It's a matchup of teams trying to end long championship droughts when the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers battle for the title at the 2020 Super Bowl on Sunday in Miami. The Chiefs haven't won a championship since Super Bowl IV after the 1969 season, while the 49ers will be going for their sixth crown, but their first since 1994. Kansas City's only other appearance in the Super Bowl was a 35-10 loss to the Packers in the inaugural edition, while the Niners most recently reached the big game after the 2012 campaign, losing 34-31 to the Ravens.
With so much on the line, kickoff for the Miami Super Bowl is set for 6:30 p.m. ET. Kansas City is a 1.5-point favorite in the latest 49ers vs. Chiefs odds, while the over-under for total points scored is 53.5, down a full point after moving as high as 54.5. Before locking in any Chiefs vs. 49ers picks, be sure to see the 2020 Super Bowl predictions from SportsLine's Mike Tierney.
The veteran sportswriter, whose work has appeared in The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, has covered football of all levels for decades. And that expertise has been evident since he joined SportsLine in 2016.
He has been SportsLine's top NFL handicapper, went 63-46 against the spread last season, and enters the Super Bowl 2020 on a 63-36 run that's returned $2,341 to $100 players. Tierney also has had a sharp eye for both clubs, posting a stunning record of 13-5 on his last 18 NFL picks against the spread involving the Chiefs or 49ers. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, he has locked in on 49ers vs. Chiefs from every angle and released another confident point-spread selection. You can go to SportsLine to see it. Here are several NFL betting lines and trends for Chiefs vs. 49ers in the Super Bowl 2020:
- 49ers vs. Chiefs spread: Kansas City -1.5
- 49ers vs. Chiefs over-under: 53.5
- 49ers vs. Chiefs money line: Kansas City -122, San Francisco +101
- KC: QB Patrick Mahomes has thrown for at least 270 yards 11 times in 15 full games.
- SF: Three San Francisco running backs rushed for at least 500 yards this season.
Why the Chiefs can cover
Tierney is aware that the favorite has won 34 of 53 Super Bowls and Kansas City's offense has been on fire. The Chiefs have scored 86 points in two 2020 NFL Playoff games, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes is averaging 307.5 yards passing with eight touchdowns. Receiver Sammy Watkins is averaging 21.1 yards on nine catches in the postseason, while tight end Travis Kelce has 13 receptions and three TDs.
Mahomes can avoid the rush, which will be handy against San Francisco, which is 1-4 in the last five meetings between the teams. He had a 27-yard touchdown run when the pocket broke down in a win against Green Bay and has been sacked just twice in the postseason. The Chiefs' secondary led a pass defense that was eighth in the league, allowing an average of 221.4 yards.
Why the 49ers can cover
Tierney knows Kittle can break out at any time for San Francisco, which has covered five straight games as an underdog. The 6-foot-4 third-year pro was named to the All-Pro team this season, and he has topped 80 catches the past two years. He has just four catches in the 2020 NFL Playoffs with the 49ers sitting on leads, but he had at least five receptions in seven of the final eight regular-season games. He is one of the best in the league at running after the catch.
The 49ers are 9-3 against the spread in non-conference games this season and the defense is loaded on the line, while backers Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw and Kwon Alexander also swarm opposing offenses. Warner makes plays all over the field, leading the team with 118 tackles during the regular season and putting up three sacks, forcing three fumbles and defending nine passes. Richard Sherman led the team with three interceptions.
How to make 49ers vs. Chiefs picks
Tierney is leaning under on the total, but he also says a critical x-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's eyeing a team that has "achieved the impossible" so far during the 2020 NFL Playoffs and knows they can do it again in the Super Bowl. He's sharing what it is, and which side to back, only at SportsLine.
Who wins 49ers vs. Chiefs in Super Bowl 2020? And what critical x-factor makes one side a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Chiefs vs. 49ers spread you should be all over, all from the expert who's 13-5 on picks involving these teams.
