Super Bowl 54: Early pick, score prediction for 49ers vs. Chiefs

What to expect from the San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers have spent all season surprising people. While they were expected to compete for the NFC West title, I don’t think many folks had them pegged as the last undefeated team and the top seed in the conference. It’s been an exciting ride for the young squad.

The main concern with the 49ers is their lack of experience. Many of their top playmakers haven’t been this far in the playoffs, and their head coach isn’t well-versed in Super Bowl appearances. While he can lean on his father for advice, it’s a whole other ballgame when the bright lights are on. Apart from that, there isn’t much to report in the weakness department.

Honestly, the biggest thing is Garoppolo avoiding turnovers and allowing the offense to stall. They’ve been a wrecking crew at times this year, but have also had games in which the wheels fell off. They’ll need to rely heavily on the ground game, and look for their elite defense to create scoring opportunities and set them up with premium field position.

If the 49ers win this one, there’s a good chance it’ll be because of their defense. They’ve been among the best in the league this season at making opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable, creating turnovers and stopping the ball when the game was on the line. Slowing the Kansas City offense won’t be easy, but it will be necessary if San Francisco wants to win its sixth Super Bowl.