Super Bowl 58 will kick off from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in a few hours. Nothing encapsulates the American dream more than a two-billion dollar stadium in Vegas, where you can purchase bottle service on the 50-yard line, the true eighth wonder of the world.
The San Francisco 49ers will be Super Bowl champions this coming Sunday.
The pure explosiveness of the San Francisco offense is objectively too much to contain. If the offensive cast can show up and perform, the Bay Area will have its first Super Bowl in almost 30 years. A caveat on this, Super Bowl 58 is entirely contingent on Brock Purdy’s first half.
Purdy’s game is a rollercoaster of emotions to watch, particularly if your future journalism credibility relies on him. Purdy needs to play like his H&M flannel still has the tags on. Kansas City’s defense is entirely too good to rely on NFL voodoo magic to spark a comeback. If Andy Reid goes into the halftime break with a lead, Patrick Mahomes will have his third Superbowl ring.
A theme through the first two 49ers playoff games is sleepwalking through the first half. Minor miscues that lead to major problems will tell the story of the 49ers, Green Bay and Detroit both failed to capitalize on 49er miscues that proved to be costly long term.
It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Kyle Shanahan has to ease Purdy into this game; 100 miles per hour out of the gate does nothing positive, so what better way to do this than rely on the Offensive Player of the Year?
Christian McCaffrey needs to see a minimum of 14 first-half touches for the 49ers to see confetti. The Bay Area may implode if Purdy does not bring home a Super Bowl. Let Purdy find the way and put the ball in McCafferey’s hands.
Steve Wilks is on the list of people that need to step up on Sunday. A schmuck once said, “If the 49ers first half defense was protecting the front lines, America would be doomed.” This remains true. A puzzling theme emerging from this year’s playoff is the 49er’s defensive fall-off from being the third-ranked rushing defense during the season to allowing nearly 250 rush yards through two games.
The questionable run defense has to be acknowledged in San Francisco; if Isaiah Pacheco is enabled to get going, this game will get out of control extremely fast. Pacheco runs like a chihuahua, a chihuahua that is getting 20 touches a game with 4.6 yards per carry, not an ideal scenario. Stopping the run creates a dilemma for Wilks.
If the 49ers can hypothetically prevent Kansas City’s run game, the ball will be left in the hands of Patrick Mahomes, essentially a lose-lose situation for the 49ers defensive coordinator.
Mahomes is currently playing at an all-time level. The 49ers cannot “stop” Mahomes, but Shanahan can do some damage control by way of controlling time of possession. If Purdy and company can limit three-and-outs and keep the ball out of Mahomes’ hands, it will make life easier; cue Run CMC. Please put the ball in Christian McCafferey’s hands; let the offensive player of the year be the offensive player of the game.
The spread is currently at 49ers -2, I wouldn’t put your house on this, but possibly your kitchen sink. The point total is 47.5, you can put your home on the over. McCaffrey is currently +400 for Super Bowl MVP; for the 49ers to win, it has to be by way of the Offensive Player of the Year. I’ve seen a few books offering Taylor Swift to divorce Travis Kelce at the 50 yard-line, +275 feels like good value.