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Can Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs burn the 49ers' defense in Super Bowl 2020?
- The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are set to face off in Super Bowl 2020.
- Currently, the Chiefs are favored in Las Vegas.
- The Sports Insider team has predictions on the game, with most expecting the Chiefs' offense to be too much for the 49ers.
- Read more of Business Insider's Super Bowl 2020 coverage here.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
The Super Bowl is here!
Super Bowl 2020, or Super Bowl LIV, pits two upstart teams with dynamic offenses in the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers against each other. The 49ers are a well-rounded team, with a dominant defense, while the Chiefs are explosive on offense and have come around on defense toward the end of the season. They're riding an eight-game win streak coming into this game.
Vegas doesn't seem to have much of a clue as to who might win this game. At the time of this writing, the Chiefs are just 1.5-point favorites.
The Sports Insider team is here to give your picks on who we think wins the game and takes home MVP in what could be a thriller.
Cork Gaines
If these two teams faced each other ten times on a neutral field, the Chiefs would win seven times. The 49ers do have the speed on defense to keep up with the Chiefs' offense. However, that's not going to be enough with Patrick Mahomes healthy and peaking, and Andy Reid having two weeks to prepare. On the other side of the ball, the 49ers are not going to be able to keep pace. This game could get ugly early.
Chiefs 34, 49ers 18
MVP: Patrick Mahomes
Scott Davis
The 49ers are more well-rounded and better at molding their team week to week, New England Patriots-style. I think that could have a huge impact on this game. The Chiefs' weak run defense could be a problem against a Niners team that just shredded the Packers for 285 yards on the ground. If the Chiefs' run defense does hold up, I believe in Kyle Shanahan's ability to poke holes elsewhere in Kansas City's defense. The Chiefs will still score, but I worry that they are too reliant on Patrick Mahomes to make magic happen, especially when the 49ers' pass rush inevitably breaks through. The 49ers will ultimately be able to get a timely stop on Mahomes and the Chiefs.
49ers 34, Chiefs 31
MVP: Nick Bosa
Rick Scuteri/AP Images
Jimmy Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan.
Meredith Cash
Whichever way this game goes, we're all in for a treat. The league's top defense is set to square off against one of the most prolific offenses the game has ever seen. I'm reluctant to bet against Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman, and the rest of the San Francisco 49ers' stacked defense, but I don't think anyone is capable of stopping Patrick Mahomes once he gets hot. With weapons like Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Sammy Watkins at his disposal, Mahomes is primed to have a field day on the sport's biggest stage, so I'll take Mahomes magic to outmaneuver the tried-and-true 49ers' defense in this one. Don't let me down, Andy Reid.
Chiefs 31, 49ers 24
MVP: Patrick Mahomes
Tyler Lauletta
After last year's dud of a Super Bowl, it feels like we're in for a shootout this Sunday, and no team in the NFL is better suited for a shootout than the Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes and company have staved off early deficits in two straight contests, and have the means to do it again should the 49ers jump out to a lead. San Francisco's rushing attack will be a problem for the Chiefs defense, but if they can get one or two timely stops, Mahomes can handle the rest.
Chiefs 37, 49ers 32
MVP: Patrick Mahomes
- Read more:
- SUPER BOWL SQUARES: What are the best numbers to have when the Chiefs and 49ers face off in Super Bowl LIV?
- The 49ers and Chiefs landed their star quarterbacks thanks to a chain of events that all began with Colin Kaepernick's breakout season in 2012
- WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The key players from the 2012 49ers, San Francisco's last Super Bowl team
- The 26 best prop bets you can make on Super Bowl LIV