It's time for the final installment of NFL picks and score predictions for the 2023-24 season. What a wild ride it's been. Ultimately, we ended right back where we started, didn't we? The Kansas City Chiefs kicked off the 2023 NFL season after winning last year's Super Bowl against Philadelphia, and they'll play for yet another championship in 2024. This time, they'll be taking on Kyle Shanahan and his San Francisco 49ers.
Shanahan's crew is one of the most well-coached teams in the entire NFL. The Niners suffered a scare in the second round of the playoffs against Green Bay, but they've been one of the most impressive teams in the league all year. If it weren't for the 49ers benching starters in Week 18, they likely would have ended the season with the biggest point differential in the league.
San Francisco's offensive dominance is so impressive when you consider the fact that Brock Purdy is leading the charge. Once considered to be a potential first-round pick, Purdy somehow lasted all the way to the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. And if it weren't for a number of other injuries, he might have never even played for San Francisco.
Purdy has weapons upon weapons at his disposal. Christian McCaffrey has been one of the most dominant offensive playmakers in all of football this season, but the 49ers have such a strong all-around cast with Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and other guys like Jauan Jennings to spread the ball around to.
And going up against a Kansas City Chiefs defense that is both dominant and opportunistic?
Well, you're going to be getting one of the more epic matchups you could have hoped for.
That group of skill players for the San Francisco 49ers going up against the Kansas City defense, which has so many studs at every level? It's going to be incredible for the football junkies out there.
And of course, you have Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, who have erased any doubts about whether they were down and out during the regular season. Even though they had to go on the road for the first time, the Chiefs have looked like the same old Chiefs in the playoffs, making their fourth Super Bowl appearance in the last five seasons.
And you never thought you would see anything like the Patriots dynasty again...
The Chiefs are well-equipped to beat the 49ers, even with as many weapons as the 49ers have offensively. Ultimately, you just can't really pick against the Chiefs in this case, can you? It just feels inevitable that they're going to win.
Right?
No. Back at the beginning of the playoffs, my gut was telling me that it was the Detroit Lions going all the way. I wasn't buying into the Chiefs based on what we were seeing throughout the regular season. But this team deserves a ton of credit for the way they've been playing lately.
I'm taking the Chiefs over the 49ers to win Super Bowl LVIII.
Prediction: Chiefs win 27-24