The Super Bowl is set for Sunday, February 2, in sunny Miami, between teams that are being cast as opposites in style. There are the high-flying Kansas City Chiefs, who brushed off a 24-0 deficit against the Houston Texans and a pair of ten-point deficits against the Tennessee Titans to roar back and win both games comfortably, thanks to the video-game speed passing attack that Patrick Mahomes leads.
There are the San Francisco 49ers, who have a grinding running game that got 220 yards out of tailback Raheem Mostert in the NFC Championship, along with a defense that punishes the opposition. The Chiefs were initially favored by 1 ½ points, and that line has dropped to a single point in the days since. For sports betting enthusiasts, figuring out which side of the line the game will end up on could bring big winnings, so take a look at our thoughts on the final score for Super Bowl LIV.
Super Bowl LIV Final Score Betting Predictions
Let’s talk about that Kansas City offense. The Chiefs didn’t get as huge a numbers out of Mahomes this season. He fought ankle and kneecap injuries, missing two starts and getting slowed in some others. However, the Chiefs have won eight in a row, as Mahomes has found ways to integrate Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Mecole Hardman, Demarcus Robinson and Damien Williams into the passing game. The Chiefs piled up 86 points in their two playoff wins.
But is the Chiefs’ offense that much more dynamic than San Francisco’s? The 49ers averaged 30.2 points per game this season, while Kansas City averaged 29.8. Matt Moore starting two games didn’t help the Chiefs’ scoring average, but the 49ers put up a ton of points this year as well. San Francisco has a more diverse offense, as they were able to generate plenty of points in their two playoff games, even with just 208 yards in the two games combined from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
It is the 49ers’ ability to run the ball, as well as pass it, that has them set to give the Titans real problems. Yes, the Chiefs just silenced Derrick Henry in the AFC Championship, but Ryan Tannehill didn’t have the same clutch throws that Jimmy Garoppolo has been able to put up. If the Chiefs can force the 49ers into some third-and-long situations, remember that he threw for 349 yards and four scores when the 49ers went to New Orleans and won, 48-46.
If you think that the Chiefs will have a much easier time stopping the San Francisco running game than the Packers did, remember that the Packers had a better run defense, statistically speaking, than the Chiefs did. San Francisco uses a lot of motion before the snap and misdirection to keep the defense from getting comfortable. Rotating Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman in should keep Raheem Mostert fresh; given the more complicated scheme that the 49ers use, San Francisco should have more success on the ground than the Titans did. Of course, the Chiefs will have had two weeks to prepare this time.
Kansas City has an edge when it comes to turnover margin, as they had a +8 as opposed to +4 for the 49ers. However, cornerback Richard Sherman leads a 49ers secondary that may be the best the Chiefs have played all season long, and their pass rush will make Mahomes sweat multiple times. The 49ers have Nick Bosa, who gets the press, but they also have Dee Ford, Solomon Thomas, DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead, all of whom entered the NFL as first-round picks. So they will be able to get through the Chiefs’ blocking schemes.
With the game on the line, though, Patrick Mahomes has been peerless. Garoppolo has delivered in the clutch when he has needed to, but I see this game coming down to the last possession — and the Chiefs using their weaponry to get that last score. I predict a final score of Kansas City 34, San Francisco 31.
