What do you know? The Chiefs are determined to make it to the Super Bowl again.
Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes’ dynasty was already far enough along that no matter how much offensive frustration they showed in the regular season, oddsmakers never truly doubted Kansas City.
The longest Super Bowl futures odds were 9/1 after beating the Chargers 13-12 in Week 18.
The Chiefs opened the season as the favorites after defeating the Eagles in Super Bowl LII and remained that way until Week 1.
In Week 4, the 49ers were the only favorites to win the title and have remained that way ever since. Kyle Shanahan has a chance to avenge his team’s Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs four years ago.
Early predictions for Chiefs vs. 49ers
(February 11, 6:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
If any team has paid its dues, it’s San Francisco.
The 49ers have played in four of the last five NFC Championship games, losing the previous two.
When the 49ers led Detroit 24-7 at halftime, it looked like they were headed for their third straight victory.
The team that emerged in the second half would pull off the greatest halftime comeback in conference championship history.
A lot of that was due to some questionable play calls, bad turnovers, and a defense that completely lost its edge.
The 49ers will face a Chiefs team that has lost in the Super Bowl for the second year in a row.
It’s really hard to justify a declining Patrick Mahomes. Joe Burrow and Tom Brady are the only players to lose three playoff games in their six-season careers.
The Chiefs have now covered the spread in five straight games, and Mahomes hasn’t thrown an interception since Christmas.
He is trailing at 12-0 in the 6-point teaser. This is the 11th time Mahomes has entered the season at +2.5 or better, with a record of 9-0-1 against the spread and 8-2 straight up.
However you want to promote Mahomes’ playoff talent, I’m going to go against the grain here.
The Ravens more or less beat themselves Sunday with undisciplined play. Even though it took the 49ers nearly four quarters to beat Green Bay and then slept through the first half against the Lions, Shanahan was a master problem-solver.
We all know his tool belt is more comprehensive than anyone else’s, but when the San Francisco star is healthy, it’s exposed. They are 16-9 against the spread when Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey are both healthy.
Health-wise, the Chiefs’ pass rush will be undermanned as Charles Omenihu is officially out with a torn ACL. He was added to a laundry list of key players whose status was in question heading into the AFC Championship.
Brock Purdy had 48 rushing yards on five carries against Detroit, the second-highest total of the year in a little-known division.
He continues to be evaluated for unrelated reasons such as draft position, but he continues to get the best out of the talent around him while making plays with his own hands when needed.
Isn’t that the textbook description of a successful quarterback? Either that, or a league-leading 72.7 QBR and 113.3 passer rating.
We love getting caught up in stories, and there’s certainly plenty to discuss with the two eternal candidates for the better part of this decade. But when it comes to what’s happening on the field, the two top three defensemen are evenly matched in goals conceded.
I see this as the relentless chemistry between Mahomes and Travis Kelce (who connected on all 11 attempts against Baltimore) against overwhelming star power.
Mahomes’ connection with Kelce accounts for over 36 percent of his air yards in the playoffs.
It might be ignorant to call him a one-trick pony, but the 49ers have four players with over 100 total yards in the playoffs. Their average point difference was more than double that of the Chiefs.
Whether Las Vegas perceives Mahomes as an underdog or not, the public will always support him at this point. Ignore the story and get an early advantage in San Francisco.
choose: 49ers -1.5 (+105, FanDuel Sportsbook)
