Did you know that Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana just tweeted out a guarantee that his team would win the Super Bowl? He built his resume for induction into Canton with the San Francisco 49ers, alongside the likes of wide receiver Jerry Rice. Before you listen to that guarantee and bet the ranch on the 49ers, though, remember that he finished his career in Kansas City, leading the Chiefs to the playoffs as well, after the 49ers had moved on from him to Steve Young. So no matter who wins Super Bowl LIV, Montana will turn out to be right. San Francisco comes in as a very slight underdog for the title game, and if you plan on including the Super Bowl in your sports betting, take a look at one case for choosing the San Francisco 49ers.
Odds on San Francisco 49ers Winning Super Bowl LIV
Odds to Win the Super Bowl
Jimmy Garoppolo attempted eight passes in San Francisco’s’ 37-20 whipping of the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship. His QBR was 51.6, as he threw for 77 yards. The offense went through tailback Raheem Mostert, who carried the ball 29 times for 220 yards and four touchdowns. He was used on misdirection runs all day long, with brief respites provided by Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida, but the running game kept gashing the Packers.
San Francisco can run the ball out of a variety of formations, and they are not afraid to run the ball even when they are behind. If they can sustain drives with the run against Kansas City — not a defense known for stifling the run — then they can chew up some clock while Patrick Mahomes is on the sideline. If the 49ers need to, once they have established the run, then they can use the play-action pass to get the ball to Deebo Samuel, Emmanuel Sanders and George Kittle. They didn’t need to against Green Bay, as the Packers had no answer for the 49ers’ running game. However, the Chiefs will have had two weeks to prepare for the San Francisco ground game, so Garoppolo will get more of a challenge.
A lot of people talk about that front four in the San Francisco defense, but the offensive line has been just as important in the 49ers’ playoff run. Left tackle Joe Staley permitted just seven pressures in 240 pass-blocking snaps in the regular season, and if he can give Garoppol time in the pocket, the 49ers could shred the Kansas City defense. He likes to get the ball out quickly, and the Chiefs’ defense likes to take chances — which could lead to big plays.
The presence of Richard Sherman in the San Francisco secondary is key. The 49ers are about to face perhaps the best quarterback in the NFL right now when they see Patrick Mahomes, and that could intimidate some secondaries. However, Sherman does not seem to be intimidated by anyone, and he has already taken part in two Super Bowls. He and the Seattle defense shellacked Peyton Manning and the Denver Bronco offense in a 43-8 rout in one Super Bowl. Generally, you find Sherman on the right side of the field, so he should spend a lot of his day watching Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins. Sherman had an interception in the NFC Championship, and if he can swipe one in the Super Bowl, that could swing the momentum. Remember, Kansas City has started slowly in each playoff game before the engine caught, and that if the 49ers jump out to a double-digit lead, they have the defense to make that lead stand.
Finally, there’s that San Francisco pass rush. They generate a lot of pressure with just a four-man rush, which means that they can leave seven in coverage instead of having to send more cover personnel up the field in a blitz. Kansas City has a solid offensive line, but so did Green Bay, and Aaron Rodgers had to run for his life too many times in the NFC Championship.
