Kansas City vs San Francisco -- Who Wins?

Who wins Superbowl LIV?


  • Total voters
    157

ilol@u

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Mar 2, 2009
4,231
Foxboro
I know we have a gamethread to discuss the actual game, but post your scores, storylines, and predictions.
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
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Jul 15, 2005
37,059
Hingham, MA
Heart - Niners, Head - Chiefs. I think it ends up somewhat similar to both of the first Chiefs first two playoff games. One score game into the 3rd quarter, Chiefs win by 2-3 scores.
 

johnmd20

mad dog
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Dec 30, 2003
61,996
New York City
Kansas City wins easily. San Fran can't keep up with the speed and their offense does nothing until the game is over. 35-17.

Mahomes MVP.

I think it's going to be a snoozer but I hope I'm wrong and I'm rooting for SF.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Jul 2, 2006
22,345
Philadelphia
SF wins a 24-23 nailbiter with Robbie Gould kicking a FG with no time left.

SF dominates both lines, gets a few key stops in the red zone, and makes a couple big plays on offense to go into the half up 14-6. KC eventually adjusts and storms back to take the lead late in the 4th. But Kyle Shanahan digs deep in his playbook, finds a couple plays, and Jimmy G executes well enough to move the ball down the field and set up Gould for the winner.
 

Soxy

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Dec 1, 2008
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Possibly a hot take, but I think KC will get more pressure on Jimmy G than the 49ers will get on Mahomes. Jimmy G will make a mistake or three (bad sack, bad INT, etc.) whereas Mahomes will pull a couple rabbits out of his hat when it looks like the Niners have him, and that will be the difference.

Chiefs 28 - 49ers 24
 

snowmanny

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Dec 8, 2005
15,670
Rooting for Niners. I think.

Best guess: KC 30-27. KC makes 3/3 FG, SF 2/3, missing something from 45+ and that’s the difference.

Last team to win the SB and win all their (Ed- playoff, of course) games by more than 7 points?

Tampa Bay. And it will still be TB after this game.
 

Marciano490

Urological Expert
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Nov 4, 2007
62,312
SF. Their d-line harries Mahomes, while they control ToP with Mostert et al and Jimmy is just handsome enough to pull it out.

Plus, Shanahan is slightly smarter than Andy, and Reid still owes us a play clock boner. It’s coming.

I also hope Kittle has a much bigger game than Kelce, and Travis is forced to field questions postgame about how much better a tight end Kittle is before excusing himself to go visit the trauma ward where Hill, Suggs, Bosa and Clark are recuperating after a sideline brawl.
 

pappymojo

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Jul 28, 2010
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Rooting for the 49ers but I think the way the refs call the game will play to the Chiefs strength (offense). I expect very few calls to go against either offense.
 

ilol@u

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Mar 2, 2009
4,231
Foxboro
I think Kansas City wins, 38-17. I want SF to win, but I don't think any defense can slow down that KC offense.

4 TDs for Mahomes and an MVP.
 

fairlee76

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Oct 9, 2005
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jp
Jimmy G gets unleashed, KC isn't expecting a passing attack. Higher scoring game than anyone expects
This is what I am feeling/hoping for as well. I have not followed either team closely enough to make a super-informed prediction. But from I do know, the Chiefs have yet to face a defense that is this good/athletic. Hoping for a close game above all else.
 

fairlee76

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Oct 9, 2005
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jp
The terrorists win any Super Bowl the Pats don’t win. /super entitled Pats fan.
So, sounds like you are predicting the Chiefs based on their organization's recent history with domestic abusers/terrorists.

Then again, the 49ers had ties to Foster, McDonald, and Smith. So...it ends in a tie?
 

Ferm Sheller

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Mar 5, 2007
20,404
I’ll say that SF wins, 28-21. Pats D held KC to 23. Don’t see why SF can’t keep them in the low 20s, especially if SF can get its running game going.
 
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Soxy

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Dec 1, 2008
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This is what I am feeling/hoping for as well. I have not followed either team closely enough to make a super-informed prediction. But from I do know, the Chiefs have yet to face a defense that is this good/athletic. Hoping for a close game above all else.
They beat the Patriots, who have a better defense than the 49ers.

Again, possibly a hot take, but I think the Niners defense is getting to be a bit overrated heading into this game. It's basically their D-line/pass rush, that's really what you have to worry about. That's being a bit overly reductive, but you can make plays against the back end of that defense if you can stay upright. We've seen that a number of times during the second half of the season. Sherman gets a lot of headlines, but their secondary isn't even close to being as good as the Pats'. And I would take Gilmore over Sherman every day of the week.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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Oct 31, 2013
72,463
Predicting TOP 41 mins for SF, a game similar to Giants Bills. Chiefs have the vaunted offense and not great kicker. Other side has the running game, the front seven, the tight end, and great coaching. Opposing coach keeps reputation of good coach and offensive wunderkind who can't win the big one (as head coach)

Prediction SF 24, KC 23
 

Willie Clay's Big Play

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Jan 30, 2017
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Heart wants Niners and Jimmy to further validate BB's keen eye, but I am resigned to the fact that Mahomes will do just enough to win. I'm not looking forward to the point and over the top celebration and fist pump of a borderline holding call on 3rd/4th down, but alas, such is life.
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
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Jul 15, 2005
37,059
Hingham, MA
This feels like when the 2006 Colts weren’t even that good but got hot at the right time. Wish I could see the Niners winning. I can’t.
 

wiffleballhero

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Mar 28, 2009
4,533
In the simulacrum
I am a little surprised by the KC calls. It seems to me that SF is a more complete team, able to change depending on the situation. I think SF by 13 -- the game sits a six point lead for a long time and a late TD for SF ices it. 33-20.
 

Oppo

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Apr 5, 2009
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Hard to bet against Mahomes and KC peaked at the right time
 

SMU_Sox

queer eye for the next pats guy
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Jul 20, 2009
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Dallas
Most of the football sharps and their pods are going 49ers. I think the game comes down to how effectively can the 49ers front 4 get to Mahomes and what Mahomes can do to mitigate the rush.

If SF’s usual game plan of rushing 4 and dropping 7 back into zone keeps Mahomes and the Chiefs to under 30 they win. If not Chiefs win. Chiefs have struggled against cover 3 defenses and zone limits big play ability and Hill’s speed. So my head tells me SF will win. I actually want the Chiefs to win.
 

Caspir

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Jul 16, 2005
6,886
I bet Chiefs, but really hope the 9ers win. Using Twitter to form real life opinions, KC fans are awful. Also Tyreek Hill should never get a ring. I’m indifferent towards Mahomes, but I’ll be rooting hard for Jimmy to manage the game effectively and let the running backs eat the clock.
 

fairlee76

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Oct 9, 2005
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jp
They beat the Patriots, who have a better defense than the 49ers.

Again, possibly a hot take, but I think the Niners defense is getting to be a bit overrated heading into this game. It's basically their D-line/pass rush, that's really what you have to worry about. That's being a bit overly reductive, but you can make plays against the back end of that defense if you can stay upright. We've seen that a number of times during the second half of the season. Sherman gets a lot of headlines, but their secondary isn't even close to being as good as the Pats'. And I would take Gilmore over Sherman every day of the week.
Thanks, good insight! I’m def guilty of reading the headlines about their d-line and translating that to “their defense is stout.”
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
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Oct 1, 2015
24,376
They beat the Patriots, who have a better defense than the 49ers.

Again, possibly a hot take, but I think the Niners defense is getting to be a bit overrated heading into this game. It's basically their D-line/pass rush, that's really what you have to worry about. That's being a bit overly reductive, but you can make plays against the back end of that defense if you can stay upright. We've seen that a number of times during the second half of the season. Sherman gets a lot of headlines, but their secondary isn't even close to being as good as the Pats'. And I would take Gilmore over Sherman every day of the week.
From the game Mahomes returned vs Ten, the Chiefs have averaged 31.7 points and 376.4 yards a game. Against the Patriots they scored 23 points and gained 346 yards.

And they won with some significant help from some godawful officiating that cost the Patriots a touchdown.

The point is: a quality defense has a chance to slow them down.
 

Moonlight Graham

New Member
Jul 31, 2005
62
From the game Mahomes returned vs Ten, the Chiefs have averaged 31.7 points and 376.4 yards a game. Against the Patriots they scored 23 points and gained 346 yards.

And they won with some significant help from some godawful officiating that cost the Patriots a touchdown.

The point is: a quality defense has a chance to slow them down.
That was in Foxboro. Based on 50 years of frustrating futility (and that the warmth of a February visit to Miami is so much more appealing to midwest fans), I think this Super Bowl will be a home game for the Chiefs. I also think the Chiefs are peaking and would have crushed the Pats if they got by Tennessee. Last, I just don't think the Niners are ready for the spotlight yet. I think this will be a double-digit win for the Chiefs, probably a boring game after the third quarter.
 

nattysez

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Sep 30, 2010
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I'm rooting for the Niners, but the Niners struggled against the Seahawks twice, and I think a Reid-prepared Mahomes (with better weapons) can play similarly to, but better than, Russell Wilson. Mahomes will need to run a fair bit for KC to win.
 

Soxy

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Dec 1, 2008
6,095
From the game Mahomes returned vs Ten, the Chiefs have averaged 31.7 points and 376.4 yards a game. Against the Patriots they scored 23 points and gained 346 yards.

And they won with some significant help from some godawful officiating that cost the Patriots a touchdown.

The point is: a quality defense has a chance to slow them down.
I guess, but the 49ers play defense a lot differently from the way that the Patriots play defense. Only five teams blitzed more often than the Pats defense in 2019, whereas only three teams blitzed less often than the 49ers. Pats mostly played man, while the Niners play mostly zone. Also, the Chiefs offense really hadn't been clicking on all cylinders going into that Pats game. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns but, uh, that's definitely not true heading into this game.

Niners are that rare team who can get consistent pressure without blitzing, because their D-line is just so good. Only Pittsburgh had a higher QB pressure rate than the Niners, but Pittsburgh blitzed 37% of the time, versus San Fran blitzing only 21% of the time. Their D-line is the engine that fuels their defense.

On the flip side, Mahomes is excellent at dealing with a pass rush and is one of the hardest QBs in the league to sack; only Drew Brees had a lower sack rate. The Chiefs have an O-line that, for all of their struggles in the run game, have mostly been solid in pass pro. So, it's strength vs. strength, really.

I expect the Chiefs to throw the ball a ton and go up tempo, to try and wear down the 49ers pass rushers. Niners will want to rotate those guys in and out, so I wouldn't be surprised to see KC go no huddle at times.

All of that said, the Chiefs could handle the Niners pass rush, not turn the ball over, be able to consistently move the ball and score points, and still end up losing, because the other side of the ball creates some problems for them. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we get a bit of a script flip, with the 49ers making some explosive plays and having some quick strike scoring drives, while Mahomes takes what the Niners defense gives him and leads some long, clock soaking drives. I think the Chiefs will be able to move the ball but Mahomes can't force the issue downfield, as I don't think anybody was better at limiting big plays than the 49ers.

I don't expect Mahomes to force the issue downfield, because what separates Mahomes (and all of the best QBs, really) isn't just his ridiculous ability to make plays, but also his ability to avoid bad plays. He rarely takes sacks and rarely turns the ball over. Jimmy G, on the other hand, has had some issues there. Whereas Mahomes was 2nd in the NFL in both sack rate and INT%, Jimmy G was towards the bottom of the league in both, finishing tied for 19th in sack rate and tied for 25th in INT%. And I still keep coming back to that as being the difference in this game. I think it's much more likely that Jimmy G makes one bad mistake that turns the game, whereas Mahomes almost never makes mistakes. In a game that I expect to be close, the team that makes the fewest mistakes and wins the turnover battle usually ends up winning.

I will say that if Jimmy G plays a clean game, the 49ers will be very tough to beat. I just don't expect that to happen.
 

Nator

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Gotta be San Fran. My family lives in the same neighborhood Jimmy G grew up in. and I would guess aside from the bay area this place has the highest concentration of kids wearing Garappolo jerseys on planet earth.
 

Al Zarilla

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Dec 8, 2005
58,878
San Andreas Fault
Mahomes ran a 4.8 40 at his combine? Bosa a 4.88. How the hell does Mahomes get away from the D so often? Somebody pointed out he’s also heavier now, which should slow him down more? Maybe. Love to see Bosa get an angle on him and run him down a time or three.

This game is hard to pick (tossup to me) but heart says Niners with Garoppolo and Kittle as my two fave non-Patriots. Also, the Montana and Young teams were great to watch. Andy to come in second again.
 

luckiestman

Son of the Harpy
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Jul 15, 2005
32,620
I cannot get a feel for this game. I keep getting caught in circular reasoning. I want to say the 9ers are the better team but Mahomes is the best player but Mahomes is on his team so are the Chiefs the best team?

Forced to pick with my brain...9ers
Forced to pick with heart...would be nice to see Fandy get his ring.
 

ThePrideofShiner

Crests prematurely
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Jul 16, 2005
10,687
Washington
This reminds me of the Seahawks-Broncos Super Bowl. Lots of talk about how unstoppable the KC offense is. But I think the SF defense and run game is going to overwhelm the Chiefs.

I'll be more than happy to be wrong.
 

RedOctober3829

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Jul 19, 2005
55,299
deep inside Guido territory
35-31 49ers. SF comes out throwing the ball early and loosens up the KC defense then they will run all over them. SF's defense gets KC off the field just enough. No one has forced KC to kick FG's in the playoffs much yet. Should be a good one.