It's officially 'go' time! After a long NFL season that included 21 weeks of regular-season and postseason play, the 2023 campaign is set to conclude with Super Bowl LVIII, which kicks off injust a few hours from Las Vegas. It'll be the defending-championKansas City Chiefstaking on the star-studdedSan Francisco 49ersin a battle for this year's ultimate prize.
This matchup is exactly what many could have forecast in Week 1. The Niners came within one win of playing the Chiefs in last year's Super Bowl. K.C. is the reigning champs. And yet their respective journeys have infused the upcoming heavyweight brawl with added drama: Patrick Mahomes and Co. were curiously sluggish before rediscovering title-caliber swagger this postseason, while Brock Purdy and the 49ers found their own level of crunch-time fortitude in January.
Love them or hate them, these two teams feature some of the best talent in the NFL by a relatively wide margin, combining for 10 conference championship appearances in the last six years. In other words, their battle is must-see TV.
The 49ers are currently the oddsmakers' favorite to hoist the trophy, which on some level is quite ridiculous considering the Chiefs' undeniable track record during the Mahomes-Andy Reid era. But it speaks to the talent pool in San Francisco.
The 49ers finished 2023 with the No. 2-ranked offense -- No. 3 rushing, No. 4 passing, and No. 3 in scoring, averaging almost 29 points per game -- and they've been even better in the playoffs. Why? Because as erratic as Purdy was to start the 49ers' first postseason matchup with the Green Bay Packers, he's coming off back-to-back game-winning drives and second-half comebacks, silencing the notion he and Kyle Shanahan's offense are only built to play with a lead. Across the board, Purdy's weapons are also superior to those of the Chiefs, with Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel starring as after-contact workhorses, George Kittle remaining an over-the-middle safety valve and Brandon Aiyuk stretching the field out wide.
(Super Bowl LVIII will be broadcast on CBS and Nickelodeon and you can stream it onParamount+; here'show to watch)
They say defense wins championships, however, and while San Francisco has a reputation for fast, physical play on that side -- with Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw and ex-Chiefs starter Charvarius Ward among top playmakers -- the Chiefs actually have a clear advantage here. Steve Spagnuolo's in the midst of his best stretch as Reid's defensive coordinator, and he's got imposing difference-makers on every level -- Chris Jones and George Karlaftis up front, Nick Bolton in the middle, L'Jarius Sneed and Justin Reid on the back end. Not since 1995 have the Chiefs surrendered fewer yards per game.
Whereas the playoffs have only brought out the Chiefs' best on defense, with the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens both thoroughly blanked against their front, the 49ers have found trouble against both the Packers and Detroit Lions, only tightening the screws after first surrendering a lead.
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And then, of course, there's the elephant and/or signal-caller of destiny in the room: Mahomes. Without the hard-nosed ground support of Isiah Pacheco, the inevitable chain-moving availability of Travis Kelce or the emergent downfield speed of Rashee Rice, the Chiefs quarterback isn't always capable of stealing the show himself. But most of the time, he is. Fourteen career playoff wins? Looking for Super Bowl ring No. 3 at age 28? The guy's legacy has already been etched and discussed ad nauseum, but it doesn't change the fact he's been there, done that, at the highest level, not so unlike Tom Brady of the peak New England Patriots years.
Purdy's a special story in San Francisco. He really is. At 24, the kid has a chance to prove once and for all that he's not just a product of the Shanahan system and supporting cast, but rather the dynamic glue that maximizes the whole endeavor. He, like Jalen Hurts with the Philadelphia Eagles a year ago, probably also has the overall talent advantage, comparing one team's lineup to the next. But that advantage didn't lift the Eagles when it mattered most, and Shanahan's actually proven less aggressive when push comes to shove. With all that said, the prediction here is another Chiefs parade, but only after a hard-fought slugfest.
Call it 27-23, Chiefs, and one heck of a Super Bowl show.
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2024 NFL betting: Super Bowl, AFC/NFC Championship odds
| Team | Super Bowl | Conference |
|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | +500 | +325 |
| San Francisco 49ers | +600 | +260 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 10-1 | +500 |
| Detroit Lions | 10-1 | +550 |
28 more rowsAug 21, 2024
The Chiefs became the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the 2004 New England Patriots. The game was played on February 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. This was the first Super Bowl to be held in the state of Nevada.
Which team is underdog in the Super Bowl 2024? ›
Despite their status as defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs are slight underdogs when they face the San Francisco 49ers in the 2024 Super Bowl in Las Vegas today.
Will the Chiefs win the Super Bowl in 2024? ›
Kansas City Chiefs win 2024 Super Bowl in overtime, become back-to-back NFL champions. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates a Super Bowl win against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Kansas City Chiefs won 25-22 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Who is favourite to win the Super Bowl in 2024? ›
Of course the Chiefs are betting favorites as the 2024 season approaches. At BetMGM, a whopping 13.8% of tickets and 18% of the futures market handle are backing Kansas City to achieve the first-ever Super Bowl three-peat, as of Aug. 13. Naturally, Mahomes is also the betting favorite in the NFL MVP odds market.
Who is the MVP of the Super Bowl 2024? ›
Patrick Mahomes wins 2024 Super Bowl MVP: Chiefs QB joins Tom Brady, Joe Montana as only 3-time award winners - CBSSports.com.
Who is singing for the Super Bowl 2024? ›
Usher. Usher. The Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show will be headlined by R&B legend Usher. The "My Boo" singer will take the halftime show stage as a headliner for the first time, but it won't be his first time grabbing the mic during the Big Game.
Where is the Super Bowl 2025? ›
Super Bowl LIX is the upcoming American football championship game of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2024 season. The game is scheduled to be played on February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Where is the Super Bowl 2026? ›
Super Bowl 60 in 2026 will be held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, home of the San Francisco 49ers. It will be the second time the Super Bowl is held there, the first being in 2016. After that, in 2027, SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, will host its second Super Bowl, the first coming in 2022.
Will the Bengals win the Super Bowl 2024? ›
The Bengals, based on their Super Bowl odds (+1300), rank much better (fifth-best in the NFL) than they do in our computer ranking (12th-best). At +1300, the Bengals sport a 7.1% chance of winning the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs Are Super Bowl Underdogs Against 49ers. Turns Out They Kind Of Like It. LAS VEGAS (AP) — For most of the past six years, Patrick Mahomes has had to manufacture the chip that he carries on his shoulder, because the Kansas City Chiefs have been so good for so long that they were almost always expected to win.
Who's favored to win the Super Bowl in 2025? ›
Surprising no one, the Kansas City Chiefs are the favorite to win the Super Bowl again this year at +500 odds, slightly shorter than they were set at this time last year. They're closely followed by their Super Bowl LVIII rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, at +600.
Who's winning the Super Bowl in 2024? ›
Kansas City Chiefs' tight end #87 Travis Kelce and Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback #15 Patrick Mahomes hug after winning Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 11, 2024. The Kansas City Chiefs win the 2024 Super Bowl, 25-22!
What happened at the Super Bowl 2024? ›
The Kansas City Chiefs now have back-to-back Super Bowl wins, defeating the San Francisco 49ers in overtime in the 2024 matchup.
Can the Chiefs win the Super Bowl again? ›
Chiefs Super Bowl Odds Insights
The Chiefs' Super Bowl odds have improved since the preseason, going from +600 before the season to +110 currently. That's the second-biggest change in the league. Looking at their current odds (+110), the Chiefs have a 47.6% chance of winning the Super Bowl.
What NFL teams are going to the 2024 Super Bowl? ›
Two teams familiar with each other in the NFL's biggest game will meet again, as the San Francisco 49ers will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.
Who is favored to win the Super Bowl in 2025? ›
Surprising no one, the Kansas City Chiefs are the favorite to win the Super Bowl again this year at +500 odds, slightly shorter than they were set at this time last year. They're closely followed by their Super Bowl LVIII rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, at +600.
What are the ratings for the Super Bowl in 2024? ›
Super Bowl LVIII Draws 123.7 Million Average Viewers, Largest TV Audience on Record. NEW YORK – February 13, 2024 – An estimated 123.7 million viewers tuned in for Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, February 11, according to average audience estimates from Nielsen.
Who's performing at the Super Bowl 2025? ›
The anticipation for the Super Bowl 2025 halftime show has already begun, and rumors are swirling about who will take the stage. Scheduled to take place in New Orleans on February 9, 2025, the event might feature pop icon Miley Cyrus as the headliner.
