Statschecker: 49ers At Chiefs: 5 Things To Consider
NFL fans should be downright overjoyed about this year’s Super Bowl match-up. The 49ers and Chiefs have both played elite football all year long. Perhaps even more importantly, each squad comes into the Super Bowl playing their best football of the campaign.
Oddsmakers certainly don’t see a big difference between the two squads. The Chiefs come into the contest as narrow 1.5-point favorites, but that’s a really low number for such an explosive offense. The 49ers are definitely getting the respect they deserve after throttling the Packers in the NFC Championship game.
If you’re a casual NFL fan looking for great information on who to wager on in Super Bowl 54, then you absolutely must check out our exclusive Statschecker Site to get a leg up on the competition. Even if you are an experienced better, it’s the perfect place to get all of your information in concise form.
As always, I’ll walk you through five key facts you can learn from the site ahead of the big game, but it’s up to you to visit and get all of the details for yourself.
- The Chiefs have to stop the run
Raheem Mostert isn’t the most talented offensive player in this game, but it’s crucial that Kansas City stop him from carving their defense up on the ground. The 49ers are going to do everything win their power to win this game by dominating the time of possession with their talented rushing attack.
Mostert comes into this game with a lot of momentum on his side. He’s scored two or more touchdowns in three of San Francisco’s last four games on Sunday. If he finds paydirt twice in the Super Bowl he’s going to be lifting the Lombardi Trophy once the final whistle sounds.
- That doesn’t mean Kansas City won’t run the football
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ vaunted passing attack are getting a ton of attention this week. While they happen to thoroughly deserve those accolades, it’s important to remember that Andy Reid wants to run the football too.
That’s why Damien Williams has scored at least once in his last four postseason games. The Chiefs won’t give their backs the same volume of carries that the 49ers will give their backs, but they’ll get chances to make plays. A score from Williams could tip the scales in Kansas City’s favor.
- Don’t bet on the Chiefs to start quickly
One of the strangest stats you should know about heading into this year’s Super Bowl is the fact that Kansas City has lost the first quarter in their last three postseason games as favorites. That’s not a large sample size, but it’s a troubling trend for Chiefs fans.
Starting quickly should be a priority for the 49ers. Look for Kyle Shanahan to script offensive playas designed to get the ball out of Jimmy Garoppolo’s hands quickly. An early scoring drive would go a long way towards settling the 49ers down.
- The 49ers average more points than the Chiefs
If you poll NFL fans and ask them which team scored more points this season, you’d get a lot of wrong answers. The Chiefs have the star-studded offense, but it’s the 49ers who averaged more points this year. Their 30.2 points per game narrowly edges out Kansas City’s total of 29.8
In fairness, some of that credit should go to the 49ers defense. They’ve been much better at taking the ball away and scoring themselves than their Kansas City counterparts. The overall point here is not to underestimate San Francisco’s ability to score points in this game.
- The 49ers are dangerous underdogs
San Francisco hasn’t been underdogs all that often this season, but they are 4-1 on those five occasions. No one in Kansas City should feel comfortable with their status as slight favorites in this Super Bowl.
The takeaway here should be to bet on whichever team you think will win the game. The 1.5 points line is pretty slight no matter how you look at it. Don’t let that sway you when it’s time to make your final wager.
Bet on substance over style
Mahomes is one of the most exciting players the NFL has had to offer in a long time. It’s going to be a joy to watch him go against this tough San Francisco defense.
Unfortunately for the Chiefs, it won’t be a joy for them to watch when the game hits the fourth quarter. Look for the San Francisco defensive line to win this game for fans in the Bay Area. They’ll chase and hammer Mahomes enough to get their team a narrow victory. This has all the makings of a great Super Bowl, but the team with he physicality edge will emerge victorious.