Who Goes The Super Bowl 58
Sunday Football
The Super Bowl winner from the 2023 season will officially be one of the Ravens, Chiefs, 49ers or Lions.
The Ravens kicked off the divisional round of the playoffs by decimating the Texans. San Francisco then survived a potential upset against the No. 7-seeded Packers. The Lions then kept their breakout season going by topping the Buccaneers. And the weekend ended with the Chiefs again ending the Bills’ season after Tyler Bass missed a potential game-tying field goal in the final minutes of the game.
Championship Picks:
Ravens vs Chiefs – 8pm GMT
Picks:
Ravens ML @1/2
Over 44.5 @10/11
This marks the fifth head-to-head meeting between the Chiefs and Ravens with Jackson and Mahomes as the starting quarterbacks. Baltimore is 1-3 in those games, and Jackson has a 56.2-percent completion percentage with four TDs and two interceptions in those games.
Jackson, however, is playing at a presumed-MVP level, which he showed against the Texans. Can Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo keep Jackson in contain with linebackers Drue Tranquill and Nick Bolton? Chris Jones is a game-changer on the interior for the Chiefs, and Baltimore needs to generate an inside running game with Gus Edwards and Justice Hill. Zay Flowers and L’Jarius Sneed will be a key matchup on the perimeter, and Baltimore needs to win that one a few times.
The Ravens haven’t had an answer for Patrick Mahomes in those previous four meetings. Mahomes averages 370 passing yards with 12 TDs and two interceptions in those games, and that comes with a 71.8-percent completion percentage. The connection with Travis Kelce was back in full force against the Bills, and he will test Baltimore linebackers Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen. Isiah Pacheco has added a physical presence in the running game, and Rashee Rice has emerged as a go-to receiver. The Chiefs have one turnover in each of the past two games, including a goal-line fumble by Mecole Hardman against the Bills. In those four previous meetings, Mahomes took just four sacks. Baltimore must land in those pressure situations, and it cannot let Mahomes make the plays in improv situations.
Baltimore allowed more than 24 points in two games this season. Kansas City allowed more than 24 points in one game this season. That will be the magic number for the winner, and this is the Ravens’ best chance to knock out the best team in the AFC.
The Chiefs are 9-3-1 ATS as an underdog during this six-year run. The Ravens are 6-0 ATS and 6-0 S/U when favored by four points or less this season.
Mahomes just continues to find ways to get it done in the postseason. That said, the Ravens were our pick when the playoffs started.
49ers vs Lions – 11.30pm GMT
Picks:
Lions ML @27/10 – Dog Pick
Over 51.0 @10/11
Why does Samuel’s shoulder injury have a big impact? He suffered a similar injury in Week 6 against Cleveland, and he missed two games after that. The 49ers were 0-3 in that stretch, and Purdy posted just three TDs and five INTs while completing a modest 62.5 percent of his passes during that span. It would have a profound effect on the passing attack if Samuel was out. Samuel had nine catches for 189 yards and a TD in the 49ers’ 41-33 victory against Detroit last season.
Christian McCaffrey had 24 touches against Green Bay, and Purdy will test the middle of the field with tight end George Kittle against Kerby Joseph and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Can the Lions generate an edge rush against the 49ers? Purdy has taken just eight sacks in San Francisco’s past seven games. San Francisco tackle Colton McKivitz has allowed nine sacks this season, and Detroit edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson has three sacks in two playoff games. That is a matchup Hutchinson has to win consistently on third down.
Detroit’s offense is a multi-faceted challenge for the 49ers. Jared Goff has averaged 282 passing yards per game with three TDs in two postseason games. Goff’s passer rating drops to 89.4 on the road this season, however, and he will be up against a fantastic edge rush featuring Nick Bosa and Chase Young. Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will utilize a quick passing game with Amon-Ra St. Brown on the perimeter, and rookie tight end Sam LaPorta will have to win against San Francisco linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw.
The X-factor for Detroit is Jahmyr Gibbs, who averages 11.4 yards per touch in the postseason and is a mismatch in space. How much will Detroit feed Gibbs? Can he match the production of McCaffrey? That could tilt the matchup in favor of Detroit.
Detroit has not had a turnover in two postseason games after having an even turnover margin this season. The 49ers were +2 against the Packers and +12 for the season. One or two turnovers in this matchup could be the difference.
The Lions are the best team against the spread this season at 13-6. Detroit is 2-1 ATS and 1-2 S/U as an underdog this season, and those games were against the Chiefs, Cowboys, and Ravens. San Francisco is 4-0 ATS and 4-0 S/U when favored by four points or less. This should be a classic and Samuel’s status is huge.
What There Playing For:
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game is played on the second Sunday in February.
The National Football League is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference.
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