American Football Preview: Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers – prediction, team news, lineups

Sunday will be a battle between redemption and legacy as the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs square off in Super Bowl LVII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

San Fran erased a 17-point half-time deficit in the NFC Championship Game, defeating the Detroit Lions 34-31, while the Chiefs claimed the AFC title for a second successive campaign, beating the Baltimore Ravens 17-10.

Throughout the 2023 campaign, the Chiefs defence was the backbone of this team, and that unit got them over the line against the top-seeded Ravens, limiting NFL MVP Lamar Jackson to 54 yards rushing and holding Baltimore to a mere 10 points.

It was bend but don’t break for the defence in the AFC title game, with KC forcing three turnovers in that contest, one on the goal line, while the Ravens were just 4 of 17 on third downs.

The KC offence, which had been invisible through large portions of the regular season, have picked it up when it matters most, averaging 127 rushing yards per game in the playoffs and 23.3 points a contest, while they have yet to toss an interception.

For years, the label on head coach Andy Reid was that he could not win the big game, but if his Chiefs come out on top this weekend, he would join former legendary coaches Joe Gibbs and Bill Walsh with three Super Bowl wins, the third-most all-time behind Chuck Noll (four) and Bill Belichick (six).

Kansas City have some elite cornerbacks who have been among the best in the league all season, allowing the fourth-fewest passing yards per game in the regular season (176.5).

Against the run, however, it is a different story as KC allowed 4.5 yards per carry, though they have still managed to win despite this weakness, going 7-0 this season when giving up 110 rushing yards or fewer.