Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes II takes the field during a game against the Denver Broncos on Dec. 31, 2017. The Chiefs won the game 27-24. (Jeffrey Beall [CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)])
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes II takes the field during a game against the Denver Broncos on Dec. 31, 2017. The Chiefs won the game 27-24.

Jeffrey Beall [CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)]

Opinion: Super Bowl LIV will be one for the ages!

It'll at least be better than 13-3.

January 30, 2020

This Sunday night, in Miami, the 54th annual tradition of the last game of the NFL year will take place.  The two teams competing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy are the Kansas City Chiefs out of the AFC and the San Francisco 49ers out of the NFC.

The Chiefs haven’t been to a Super Bowl since 1970, when they beat the Minnesota Vikings.  Meanwhile, the 49ers last made it to a Super Bowl in 2013, when they fell short to the Baltimore Ravens, 34-31.  The last time they won a Super Bowl was in 1995.

For these reasons and more, this Super Bowl will be one for the ages.  Instead of constantly having the Patriots trying to win a Super Bowl every year or two, there’s finally a breath of fresh air.  Both of these teams haven’t won in a long time, so this game will be one of the most emotional in years.

However, another reason why this Super Bowl will be special is because of how talented these teams are.  When the Patriots made it to Super Bowls, it was because of good scheming and planning (and a bit of cheating).  Nothing really wowed anyone about the team besides Brady.  But this year, both of these teams have generational players on both sides of the field.

For the Chiefs, they got the next big thing in the league, Patrick Mahomes, with his amazing accuracy and sidearm passing.  He’s got some weapons as well, with Tyreek Hill’s unmatched speed, Sammy Watkins’ great receiving, and then Travis Kelce’s spectacular tight end play.

Now, to the Niners.  They got Jimmy Garappolo, who’s now the wowing-factor like Mahomes is, but he’s still a solid QB.  But the real difference makers are running back Raheem Mostert, who rushed for over 200 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers in the NFC Championship game, and a solid former Steeler in Emmanuel Sanders at wide receiver.  On defense, there’s the sack specialist, Joey Bosa, and legendary cornerback Richard Sherman.

Finally, the last reason is because of how great these fan bases are.  Overall, they are passionate for their teams, especially due to the fact that they’ve dealt with heartbreak over the past couple of decades.  They will be fired up and loud throughout the entire game.

Overall, we can only hope as NFL fans that this game is one we will remember forever.  Especially since last year’s game was one of the most boring of all time, we need something new.  That’s why this game will be one that fans will talk about for years to come, no matter who wins.

Super Bowl LIV prediction: 49ers have edge on Chiefs

Quarterback+Jimmy+Garoppolo+plays+in+the+49ers+game+vs.+the+Titans+on+Dec.+17%2C+2017.+The+49ers+won+25-23.

Casey McNeil [Public domain]

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo plays in the 49ers game vs. the Titans on Dec. 17, 2017. The 49ers won 25-23.

The San Francisco 49ers, who beat the Packers in the NFC Championship game, will play the Chiefs, who beat the Titans in the AFC Championship game, in the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 2. I think that the 49ers will beat the Chiefs 27-24.

I think that the 49ers defense will overpower the Chiefs offense. Their d-line consisting of Nick Bosa and Deforest Buckner, can bring pressure to Kansas City’s quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.

The real question is will Patrick Mahomes be able to handle the pressure? I don’t think so. While Mahomes is a top 3 QB in the league, he is still extremely young and inexperienced.

The 49ers are going to have to get a running game going to be in this one. In the past two games, the 49ers have had more than 450 yards rushing.

For the Chiefs, they have given up less than 100 yards rushing in their last two games. Their key to winning is to stop the run and forcing Jimmy Garoppolo to pass the ball down the field.

The defensive key for the 49ers is to stop the big play. If they can limit big plays from Tyreek Hill and Patrick Mahomes, then they should be able to keep the game close.

San Fran’s x-factor is George Kittle for this game. If he can find a way to insert himself into the passing game and make big plays, then the 49ers’ chances of winning significantly increases. But it isn’t just his effect in the passing game that makes him special, he is the best pass blocking TE in the league.

The Chiefs’ x-factor for this game is Tyreek Hill. His speed and his ability to make big plays make him a very talented player. He is one of the fastest players in the NFL, if not the fastest.  He is only 5-foot-10, but his route running and catching is phenomenal.

If the 49ers can keep the Chiefs off the field and establish a good run game, then they should be able to come away with their seventh franchise Super Bowl win.

Super Bowl LIV Prediction: Chiefs too much for Niners

The Chiefs Offense vs 49ers Defense

The+Kansas+City+Chiefs+lineup+on+offense+for+a+play+against+the+Pittsburgh+Steelers+defense+on+October+15%2C+2006.+The+Steelers+own+the+game+45-7.

SteelCityHobbies [CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]

The Kansas City Chiefs lineup on offense for a play against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense on October 15, 2006. The Steelers own the game 45-7.

Well, here we are NFL fans.  It’s that time once again where the league is down to two teams to compete for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.  This year, for the first time in three years, the Patriots are finally not in the Super Bowl as everyone would expect.  They lost to the Titans in the Wild Card round.

The cities that are celebrating right now are San Francisco and Kansas City, which both teams are heading to Miami.

First off, let’s start with how the Kansas City Chiefs clinched a spot in Super Bowl LIV.  To start, they had some luck to get a first-round-bye due to the Dolphins beating the Patriots in Week 17, along with the Chiefs beating the Chargers.

After that, they had to face a tough Houston Texans team who beat the Bills in the Wild Card in overtime.  They also defeated the Chiefs at Arrowhead earlier in the season.  The Chiefs had a rough start, being down 24-0 before the first quarter even ended.  However, the team would dramatically turn around in the second quarter.  They would score four straight TD’s to lead 28-24 at halftime!  They would hang on to a 51-31 win.

The next week was their toughest test, as they had to face the white-hot Titans who beat the Patriots, and upset the heavy super bowl favorite Ravens in a blowout.  The Titans also beat the Chiefs, 35-32 in the regular season.  Another rough start would commence at the Titans would control the ball for most of the first quarter, leading 17-7.  But just like the last game, the Chiefs would come back to take a 21-17 lead at halftime.  The Chiefs would score two big TDs in the second half, including a 70-yard-TD from quarterback Patrick Mahomes to wide receiver Sammy Watkins to clinch the AFC Championship for the Chiefs for the first time since 1969.

Now, let’s head out west to the 49ers.  Let’s just say it was a bit of an easier road for them.  In the divisional round, they had a tough start being down 7-0 to the No. 6 seed Vikings.  However, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and the offense woke up, leading to a 27-10 win, also due to their defense.  The next week, they would face a tough Packers team.  But just like in the regular season, the game wasn’t even close.  They would lead 27-0 at halftime.  The Packers would try to fight back, cutting the deficit to 34-20, but it was too much to overcome.  The 49ers running back R. Mostert would run for 220 yards and four TDs!  This is the 49ers first Super Bowl since losing it to the Ravens in 2013.

Let’s get to the good part, my prediction.  Now, this one is tough, because both teams have some flaws.  For the Chiefs, their defense is suspect with slow linebackers and an average safety core.  For the 49ers, there’s a little bit less, but Jimmy Garoppolo really isn’t a game-changing QB, and they lack a breakout wide receiver.  So where does all of this lead me?  Well, to me, the Chiefs have the advantage in this game.  Why?  It’s two words: Patrick Mahomes.  He is a generational quarterback that no one has ever seen.  In his first season, he threw for 50 TD’s!  And this year, while his numbers declined, he has a better experience of the game.  From his sidearm to extending the plays, there’s never been an NFL QB like him.

Just look at these awareness plays from Mahomes.  That shows how elite this man is.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRyz5ULH_Ow)

(youtube.com/watch?v=6Z5UII9WIWO)

Now, it helps that he has some weapons alongside him with the fastest player Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, and tight end Travis Kelce.  Their running game is solid too with Dammian Williams.  Their defense questions me, but they did shut down Titans running back Derrick Henry for only 79 yards, after rushing for over 100 in the first 2 playoff games.

The reason I don’t have the Niners winning is that Jimmy Garoppolo is not a game-changer.  He is a game managing QB, and he does it well.  But in order for them to win, they need to score points, lots of them.  Yes, they scored 37 on the Packers, but that team was a fluke.  Their defense has been questionable all year long and the 13-3 record for the Packers was a fluke.

At the end of the day, I believe Mahomes can lead a game-winning drive much more than Garoppolo can.  He never wowed me throughout the season.  It was more of their defense that surprised me.

However, this explosive Chiefs offense is too much for the Niners to handle with all the weapons.

For the score, give me 34-31 Chiefs.

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