiefs 20
This one is kind of difficult since each team matches up with the other in an intriguing fashion. San Francisco mauls opponents in the trenches and runs the football well, while Kansas City simply outguns teams through the air.
I think the 49ers take an early lead and hold the Chiefs relatively in check. It’ll still be close, so I’m saying 24-20, 49ers.
Chiefs 31, 49ers 20
49ers 33, Chiefs 28
The 49ers defense will eventually find a way to contain Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense. And because the defense of the Chiefs is less formative, handsomest man Jimmy G will be able to put up points in bunches.
