It’s that time of year. The time of year when families and friends come together to celebrate a holiday that isn’t quite a holiday. The celebration of American Football: The Super Bowl.
I’ve written a Super Bowl prediction before, and if you go back and find it, I was clearly wrong, as I picked the Bengals to beat the Rams just two short years ago. A lot has changed since then. Patrick Mahomes took over Tom Brady’s role as the NFL’s “Golden Boy,” and I went from being a sophomore to now being just short of graduating.
With this year’s Super Bowl, which is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 11, we will see Brock Purdy’s 49ers take on Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs, who are looking to find their second championship in many years.
On one side, we see Mr. Irrelevant himself, a product of Iowa State, who has proven he is much more talented than anyone initially thought after he was drafted with the last pick of the 2022 draft. And he has weapons. Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk comprise one of the best receiver tandems in the league. George Kittle, another big name in Iowa sports, is one of, if not the best tight end in the league.
Then, in the backfield, Purdy has both perennial Pro Bowl fullback Kyle Juszczyk and, in my opinion, the best running back in the league with Christian McCaffery. Admittedly, the offensive line stands as the weak point of the offense, but with Kittle’s blocking ability and Purdy’s ability to navigate the pocket, it hasn’t proven to be too much of a liability yet.
With the Chiefs, not only do you find the NFL’s Golden Boy and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, but you find an offense that has ultimately surprised me as being able to take to the NFL’s biggest stage for a second year in a row. I know I am a hater as I see the Chiefs as the Cowboys of the AFC (Although the Chiefs can actually make it to a Super Bowl in the 21st century), but they have proven again and again that they can win.
Running back Isiah Pacheco has come into his own in his second year in the league behind what amounts to a near-top-10 offensive line. The team’s receivers have pulled together in the post-Tyreek Hill era, and Rashee Rice has made a great impression as a rookie. Travis Kelce also remains one of the best tight ends in the league.
In terms of defenses, the 49ers have the edge, in my opinion, as I find their linebacker corps and defensive line far more menacing. Their defensive backs bring a lot of talent as well. I personally believe that the Chiefs’ defense has less talent, but they haven’t been playing like it. Looking back a few weeks to when the 49ers narrowly made it past the extremely young Green Bay Packers doesn’t exactly inspire me to give an extreme edge to either unit, however.
The game is truly a David vs. Goliath scenario. Admittedly, America lost with this matchup, but I am just a salty Green Bay fan.
Visualizing this from an NFL Script Writer’s point of view, I see the 49ers winning so Purdy can get his ring and become a national treasure, becoming the first Mr. Irrelevant to start and win a Super Bowl at the quarterback position. I also don’t need to see Mahomes get another ring.
The game should be close, and a higher-scoring match is a possibility. In the end, I see Purdy hoisting the Lombardi with the 49ers overtaking the Chiefs to the tune of a 35-30 final score. My pick for the Super Bowl MVP is Purdy, as I think he puts it all together on the biggest stage.
