Super Bowl 2024: Overview and Prediction

We have arrived at the big game. In this Super Bowl rematch from 2020, Brock Purdy and the 49ers will have the chance to finally hoist the Lombardi trophy after years of coming up just short, while Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are on the doorstep of officially becoming a dynasty if they are to win their third in this five-year span.

In preparation for what should be a perfect matchup, let’s look back at what both squads accomplished to get here, their respective key factors and what it will take to win it all, then let’s wrap up with some good looking player props for all my gamblers out there.

(3) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (1) San Francisco 49ers (SB LVIII)

How They Got Here

Even with the best quarterback in the game at the helm and a strong start to the season, the Chiefs were forced to leap over countless hurdles of adversity in order to get here. After losing the season opener, KC rattled off six wins in a row to remind us a Super Bowl hangover didn’t exist for them.

But after questionable losses to Denver, Green Bay, and Buffalo, it seemed like fingers were pointing everywhere as guys were dropping passes, altercations were occurring on the sidelines, and the Broncos were on a hot streak towards taking the AFC West.

Following their loss to the Raiders on Christmas, their shot at even making the playoffs was in jeopardy as Denver was right behind them for division as well as a packed wild card hunt.

It was that moment when everything clicked for the Chiefs, as they won out the rest of the regular season, securing the 3-seed and their eighth AFC West title in a row, then defying all odds by beating the 2-seed Bills in the divisional and the 1-seed Ravens in the AFC Championship, both on the road.

For the 49ers, just about everyone could’ve guessed they’d come out of the NFC on top thanks to monster seasons from Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, and just about every wide receiver. When you have as much fire power as that, it’s hard to bet against you.

Mind you they had a couple slip-ups of their own in this postseason, as Green Bay was on upset watch all the way up till Jordan Love threw that costly interception to win San Fran the game.

Then in the NFC Championship, it was all Lions until HC Dan Campbell decided to get a little too aggressive instead of taking crucial points.

Looking back on the regular season however, just about every game was smooth sailing in San Francisco barring injuries, as was visible in that three-game skid in the middle of the season. There should be no such worries for the big game, as it was just recently reported that star players George Kittle and Arik Armstead will be set to play.

Key Factors

A lot can be said for both teams in terms of what they need to do in order to win this game. For the Chiefs, it starts with limiting the explosiveness of Christian McCaffrey as much as possible. That could be easy enough from a running standpoint, as KC has yet to allow a running back over 65 yards this playoffs. However, CMC scored twice in both playoff games thus far and has an inevitable skill in catching passes, but we’ll get into that more.

What I’ll also be looking at is Kyle Shanahan’s ability to open up the middle of the field to star WR Brandon Aiyuk, as we’re all familiar with what he’s capable of with open space.

Tying this back to CMC, it’ll be important for Steve Spagnuolo to limit blitzes and keep his linebackers in the box in order to mitigate possibilities of explosive and big-chunk plays.

For the 49ers, the math is simple. Keep Patrick Mahomes stuck in the pocket for as long as you possibly can. The last thing you want is for him to escape and be running towards the sideline with his eyes scanning downfield, because he will find somebody.

One last thing I’ll be looking for for the 49ers is Brock Purdy continuing to find success in extending plays with his legs. It was most obvious during the NFC Championship that he’s been able to scramble himself and get some crucial first downs, so if I’m Kyle Shanahan I’m hammering into his brain to replace the jitters of playing in the Super Bowl with that option.

Player Props

Now that we’ve got the important stuff out of the way, let’s look at some of the bets I like to hit in a game that should be full of them:

Brock Purdy over 3.5 rush attempts(Caesar Sportsbook): See above.

Isaiah Pacheco anytime touchdown(BetRivers): KC enters this game against a vulnerable 49ers run defense. There will definitely be a point where the Chiefs find themselves inside the 5-yard line and punch it in with Pacheco.

Brandon Aiyuk over 59.5 receiving yards(bet365): With as much focus required towards Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey, you can bet Purdy will find Aiyuk on at least a few 20-yard out routes.

Enjoy the game!

Score Prediction: Chiefs 27, 49ers 21