NFL Playoffs: Super Bowl Preview
The week that we as football fans look forward to when the season began back in August is finally here. Super Bowl week is second to none in the football world, and even if your favorite team isn’t in the final dance, it is still going to be one heck of a game on Sunday.
Participants:
Representing the AFC, at 11-6, the Kansas City Chiefs are making their second consecutive appearance, and 4th appearance in the last 5 seasons. Led by Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, this Chiefs team isn’t as dominant as they have been in years past, but that hasn’t stopped them from running through the post season as they have done before. Defeating the Dolphins, Bills, and Ravens, this has been the most difficult road the Chiefs have faced on their way to the Super Bowl, mainly because they did not have home field advantage. In years, past, even when they did not make it to the Super Bowl, they had the majority or all of their games at Arrowhead Stadium. Having to go on the road to Buffalo, and eventually Baltimore, seemed like a very tall task for those outside of Kansas City. To those in house, however, it was another day at the office, another game on the schedule, another wall in the way that they had to get through in order to achieve what they knew possible. “It’s you verses them, it’s you verses everybody in the stadium. You have to come together as a team, and the guys do that,” Mahomes said about his team and how they handle being on the road after their victory over the Buffalo Bills, 27-24. Believing in each other, having faith that each of the 11 on the field at one time are going to do their 1/11th to get the job done. The Chiefs have done that time and again when the odds seemed stacked against them. It is also helpful that, no matter what, you will always have the best quarterback in the league on your team. Mahomes is well on his way to having his name mentioned in the GOAT conversations with the likes of Brady and Manning, if it isn’t already there. I fully expect the Chiefs to be ready to go on Sunday, and they will give us one heck of a show.
Representing the NFC, at 12-5, are the San Francisco 49ers. At various points during the year, the 49ers were thrown around as the most dominant, most complete team in the NFL. A defense led by Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Talanoa Hufanga, and an offense led by George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Christian McCaffery, it is easy to get lost looking at the star power that is the 49ers this season. What most people will look at as potentially a glaring hole, has actually been the glue that has held them together and has provided stability at the most important position: Quarterback Brock Purdy. Purdy had himself an MVP caliber season, but when the numbers just didn’t leap off of the page at you, or the tape just didn’t have that “WOW” factor, people turned their heads. And yes, while Purdy benefited greatly from outstanding positional play and a coaching scheme, what happened to the 49ers last year when Purdy went down in the NFC title game? Oh yeah that’s right, they lost 31-7 to the Philadelphia Eagles. Purdy has shown time and again that being Mr. Irrelevant in the draft doesn’t matter to him, that this is his team, and he is one of the top Quarterbacks in the NFL. Add in the offensive mastermind that is Kyle Shanahan, and the 49ers look like they should be the odds on favorite to finally break their 28 year Super Bowl victory drought.
Prediction:
Most people will give you a score prediction for the overall score, and while that will be the case, lets take it a step further. Here is a quarter by quarter breakdown of the how I think the Super Bowl will go:
First Quarter: 49ers win the toss, elect to differ. Chiefs start with the ball, and proceed to go 3 and out, punting back to the 49ers. San Francisco drives down the field, eating up about half of the clock in the first quarter, and ends the drive with a 4 yard Christian McCaffery rushing touchdown. 7-0 49ers. Chiefs respond with Mahomes connecting with Kelce 3 times on the following drive, and they end up settling for a 47 yard Harrison Butker field goal to end the first quarter. 7-3 49ers.
Second Quarter: 49ers have the ball back, and the first critical error of the day comes. Chris Jones sacks Brock Purdy, and forces a fumble, recovered by Nick Bolton. Chiefs take 3 plays to punch it into the endzone on a touchdown by Travis Kelce. 10-7 Chiefs. The 49ers go back into ball control, feeding McCaffery and hitting the open routes short, and find their way into the redzone. George Kittle finishes it off with a receiving touchdown, making it 14-10 49ers. With less than 4 minutes to go, the Chiefs want to finish the half with the ball. Isaiah Pacheco is tasked with running the ball to start, and he breaks a big gain to get into enemy territory, but the offense stalls. With 20 seconds left, Harrison Butker hits a 35 yard field goal, making it 14-13 49ers as we head to halftime.
3rd Quarter: 49ers start with the ball in the second half, and while some are expecting fireworks like the first half, the second half starts off very differently. Both the Chiefs and 49ers punt on the first 4 drives of the second half, with no first downs being gained until the 8 minute mark of the 3rd quarter. The offenses start rolling when Purdy hits Aiyuk over the middle for 30 yards, finally opening up some shallow passing lanes and running lanes. Purdy finishes the drive by passing it to Christian McCaffery in the flats for a 15 yard touchdown, 21-13 49ers. Mahomes and Rashee Rice finally find their rhythm, connecting on 3 consecutive passes to get into 49ers territory. Isaiah Pacheco breaks free and scored from 25 yards out, making it 21-19. The Chiefs go for 2 now, and succeed on a Travis Kelce corner, making it 21-21. The 49ers go into ball control mode again, running behind Trent Williams and George Kittle as the quarter ends.
4th Quarter: Starting the quarter with the ball, McCaffery gets the 49ers into the Chiefs territory, but ultimately they have to settle for a field goal. 24-21 49ers. When the Chiefs get the ball back, the second game changing play happens. Talanoa Hufanga intercepts Patrcik Mahomes on a corner route intended for Travis Kelce. He takes it back to the Chiefs 30, setting up the 49ers in excellent position to put this game away. However, the Chiefs defense steps up, only allowing a field goal from 49 yards out, making it 27-21 49ers. Mahomes takes the field with 9 minutes left, knowing he can end the game with a touchdown on this drive. Mahomes and the Chiefs methodically drive down the field, burning clock and keeping the 49ers offense on the sideline. With 4 minutes to go, Mahomes hits Rashee Rice on a post across the middle of the field to get down inside the 10 yard line. 3 plays later, Travis Kelce catches his second touchdown of the game, making it 28-27 Chiefs, with just over 2 minutes to go. Brock Purdy takes the field with 2:00 remaining in the game, and 1 timeout. By the 1:00 mark, the 49ers are at midfield, and looking calm and collected. On first down, George Karlaftis breaks through and sacks Purdy, making it 2nd and 17. On 2nd down, Chris Jones sacks Purdy, making it 3rd and 22. On 3rd and a mile, Brock Purdy hits George Kittle for 17 yards to make it a 4th and manageable. Too far for a field goal, and with no time outs left, the 49ers are forced to go into Hail Mary mode. On the final play of the game, Brock Purdy heaves the ball into the endzone, to have in intercepted by Charvarious Ward. Chiefs Win 28-27.
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs will win their 2nd Super Bowl in a Row, and 3rd in the last 5 seasons. Mahomes will win his 3rd Super Bowl MVP, and Andy Reid will have his name in discussions as the greatest coach of all time.
Will this outcome happen? Probably not. That being said, the NFL and NFL fans deserve a game like this. Nail biting all the way through, a game that comes down to the final play, and millions of Taylor Swift fans tuning in and watching “their team” win the Super Bowl. I cannot wait for Sunday, because it is the last Sunday of the 2023-2024 NFL season. Even though my team continues to break my heart (thanks Dallas Cowboys), I cannot wait for the 2024-2025 season. The NFL Draft cannot get here soon enough, but first, we watch what should be the perfect game to end the NFL season.
