49ers vs. Chiefs preview: Picks, predictions, odds, how to watch Super Bowl 2024
The day has finally arrived for the crowning of the Super Bowl LVIII champions.
The San Francisco 49ers, led by Brock Purdy, will compete against the Kansas City Chiefs, led by Patrick Mahomes, for the Vince Lombardi Trophy at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
This will be the Chiefs' sixth Super Bowl appearance and fourth in the last five seasons. Kansas City is looking to win back-to-back Super Bowls for the first time since the New England Patriots in 2003 and 2004.
Throughout the regular season, quarterback Purdy has led a team of talented San Francisco playmakers. The 49ers had an impressive 12-5 season and could arguably be considered the most consistent team in the league. The 49ers will now make their eighth appearance in the Super Bowl in franchise history, with hopes of winning the Lombardi Trophy for the first time since Super Bowl 29 in 1994.
Here are the predictions for Super Bowl LVIII just a few hours before the kickoff.
NFL: Deion Sanders on all things football ahead of Super Bowl LVIII
2024 Super Bowl predictions for San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
BetMGM: Chiefs to win their third Super Bowl in five years
Staff writes: "For the entire season, the 49ers are 25th in rush EPA per play allowed and 27th in rushing success rate allowed. Even since acquiring Chase Young in Week 10, they’re 19th in rush EPA per play allowed and 23rd in rush success rate allowed. Although the Chiefs managed only 2.8 yards per attempt on the ground in Baltimore, they thrived in earlier postseason games. Against the Bills and Dolphins, who finished the regular season 17th and 16th in rush defense DVOA, they averaged 6.1 and 4.3 yards per rush, respectively. Given the 49ers ranked 15th in rush defense DVOA during the regular season, expect Kansas City to dominate on the ground. Lastly, Patrick Mahomes is 11-1-1 ATS as an underdog for his career, and postseason underdogs that move by at least half a point are 69.2% ATS. For those reasons, take the Chiefs to win their third Super Bowl in five years."
CBS Sports: Chiefs to beat the 49ers in a 24-23 thriller
Larry Hartstein writes: "The Chiefs are set to play in their fourth Super Bowl in five years, meaning they have a plethora of experience on their roster. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes already has 14 career playoff wins, tied with Terry Bradshaw, John Elway, and Peyton Manning for the third-most by a QB in NFL history. With another victory on Super Bowl Sunday, Mahomes and the Chiefs will become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the New England Patriots in 2003-04. Hartstein expects the Chiefs to rely on their experience down the stretch again, pulling out a narrow win over the 49ers."
ESPN: 49ers have a 59% chance to win
According to the ESPN Matchup Predictor, the San Francisco 49ers have a 59.4% chance of beating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.
FOX Sports: Chiefs 27, 49ers 24
Ben Arthur writes, "The Niners have the more complete team, and it wouldn't surprise me if their offense was able to move the ball effectively against an elite Chiefs defense. But I just can't count out Patrick Mahomes rising to the occasion on the biggest stage."
Sporting News: Chiefs 30, 49ers 24
Bill Bender writes: "Kansas City has allowed more than 24 points in one game this season, and that defense might make the difference in the fourth quarter one more time. If the Chiefs need a score with the game on the line late, then can you trust Mahomes? San Francisco allowed 26 points per game in the playoffs. This will be a 27-24 game either way, and our guess is Mahomes finds a way to win a third Super Bowl."
New York Post: 49ers
Sean Treppedi writes: "Brock Purdy continues to be unvalidated for irrelevant reasons, such as his draft position, yet he continues to extract the best from the talent around him while taking plays into his own hands when needed. Isn’t that the textbook description of a successful quarterback? Either that or a league-leading 72.7 QBR and a 113.3 passer rating. We love to get caught up in narratives, and there is certainly plenty to discuss with two perennial contenders for the better part of a decade. But when it comes down to what’s on the field, let’s call it square on two top-three defenses in points allowed. I see this as the unrelenting chemistry between Mahomes and Travis Kelce — who connected on all 11 attempts against Baltimore — against an overwhelming cast of star power. Mahomes’ connection with Kelce has accounted for more than 36 percent of his air yardage in the playoffs. Calling him a one-trick pony would be ignorant, but the 49ers are deploying four players with 100-plus total yards in the playoffs. They more than doubled the Chiefs in average scoring margin. Whether Vegas perceives Mahomes as an underdog or not, the public will always favor him at this point. Ignore the storylines and take the early edge with San Francisco."
Bleacher Report: Chiefs 27, 49ers 21
Staff writes: "The game between the Chiefs and 49ers will be a rematch of Super Bowl LIV, when Kansas City won 31-20. Kansas City came into Sunday's AFC Championship Game as an underdog, but Mahomes said the Chiefs "never feel like underdogs." As far as the odds are concerned, though, they will be underdogs once again against the 49ers in the Super Bowl. Compared to the last three Chiefs teams that reached the Super Bowl, this one didn't dominate throughout the regular season and faced plenty of doubt heading into the postseason. Kansas City proved this year, however, that any team coached by Andy Reid and led by Mahomes has a fighting chance. San Francisco came into the season hungry for a Super Bowl, and the 49ers have looked like one of the top teams in football all year. Led by star running back Christian McCaffrey and promising quarterback Brock Purdy, the 49ers certainly have what it takes to keep up with Kansas City's electric offense. With a powerful offense and a more than capable defense, the 49ers will look to avenge the Super Bowl loss from 2019. However, with the way Mahomes has played this postseason, the Chiefs will be tough to beat."
San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs Chiefs odds, spread and lines for Super Bowl LVIII
The 49ers are favorites to defeat the Chiefs, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2023.
All odds as of Sunday morning.
Spread: 49ers (-2)
Moneyline: 49ers (-130), Chiefs (+110)
Over/under: 47.5
How to watch Super Bowl LVIII: TV, streaming and schedule for San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
When: Sunday, Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. ET
Where: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada
Cable TV: CBS, Nickelodeon
Streaming: Paramount+; YouTube TV; Sling; FuboTV
How to watch: Catch the Super Bowl with a Fubo subscription
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Super Bowl 2024: Picks, predictions, odds, how to watch 49ers-Chiefs
