By Eddie Young, Brenden Kelley, Aidan Mastandrea, Tyler Morello, Joseph Caruso and Joey Bachich
Sports Editor and Staff Writers
After a long and entertaining NFL season, the Super Bowl is finally upon us! The Signal’s sports staff is here to give their predictions on what will happen in the big matchup between the AFC champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the NFC champions, the San Francisco 49ers.
Eddie’s winner - Kansas City Chiefs:
The Chiefs are the current dynasty of the NFL, as this will be their fourth Super Bowl appearance in the past five years. While the offense of this team is not as talented as it was in past seasons, it is still led by two-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, and he still has tight end Travis Kelce to throw the ball to. The Chiefs also have the best defense that they have had in any of these Super Bowl trips. The 49ers are a great team filled with superstars, but it is tough to beat a Mahomes-led team that also has one of the best defenses in the league. Pair that with an extra week of preparation for head coach Andy Reid and it becomes almost impossible to pick against the Chiefs. The game will be close, but Kansas City will pull away late to a 27-17 victory.
Super Bowl MVP: Patrick Mahomes
Brenden’s winner - San Francisco 49ers:
While both teams field strong rosters, the 49ers will come out on top, 24-21. If the 49ers stick to their usual offensive plan, Christian McCaffrey will run all over the Chiefs’ weak run defense. The 49ers’ defense will likely have two men covering Travis Kelce during the game, which will limit the options for Patrick Mahomes, forcing him to put trust in the Chiefs’ wide receiving corps, which has been unreliable this season. The game will be close, with the final drive likely deciding the game.
Super Bowl MVP: Christian McCaffrey
Aidan’s winner - San Francisco 49ers:
The Chiefs’ run will finally come to an end on Sunday. The Niners, led by Brock Purdy, have had an up and down playoff run, to say the least, but they found something in the second half against the Lions. The Chiefs defense has been stellar, but they are very susceptible to the run, and Kyle Shanahan will exploit that. Christian McCaffrey will have over 150 yards from scrimmage en route to a Super Bowl MVP. Ultimately, the lack of offensive weapons will finally catch up with the Chiefs and the Niners will take an early lead and hold on, winning 27-23.
Super Bowl MVP: Christian McCaffrey
Tyler’s winner - Kansas City Chiefs:
This Super Bowl has quite a different feel than when these two teams faced off in Super Bowl LIV. The 49ers are a well-rounded team with their defense being one of the best in the league, and they have an elite offense to complement it. This year’s Chiefs were not one of the high-powered offensive teams we have been accustomed to since Patrick Mahomes was drafted. However, their stout defense has caused problems against the opposition this year, as we saw in the AFC championship against the Ravens. This defense should continue to wreak havoc and keep Brock Purdy and the offense contained throughout the game. The Niners’ defense is also going to look to keep up their dominant defensive showing, but Mahomes will find a way to find the endzone a couple of times. This game is going to be relatively low-scoring, with the Chiefs pulling it out 20-13 and Mahomes solidifying himself as one of the greats — if he has not already.
Super Bowl MVP: Patrick Mahomes
Joseph’s winner - San Francisco 49ers:
The 49ers have had their fair share of ups and downs this year, including barely scraping by their two playoff games thus far and a three game losing streak in October. Nonetheless, they are a defensive powerhouse with historic skill players on offense. On the other side, the underdog Kansas City Chiefs look to continue to ride off of the greatness of Patrick Mahomes, along with their stellar pass defense. This game will come down to all-world running back Christian McCaffrey and his ability to exploit the Chiefs’ run defense, similar to how the Bills were able to. Mahomes and Travis Kelce will not be enough, as McCaffrey will find himself in the endzone multiple times and the 49ers of San Francisco will swiftly take the Lombardi Trophy from the reigning champions in Kansas City.
Super Bowl MVP: Christian McCaffrey
Joey’s winner - San Francisco 49ers:
The big game is upon us and both teams had a similar playoff run to get here. The Chiefs mostly relied on their defense and only needed Patrick Mahomes to make a key play or two during the games. The Brock Purdy-led 49ers are finally back in the Super Bowl, looking to avenge the 2020 loss with a glass-breaking win for head coach Kyle Shannahan. In this game, the 49ers will finally lean on the run game and take control of the clock. The best defense against Mahomes is running the ball and holding it on offense. Finally, Shannahan will realize he has the best running back in the league and will use him to chip away for 60 minutes.
Super Bowl MVP: Christian McCaffrey
