Who’s going to win the Super Bowl?
The Super Bowl is just days away, and the excitement is building right across the United States. The big game, which will take place on 2nd February in Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, will attract around 100 million television viewers, making it the second most-watched annual sporting event in the world.
The grueling playoff games are almost over, and the 12 games have been whittled down to just two. The two conference champions have been declared for this season, with the Kansas City Chiefs winning the AFC; while the San Francisco 49ers have won the NFC.
The road to Miami has been long for the two teams left, but the light is appearing at the end of the tunnel. Only one will emerge victorious though, and as the NFL playoffs near an end, the country is beginning to be gripped by Super Bowl fever. Media and sports betting organizations are beginning to increase the volume of commentary and punditry. For example, fans now can get expert analysis from the FOX sports team and predictions of NFL games ahead of the big game in early February.
Who Will be Victorious?
The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are two very evenly matched teams. This makes it difficult to predict which team will go all the way to Miami. At present, the majority of major oddsmakers are giving both sides equal odds, demonstrating how little there is between them.
However, as time has passed since Championship Sunday, some bookmakers have begun to give marginally better odds for the Chiefs.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs performed well during the regular season. They ended it winning 12 games from 16, with an impressive away record of 7-1. They have not lost a game since mid-November and finished the season with a 6-game winning streak.
Their two opponents in the playoffs so far have been the Houston Texans and the Tennessee Titans. Both of these teams beat the Chiefs during the regular season, but were no match for them in the Divisional Round and Championship Game, showing the Chiefs have stepped up their game over the last few months.
The Chiefs haven’t won a Super Bowl since 1969, the days before the AFL – NFL merger. However, they’ve been showing promise in recent years having won the division championship in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
It may be time for the Chiefs to break through their glass ceiling this year, having got close several times recently. With strong players like Patrick Mahomes, it’s easy to see why they stand a good chance.
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers performed very similarly during the regular season. They finished with a 13-3 record, and an impressive 7-1 record while away. Like the Chiefs, their highest score in a game this season has been 51, but they ended the season with a higher overall points tally.
The packers also have some strong players, particularly in defense. Names like Nick Bosa, DeForest Buckner, Solomon Thomas, and Arik Armstead should cause concern for the Chiefs. Particularly Armstead and Buckner, who can cause trouble for the Chief’s OL, which is a weak spot for them.
Unlike the Chiefs, the 49ers haven’t faced any teams they’d been previously beaten by in the regular season. They won’t have the psychological advantage that the Chiefs have going into the Super Bowl.
A concern for the 49ers should be that they beat the Green Bay Packers 37-20 in the Conference Championship game. However, they’d beaten them 37-8 in late November during a regular season game, showing that their defense had worsened against the Packers, while their offense had not changed.
The 49ers also have a shorter winning streak, having been beaten by the Atlanta Falcons in mid-December.
On paper, these two teams are very evenly matched. They both performed similarly well during the regular season and have identical records when playing away from home. With 7-1 records, both the Chiefs and 49ers have shown they can overcome the disadvantage of playing games on the road, which will be important for the Super Bowl.
Despite everything, it’s shaping up to be a close fight which will make it an exciting game.