Now that the playoffs have come to a close, we finally know the two teams that will represent the AFC and NFC in the Super Bowl. This year, we have a clash of young, emerging quarterbacks as the Kansas City Chiefs will battle it out with the San Francisco 49ers at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. In only his second season as starting quarterback, Patrick Mahomes will lead his smoldering Chiefs offense against Richard Sherman and the NFL’s best defense in the 49ers. Will Jimmy Garoppolo need to throw the ball more than eight times to beat this Chiefs team, or will their run game be too much for Kansas City to handle? What are some of the best 2020 Super Bowl bets for you to jump on?
There are a number of intriguing storylines to consider in this year’s Super Bowl, and with both these teams averaging over 20 points per game in the playoffs, we can expect more fireworks than last year. Where does Pro Football Network’s Expert Handicapper Chris Smith land on this year’s matchup? He gives us his early insight and some Super Bowl bets that he jumped on as soon as the lines opened.
Super Bowl Matchup: Kansas City Chiefs vs San Francisco 49ers
Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Opening lines: Chiefs -1.5, Over/Under 53
Will offense or defense prevail?
The 49ers looked dominant in dismantling the Green Bay Packers for the second time this season on Sunday. Sure, Aaron Rodgers put up over 300 yards in garbage time, but the Packers were held scoreless when it really mattered in the first thirty minutes. By halftime, Raheem Mostert and the San Francisco running game had amassed approximately 500 yards (give or take) and essentially put the game out of reach, even for the legendary Rodgers. Alas, there would be no State Farm Super Bowl. Mahomes did hold up his end of the bargain, however, and I firmly believe the 49ers defense will struggle to have the same level of success against the Chiefs as they did a limited Green Bay offense.
While the San Francisco defense is healthier now than at any point in the past two months, I think it’s worth noting that Robert Saleh’s vaunted unit has been prone to strong aerial attacks this season. Look no further than the three week stretch in mid-December when the 49ers were lit up by the likes of Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, and Jared Goff. Don’t get me wrong, this will be the most formidable defense that Mahomes has ever faced, but great quarterbacks have a tendency to find holes in top tier defenses. Just ask Buddy Ryan and the ‘85 Bears about Dan Marino.
On the other side of the ball, while I expect the 49ers running game to have some success, the Kansas City defense just proved against Derrick Henry on Sunday afternoon that they aren’t afraid to sell out against the run. You could argue that Ryan Tannehill actually posed more of a threat to the Kansas City secondary than Garoppolo will at any point in Miami in two weeks. Steve Spagnuolo will inevitably force Jimmy G to beat him at some point. While I expect George Kittle to be heavily involved in the game plan for the first time this postseason, I can’t in good conscience take the 49ers over the Chiefs in a shootout.
I have a ton of respect for Kyle Shanahan as a play-caller and head coach, but this Kansas City offense is loaded with weapons. They also have the best quarterback in football and a coach in Andy Reid, who is at his best whenever given extra time to prepare. I predict a 33-28 victory for the Kansas City Chiefs with Andy Reid finally getting his first Super Bowl title.
Official Plays: Chiefs -1 (-110) for 1U
Patrick Mahomes MVP (+125) for 1U
Lean: Over 53 (-110)
Stay tuned for prop plays throughout the next few weeks on @pfnbets