Super Bowl LVIII predictions: NFL Wire editors favor Chiefs over 49ers

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Simply put, don’t bet against Patrick Mahomes until it is proven you should. Yes, the 49ers have talent all over the field. However, teams have been able to run on them in recent weeks and Mahomes will make plays. Kansas City’s defense is very good, holding opponents to under 100 rushing yards and forcing turnovers in two of three playoff games. Brock Purdy has been so lucky about interceptable passes not getting picked off. That won’t continue. It will be a Super Bowl classic, but the Chiefs will score a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter and hold the 49ers defensively. – Jess Root, Cards Wire

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

While the San Francisco 49ers are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, I think people are underestimating how good the Kansas City Chiefs are on defense. Pat Mahomes and Travis Kelce get all of the attention, but this team held the Baltimore Ravens to just 10 points in the AFC Championship game. I think it will be a close matchup with the Chiefs pulling away late in the fourth quarter. – Matt Urben, Falcons Wire

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco

The 49ers have all the big names on the defensive side of the football, but it’s the Kansas City Chiefs who had the more impressive unit down the stretch. Isaiah Pacheco adds a physical presence to the Kansas City offense that could cause problems for a San Francisco defense that can be vulnerable against the run. Travis Kelce could be playing his final game, and he’s a matchup nightmare just hitting his postseason stride. Baltimore dominated this same 49ers team a few weeks ago, and the Chiefs’ defense just held Lamar Jackson and the NFL’s top-rushing offense to just 10 points in the AFC title game. Kyle Shanahan’s group is unable to close another one, and Kansas City repeats as Super Bowl Champs. – Glenn Erby, Ravens Wire

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The Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes managed to get through a stout defense and offense with explosive potential against the Ravens last week. It’s hard to imagine that happening again against the 49ers… and the reality between these two teams is that they’ve both had spells of being pretty inconsistent. Mahomes this, Christian McCaffrey that, this will be an unpredictable one but let’s take the Niners. They feel like the deeper team. –Nick Wojton, Bills Wire

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If we can put a Carolina spin on this, let’s consider that everything that could embarrass the Panthers in 2023 has embarrassed the Panthers in 2023. C.J. Stroud looked way more like a No. 1 overall selection than Bryce Young did, the Texans and Colts (the two teams that picked their new head coaches and rookie quarterbacks directly after the Panthers) were fighting for the AFC South title in the final week of the season and, oh yeah, they essentially handed over the first pick of the upcoming draft to the Bears by finishing with the worst record in the league. So you’d think a Lombardi for former Panthers Christian McCaffrey, Sam Darnold and Steve Wilks would be the cherry on top, right? Well, maybe the only force powerful enough to halt that fate rests in Kansas City—with the best quarterback, one of the best defenses and, of course, a 14-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist. (We’re not betting against the Swifties.) – Anthony Rizzuti, Panthers Wire

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The 49ers are an incredibly talented team, and they’re going to put up a fight with their dominant defense and electric playmakers on offense. But I find it hard to pick against Patrick Mahomes in the postseason, where he’s somehow even greater. People also underestimate just how good this Kansas City defense is, and they’ll pose problems for Brock Purdy and San Francisco’s offense. Only this time, it’ll be Mahomes and Travis Kelce waiting to take advantage on the other side. – Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire

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A “down” year for the Chiefs in the Patrick Mahomes era leads to this. The reality is, he’s still the best quarterback on the planet and can will the team to a win in a variety of ways. But he doesn’t have to – not with a quietly elite defense doing some heavy lifting. For the 49ers, this isn’t in the same universe as playing Jordan Love or Jared Goff. And as game-altering as Christian McCaffrey can be, the stage is too big for Brock Purdy to shoulder the load when this turns into a sprint. – Chris Roling, Bengals Wire

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Despite an offense that looked lifeless the majority of the season, Patrick Mahomes has the Chiefs back in the Super Bowl. As long as Mahomes is under center in Kansas City, it’s never safe to bet against the Chiefs. Defensively as well, Kansas City has fielded their best unit in the Mahomes era, which will make life tough on Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ offense. If Mahomes and the Chiefs can get out to an early lead, it will be difficult for the 49ers to play from behind against Chris Jones and their stout defense. – Cory Kinnan, Browns Wire

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All season long, the NFC has been flaunted as a juggernaut, but as the weeks go by fraudulent seems a better description. When Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense was out of sync, this couldn’t been a close matchup, but expect Steve Spagnuolo to paint a masterpiece against Brock Purdy and company. – K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire

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Broncos Hall of Fame safety John Lynch has done an excellent job since becoming the 49ers’ general manager in 2017. Together with head coach Kyle Shanahan — who grew up on Denver’s sideline with his dad, Broncos two-time Super Bowl champion Mike Shanahan – Lynch has built an impressive roster in San Francisco. That roster is headlined by star running back Christian McCaffrey, the son of former Denver wide receiver Ed McCaffrey, a three-time Super Bowl champion. After the Broncos snapped their 16-game losing streak against the Chiefs earlier this season, the 49ers will look to avenge their 31-20 loss to KC in Super Bowl LIV. Going up against Denver’s division rival with plenty of Broncos connections, San Fran will be a popular pick for fans in Denver. – Jon Heath, Broncos Wire

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I smell a defensive struggle between two teams with very good defensive lines facing opposing offensive lines that can’t match them. That means quarterbacks under pressure and hard-nosed running will prevail. Patrick Mahomes gets that edge, and I think Isiah Pacheco can be effective against the 49ers. The Chiefs also have a great kicker in Harrison Butker who can make a difference. – Jeff Risdon, Lions Wire

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Give me the better quarterback and the better defense in the season’s biggest game. Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid find a way to pick apart a vulnerable 49ers defense, and Brock Purdy’s good fortune runs out against a battle-tested Chiefs defense that has allowed more than 24 points just once this season (to Jordan Love’s Packers, of course!). Mahomes, Reid and the Chiefs add to the dynastic run with a third Super Bowl title in five years. – Zach Kruse, Packers Wire

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When the bright lights go on, the Chiefs put on a show. Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid have been here before and now have a top-flight defense behind them. Kansas City doesn’t have the better team on paper, but the experience under center should be enough to win them the game. Mahomes did just enough to beat a good Baltimore Ravens defense two weeks ago and should be able to continue to perform well in the biggest game of the year. San Francisco will keep it tight with their plethora of offensive skill position players but Brock Purdy could run into some trouble against Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. – Tyler Greenawalt, Texans Wire

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It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see the 49ers pull this one out considering how well they’ve played this season, but betting against Patrick Mahomes seems like the wrong thing to do after we’ve seen him regain his form over the last month. On top of that, it’s never wise to bet against Steve Spagnuolo in the playoffs either. Kansas City should be able to win the early downs on offense while Spags will continue to bring exotic looks against Brock Purdy. It should come down to the wire, but Mahomes continues to cement his legacy. – Kevin Hickey, Colts Wire

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Nothing would surprise me Sunday, but it’s simply hard to pick against Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes in a big game. It’s been a relatively difficult year for Kansas City, but not enough to keep the team from getting back to the Super Bowl. If the 49ers defense was looking more like it did back in November, I’d have more faith in their chances at being the ones to derail the Chiefs. – Adam Stites, Jaguars Wire

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This will be a supremely interesting game if the 49ers take an early lead and are able to run the ball with Christian McCaffrey. But, if San Francisco is forced to throw the ball against Kansas City’s sticky secondary, the Chiefs will likely have a huge advantage. Patrick Mahomes has proven he can win shootouts in the past, and with a third ring on the line, fans should expect an all-time great performance from the reigning MVP. – John Dillon, Chiefs Wire

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The Chiefs have the best player in the world, but the 49ers have one of the best overall rosters we’ve seen in a Super Bowl in a long time. Look for their offense to have a lot of success moving the ball up and down the field. You can never count out Patrick Mahomes, but the 49ers have several different ways they can win games. – Marcus Mosher, Raiders Wire

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Patrick Mahomes is Patrick Mahomes. Andy Reid is Andy Reid. They’re chasing history. I get it. But I expect the 49ers’ skill players to be too overwhelming for the Chiefs, especially on the ground as they ranked 27th in run defense DVOA during the regular season. Kyle Shanahan has had plenty of time to learn from the past. San Francisco wins in a close battle. – Gavino Borquez, Chargers Wire

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It’s typically the Chiefs offense that carries Kansas City to the Super Bowl but this year, it’s Steve Spagnuolo’s defense that’s gotten the job done. The 49ers certainly have the more talented roster from top to bottom, but the Chiefs defense only allowed more than 24 points once this season and the offense has a guy named Patrick Mahomes. Pair a generational quarterback with a defense that doesn’t give up many points and you’ve got a recipe for success. With the way Brock Purdy has looked in the playoffs, it’s hard not to like the Chiefs in this game. – Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers have had an incredible season, and they may have the better overall roster, but the Kansas City Chiefs just feel inevitable, at this point. They were doubted throughout the regular season, and not many were picking them to come out of the conference, considering they’d have to win two playoff games on the road, but that’s exactly what they did. If they’re able to build a lead on San Francisco like the Detroit Lions did, they have enough talent to keep Brock Purdy and the 49ers from coming back. – Mike Masala, Dolphins Wire

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Yeah, it feels weird to go against Patrick Mahomes but the matchup looks good for the 49ers. The Chiefs can be most easily exploited on the ground and Kyle Shanahan’s offense is built to take advantage of the biggest weakness on the Chiefs defense: stopping the run. They have allowed 113 yards per game in both the regular season and the playoffs and if they can’t stop the run, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo could be forced to play less aggressive than he normally would due to the success of Shanahan’s play-action attack. The Chiefs are an impressive team but third time’s a charm will strike for Shanahan. – Tyler Forness, Vikings Wire

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The 49ers have looked shaky up to this point. They barely survived the Green Bay Packers, and then they had to overcome a 17-point deficit in the second half to knock off the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship. The Chiefs have all of the momentum, and Patrick Mahomes’ efficiency has been terrifying. But if there’s one defense capable of serving up a heaping helping of kryptonite to “Superman” Mahomes on the big stage, it’s the 49ers’ defense. Nick Bosa will have a game-wrecking performance, while Brock Purdy and the offense does enough to ensure the third time is the charm for Kyle Shanahan, who will finally win the big one and put the 28-3 talk in the past. – Jordy McElroy, Patriots Wire

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The 49ers have more talent on both sides of the ball, but they don’t have Patrick Mahomes, and the Chiefs are arguably better-coached. You also can’t overlook the benefits Andy Reid will enjoy from an extra week to prepare for this matchup. If San Francisco sleepwalks on defense again this could get away from them. But I like the 49ers to go into this game with the right mentality, lock it in, and win a Super Bowl. Mahomes can’t do everything on his own offensively. – John Sigler, Saints Wire

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You can never count the Chiefs out and with Steve Spagnuolo running the defense, they’ll be very much in this one. But the reality is that Kansas City hasn’t played up to par for much of this season and the 49ers are firing on all cylinders. It’s their time and Brock Purdy will lead them down the field late in the game for a last-second victory. Unfortunately, you’ll only get to see it in snippets as cameras will be on Taylor Swift for at least 75% of the game. – Dan Benton, Giants Wire

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I’ve doubted Patrick Mahomes too many times. I was concerned about the offense. But this is Patrick Mahomes, the two-time Super Bowl MVP, we’re talking. The doubting is over. The 49ers had a great run and give a ton of credit to Brock Purdy for this run. But the experience of Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid, plus two weeks to prepare, make me side with the Chiefs cementing their dynasty and becoming the team of the 2020s. – Billy Riccette, Jets Wire

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The Chiefs offense hasn’t been the irresistible force we all are used to but the story of the season really has been how well the defense has played instead. The defense made plays in the AFC championship game and we don’t look for there to be any let up. That’s not to say the 49ers defense is a slouch, quite the contrary. But if both defenses come to play, this will come down to who has the quarterback who can make plays and in games like this we just can’t bet against QB Patrick Mahomes.– Curt Popejoy, Steelers Wire

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I might get fired for being the Niners Wire guy and picking the Chiefs, but they have a better defense and the best quarterback in the world. A path to a 49ers victory involves a ton of Christian McCaffrey and allowing Brock Purdy to go on play action to help mitigate some of what Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is going to throw at him. However, San Francisco has really struggled to stop the run in the postseason and it feels like Andy Reid is going to design a ton of runs that consistently put the Chiefs in second or third-and-short. Stopping Patrick Mahomes is hard enough, doing it after Kansas City wins on first down is nigh impossible. – Kyle Madson, Niners Wire

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San Francisco might have more talent than Kansas City, or any other team in the league right now. However, the main reason they haven’t won a ring in the Kyle Shanahan era has been unreliable starters at quarterback. This time around it’s no different, and while his stats are better Brock Purdy may be even more volatile than Jimmy Garoppolo was. It’s tough to trust that going against a Spags defense with so much deep playoff experience and know-how. Meanwhile on the other side, the Chiefs are starting the greatest competitor in team sports in Patrick Mahomes, who seems destined to shatter Tom Brady’s accomplishments in half the time. Mahomes just bested a Baltimore defense that’s even better than the Niners, so bet against him at your peril. – Tim Weaver, Seahawks Wire

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Both these teams have had problems in the postseason. The Chiefs will be coming off of a lackluster second-half performance against the Ravens that saw them score precisely zero points, while the 49ers needed a circus catch from Brandon Aiyuk and a fumble from Jahmyr Gibbs to beat the Lions in what was, admittedly, still a very impressive comeback. The Chiefs have a better defense than San Francisco, but it’s only marginal, and their lack of receiving options could finally rear its head on the biggest stage of them all. I’m not a huge believer in Brock Purdy’s ability to elevate a game on his own, so as long as he stays solid, I think San Francisco will barely pull it out in Vegas. – River Wells, Bucs Wire

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

The Chiefs’ offense has had its issues all season long, but Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City’s elite defense have been able to mask the unit’s woes to get the team to this point.

But we saw those woes creep up again against a very good defense in the AFC title game and now Mahomes and Co. will face what is arguably a better defense while also having to stop what is arguably a better offense.

Unfortunately for KC, this is where the run ends, as the Niners’ defense keeps the Chiefs’ offense in check and does just enough on the other side of the ball to leave Las Vegas with a Super Bowl victory. – Mike Moraitis, Titans Wire

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This game will be another instant classic that comes down to whoever possesses the ball last. Both defenses will dominate the first half, but things will pick up offensively in the final 30 minutes. Patrick Mahomes is brilliant again, but Christian McCaffrey has a huge game and Brock Purdy plays mistake-free football to give the 49ers their first championship since 1995. McCaffrey is Super Bowl MVP. – Bryan Manning, Commanders Wire

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I think it will be close, but I have to go with the Chiefs. Their offense has finally found its pace in the playoffs after a very weird regular season, and Steve Spagnuolo’s defense is the primary reason they’re here this time around. And I do believe that Kansas City running back Isiah Pacheco will be the difference-maker in the game. He doesn’t have to run 25 times for 150 yards to be The Guy – if he’s able to power through San Francisco’s front six as he’s done to other defenses all season long, that could be enough to set that defense on edge, become more “static,” and give way to Patrick Mahomes and his alien stuff. – Doug Farrar, Touchdown Wire