With two teams that expect to be here and the thinnest of betting lines, Super Bowl LVIII predictions aren’t going to be easy to make. Both the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are on the previous Super Bowl winners list and have a strong argument for winning another one. With any luck, that will lead to this being one of the greatest Super Bowls ever played.
Super Bowl LVIII Predictions
With so much talent on both sides, what should fans expect from the Chiefs and 49ers?
Will this game follow a similar script to the last time these teams met in the Super Bowl just four years ago?
We took a close look at this matchup and came up with some Super Bowl LVIII predictions.
A Lot of Scoring
When the Chiefs and 49ers met in the Super Bowl four years ago, they produced a total of 51 points. Oddsmakers have put an over/under of 47.5 points on this year’s matchup, which is a little higher than average for an NFL game. It’s also worth noting that when they met during the 2022 regular season, the Chiefs won 44-23 for a total of 67 points. In other words, these teams tend to play high-scoring games against one another.
Even with both teams being strong defensively, there are reasons to think the two offenses can have success. For starters, Patrick Mahomes is the best player on the planet while Brock Purdy played close to an MVP level for most of the season. The Chiefs have the best tight end in the league in Travis Kelce and an emerging star at running back in Isiah Pacheco.
San Francisco’s skill players are even deeper with Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and others. Despite two talented defenses, there is too much offensive talent on both rosters not to expect a healthy amount of scoring.
Creativity
With the talent they have on offense, neither team needs to be that creative to move the ball. But with two weeks to prepare, both coaching staffs are bound to cook up some creative plays.
Andy Reid, in particular, usually has a few tricks up his sleeve for big games, especially when he has extra time to be creative. Kyle Shanahan is no different. Dating back to his days as an offensive coordinator, he’s always been willing to try new things and attempt trick plays. It’d be shocking if both teams didn’t try some form of trickery at some point during Super Bowl LVIII.
Mahomes on the Move
Patrick Mahomes tends to do his best work when he’s running around and improvising. That is exactly what we’re likely to get in Super Bowl LVIII. With Chase Young and Nick Bosa, the 49ers have two of the best pass rushers in the NFL.
Even if they aren’t able to wrap up Mahomes for sacks, they will surely create enough pressure to flush him from the pocket. That will get Mahomes moving, potentially creating some of the game’s most exciting plays.
Taylor Watch
Like it or not, TV cameras will be on the lookout for Taylor Swift, assuming she makes it to Las Vegas in time for the game after performing in Japan the night before the Super Bowl.
Anytime Travis Kelce makes a big play, TV producers will try to get an action shot of Swift and other family members of key Chiefs players. Some fans have griped about the attention she’s received, but in a four-hour game, seeing 30 seconds of Swift isn’t the end of the world.
A Fantastic Fourth Quarter
This might be a little bit of wishful thinking, but there is a good chance Super Bowl LVIII will have a compelling fourth quarter. The last two playoff wins for both teams came in games decided by a touchdown or less and went down to the wire.
We also saw a fourth-quarter comeback when the 49ers and Chiefs played in the Super Bowl four years ago. The last two Super Bowls have been decided by just three points each; this one could easily follow a similar script.