hello i have to go
One thing I’ve learned over the past 12-plus years of covering sports is that it’s better to retire a year too early than a year too late. In that spirit, I must announce that today is my last day writing for the US Guardian.
It was not a decision I made lightly! This is the most fun job a human could possibly do, especially when live blogging. You were a great audience. But it’s time to find something new for me. I don’t know how it’s going to turn out yet, but when it started to become something I did for the money, I didn’t want to stay too long. It’s time for some fresh blood. It’s true that whoever replaces me will do a great job. I will definitely keep reading!
I don’t want this to be all about me. These blogs are about games. I just wanted to make that clear up front. Save your final goodbyes until last. By then, we spend hours together. Cherish them all.
preamble
Hello everyone. Welcome to the end of the NFL season. If this feels like a familiar matchup, it’s because we’ve been here before. It was more than four years ago that the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in 2020. I remember it like it was yesterday, but that’s because I don’t even remember much of it.
These 49ers were probably the most complete team in football all season long. The Chiefs have the edge at quarterback, but Brock Purdy has the better offensive weapon. Even when they fell behind early against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game, they were able to put together a perfect second half and pull off a spectacular comeback. They can’t afford to fall behind the Chiefs early on, and one suspects they know it.
But the Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes. There’s a reason Mahomes is the most important player in the league, and he proved it in what was arguably his most impressive season to date. The Chiefs have a declining core of receivers and will have to do more heavy lifting than in previous seasons. It’s a load he’s proven more than capable of lifting. Plus, he still has Travis Kelce at tight end and the most famous pop star on the planet rooting for him, so he must feel pretty invincible.
That means the biggest game of the year will pit the best team against the best quarterback. That sounds fun to me. One last time, please join us for this live coverage of his NFL season. If you have an email, and he probably does since it’s 2024, please send your feedback to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com. If you’re still on Twitter or X or whatever Elon wants to call it, you can shoot them to their next destination. @HunterFelt. We will reveal them throughout today’s coverage.
Super Bowl IV will be played between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in Nevada. The game is scheduled to start at 6:30 PM ET, but this is the Super Bowl. It won’t start on time! We’ll continue to provide updates in the lead up to the big game to keep you informed.
2 and a half hours left until kickoff And Allegiant Stadium is already full.
Hunter will arrive soon. In the meantime, here are our writers’ predictions for today’s game (49ers fans may want to stop reading now):
49ers 24-27 Chiefs. This is one of our heartfelt picks. The Niners are the better all-around team. The Chiefs have an exceptional defense, but there are few answers as to the specific burden the Niners offense places on opponents. But they also have the most talented players to walk the earth at the game’s most valuable position. This is Mahomes’ pick. The Chiefs shouldn’t be here. They are a flawed team with the worst offensive group Mahomes has worked with in his career. But he’s still Mahomes, and it’s hard to pick a match for a quarterback on a dynastic run. Oliver Connolly
49ers 24-30 Chiefs. Purdy played well, but in the end, the Chiefs D got the better of him. andrew lawrence
49ers 14-31 Chiefs. It would be fun to see the Niners win. Just because they haven’t won a title this century/millennium while the Chiefs are already a modern dynasty. But this won’t be close. The Niners were lucky to get past the Packers, but they would have lost to the Lions if not for a few moments of luck. In both games, the defense was unimpressive, and the result could have gone either way. The Ravens wiped the floor in San Francisco on Christmas, and the Chiefs will do the same on Sunday. Tom Lutz
49ers 33-28 Chiefs. Heart or head? Well, ego trumps both. The 49ers were my darling in the preseason, and you just have to stick around, right? (He also needs to try to restore credence to his suggestion that the Ravens would miss the playoffs.) Shanahan will look to build something truly special to win his first ring. The battle for the trilogy will be heated next year. Graham Searles
From MVP to how each team will win, you can read a complete rundown of our predictions for the game here.
