Chris Berman picks the winner of Tremendous Bowl 2024

Chris Berman is again to make his NFL choose for Tremendous Bowl LVIII between the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.

Berman has picked the winner in 4 of the previous 5 years, and in every of the previous two Tremendous Bowls, he has accurately picked the winner AND the precise margin of victory.

Odds courtesy of ESPN BET.

Kansas Metropolis Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers (-1.5, 47.5)
Sunday, Feb. 11, 6:30 p.m. ET, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

Tremendous Bowl LVIII. If it is something like when these groups met in Tremendous Bowl LIV, we’re all in for a deal with. As you would possibly keep in mind, the 49ers led the Chiefs 20-10 with underneath seven minutes to go, earlier than the Chiefs scored 21 unanswered factors to win 31-20. However do not overlook the deep ball from Jimmy Garoppolo to Emmanuel Sanders that was nearly full with underneath two minutes remaining and the Niners down by 4. Had it related, the outcome may need been completely different.

Let us take a look at this Tremendous Bowl from a historic perspective. There hasn’t been a repeat champion in 19 years, when the Patriots did it within the 2003 and ’04 seasons. There was once at the very least one every decade: Inexperienced Bay within the ’60s, Miami and Pittsburgh (twice) within the ’70s, San Francisco within the ’80s, and Dallas and Denver within the ’90s. However now there was a niche. The Chiefs weren’t in a position to do it three years in the past, however they’ve one other probability Sunday.

This makes 4 Tremendous Bowl journeys in 5 seasons for the Chiefs. Solely two different franchises have ever accomplished that: the Patriots (2014, 2016-18) and the Payments, who did it 4 straight seasons to begin the ’90s. It is necessary to grasp the greatness we’re seeing. The Chiefs actually have grow to be the Patriots, with their very own legendary coach (Andy Reid) and their very own legendary quarterback (Patrick Mahomes).

Let’s not look too far previous the 49ers, who simply performed of their fourth NFC Championship Sport prior to now 5 seasons. A Tremendous Bowl win would cement what Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have put collectively, after which we might higher acknowledge that they’ve been the dominant pressure within the NFC over the identical span of time.

Earlier than the season, Kansas Metropolis was the best choice to win the Tremendous Bowl at 6-1, whereas San Francisco was tied for the third alternative at 9-1. The groups took completely different paths to get right here.

The 49ers jumped to a 5-0 begin, then abruptly hit the skids, dropping three straight in October. However following their bye, they rolled nearly everybody. They received seven of eight video games to clinch the No. 1 seed (earlier than resting most of their starters in a Week 18 loss). All seven wins got here by double digits, with the one loss in that span coming at house to Baltimore on Christmas evening. That loss may need been a blessing in disguise. As an alternative of dominating, the 49ers trailed in each playoff video games — 21-14 after three quarters in opposition to Inexperienced Bay and 24-7 on the half versus Detroit — and needed to come from behind to win. They had been clutch in crunch time and right here they’re.

The Chiefs started 6-1, the one blemish being the opening evening upset loss to Detroit. That robust begin may need masked what was brewing, although. They went 3-5 of their subsequent eight video games, together with a house loss to the Raiders on Christmas. The Chiefs weren’t scoring. The truth is, that they had issues catching the soccer. The protection was higher than the offense. Possibly the loss to the Raiders was their blessing in disguise … and likewise attention-grabbing that it got here on Christmas, identical to the Niners’ did. There was a realization that “we’re not the Chiefs we might thought we might be, however we’re fairly darned good and if we need to win, we’ll need to do it otherwise than we had been planning or that we’re accustomed to.” Since that recreation, they’ve gone 5-0, together with three spectacular playoff efforts: 26-7 in arctic Arrowhead in opposition to Miami, 27-24 at Buffalo (permitting solely seven factors within the second half), and 17-10 at Baltimore, a recreation during which they by no means trailed.

On to Sunday, San Francisco is a slight favourite. 4 years in the past, Kansas Metropolis was a slight favourite. Why the change? The 49ers greater than cross the eyeball take a look at on offense. They scored 120 extra factors within the common season than the Chiefs. Christian McCaffrey was the NFL’s dashing chief and amassed greater than 2,000 yards from scrimmage. You realize the opposite names, all harmful: Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk, deal with Trent Williams. After which there’s quarterback Brock Purdy. Detractors are lacking the purpose. He wins. He is very exact as a passer in Shanahan’s purring offense. He is additionally spectacular along with his legs, simply ask the Lions. The protection additionally has many family names, like Nick Bosa, who can wreck a recreation, and linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, simply to say a couple of.

Kansas Metropolis’s protection, underneath maestro Steve Spagnuolo, one of many nice defensive coaches of our time, has allowed solely Buffalo to attain greater than 20 factors prior to now eight video games. The Chiefs have fewer family names than the Niners. Chris Jones is, after all, a stalwart. L’Jarius Sneed is a budding celebrity, simply ask the Ravens … and there are various others, like defensive finish “Livid” George Karlaftis. The Chiefs are a terrific tackling staff, and so they know they higher be in opposition to the Niners, who excel in yards after the catch. Spags runs the “Rolodex” protection: quite a bit to select from and no actual sample for opponents to lock in on. You simply know one thing’s coming.

Once more, the Chiefs’ offense is sort of completely different than initially imagined. No shock that within the playoffs Travis Kelce unexpectedly was open as soon as once more. Rashee Rice catches the ball, Isiah Pacheco runs indignant and their inside O-line — regardless of the damage to Professional Bowl guard Joe Thuney — is excellent. Then, there’s Mahomes. He is nonetheless the most effective quarterback within the recreation. He accomplished 30 of 39 passes in Baltimore, however for underneath 250 yards. The yards do not matter. Complementary soccer does. So … when push involves shove, would not you need the ball in Mahomes’ fingers come crunch time? Particularly as an underdog, because the Chiefs had been the previous two weeks and as they had been in final yr’s Tremendous Bowl in opposition to Philadelphia? That is my pondering.

Kansas Metropolis 23, San Francisco 20