Crowe: Super Bowl Prediction

Crowe: Super Bowl Prediction

As we finish up the 2023 NFL season with Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, game number 285 gives us here in New England a complete change of guard from what we have been used to. This comes as the San Francisco 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of their 2020 title game.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is now no longer standing on the sidelines as the premier coach in the league. Instead, we have Andy Reid again leading the Chiefs into the Big Game trying to become the first team since New England to win back-to-back Super Bowls since 2003 and 2004. Reid has won two titles with Kansas City and has gone to five Super Bowls overall, including one in Philadelphia. Belichick won six out of nine Super Bowls.

Patrick Mahomes is now seen as the new Tom Brady and yes, the early years are similar. Mahomes, with a victory Sunday, would have three championships in four appearances. Brady, who beat Mahomes in their only Super Bowl match-up, is arguably the greatest of all time, winning seven Super Bowl titles in 10 appearances.

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Even Mahomes mentioned during the week being the villain and how other teams view them now like the Patriots due to all the winning. His legacy will ultimately come down to how long the winning can last and whether can he play as long as Brady, who played until 45. Right now, Mahomes is just 28 with much football ahead of him. That starts Sunday against the Niners and if he can add that third championship before 30, like Brady did, that G.O.A.T. will continue to gain track.

We’re 9-3 so far during the playoffs. So, let’s break it down and give you our final prediction and tell you who’s winning Super Bowl LVIII.

 

Super Bowl LVIII Chiefs vs. 49ers (Sunday 6:30 pm on CBS)

There’s no question that Mahomes is better than San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy, but it’s not a one-on-one competition. The 49ers (14-5) have the better all-around roster, built around running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk along with tight end George Kittle. Mahomes' cast of characters are led by all-world tight end Travis Kelce and others who have gotten better especially in the last month, led by wide receivers Rashee Rice and Justin Watson as well as tight end Noah Gray.  Running back Isiah Pacheco is a beast who runs hard and angry and will be a difference-maker in this game.

The Chiefs (14-6) won’t have former Patriot offensive lineman Joe Thuney back from the pec injury that had him missing the AFC Championship game as he’s already been ruled out. KC still ran the ball well in that game with Pacheco leading the way with 68 of their 89 yards. The key was that they kept some balance, running it 32 times while attempting 39 passes. On the other side of the ball, they limited the Ravens, the league’s number-one rushing team, to only 16 carries on the ground while putting the ball in the air 37 times and Lamar Jackson completed just 20 of them.

I think it comes to the same scenario in this game as well. If the Chiefs can remain balanced while forcing pressure on Purdy with Chris Jones and George Karlaftis (12.5 sacks overall), they can force turnovers. Yet, if the Niners can maintain their composure, stick to their game plan and a North-South running game led by McCaffrey, they will see more success. Do NOT repeat the Ravens’ mistakes should be the San Fran mantra.

When these two teams met in Super Bowl LIV in Miami, San Francisco took a 20-10 lead into the fourth quarter before losing 31-20 for the tandem title for Mahomes and Reid. Will we see a repeat? Well, two things are different. Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t the quarterback in San Francisco and Tyreek Hill is no longer catching game-changing 44-yard fourth-quarter passes.

San Francisco defensively is better equipped to contain Mahomes now than they were back then but will Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Chase Young, and company be able to finish the story? They have been susceptible to the run at times this season. During the regular season, they were the 3rd scoring defense (298) in the league and eighth overall (303 yards). The Chiefs, however, were just a bit better at number two (294 points) and second overall (289 yards).

These two teams know each other well and, in the NFL, it’s usually the more desperate team that wins. In this case, that’s the 49ers as they have yet to win a championship with this group of superstars. Having said that, how can you go against Mahomes? It’s kind of like picking against Brady back in the day. In most games, you’d be wrong.

Bold Predictions:

Chiefs: Travis Kelce throws a touchdown pass

49ers: San Francisco will sack Mahomes 3 or more times

Winner: 49ers 27-21