With the Super Bowl coming up quickly, it is important to get a view on who is likely to win out this year. Already, Pennsylvania online sports betting has gone into overdrive trying to back the winner, with it likely to be one of the closest Super Bowls we have seen in many years. So, what are the stats and figures telling us about the biggest game of the year?
Patrick Mahomes, one of the best ever?
There is no question about who most people consider to be the best QB of all time. Tom Brady. His achievements and contributions to game-winning plays at crucial times makes him stand out over everyone else. However, Patrick Mahomes has been putting himself close to that conversation in the last few years. At just 24 years of age, he is yet to hit his peak, but he is already impressing a huge number of people within the NFL, especially after winning the MVP award in his first full season as a starter. So, what do the stats say about Mahomes’ ability to drive the Chiefs to a Super Bowl title?
Well, so far across his career, Mahomes has pulled off just four game-winning comebacks. While this may seem like a negative, as it shows he can sometimes struggle to pull his team back from the brink, there is also a positive spin. It means that Mahomes often pushes the Chiefs into winning positions that they then do not lose. This shows with his record of just seven losses from 31 starts. Mahomes does not have too many fourth quarter comebacks because he put his side into the lead in the other three quarters.
This shows a more important quality: Mahomes is reliable across the whole game, not just when the team is in a pinch. It means that he performs well enough to not need a fourth quarter comeback. So, while he will likely never reach the same numbers as Manning or Brady, his performance across the first three quarters is far more important to the Chiefs.
In Mahomes, the Chiefs have arguably the best QB playing at the moment. He could be the difference between the Chiefs and the 49ers when they play. What is so special about Mahomes is his ability to throw with both hands. He can throw almost as well with his left as his right. It means that whatever side he is rushed from, he can still pull a pass out of the bag. It makes it harder for the opposition defense to close him down and ensures that he can drive the Chiefs forward.
The 49ers have identified the threat
The 49ers are undoubtedly the underdogs for this game. With the Chiefs regarded as the second favorites to win the Super Bowl before the season started, the 49ers will still be going into the game knowing they have a chance, and the players have been honest about what they perceive as the biggest threat to their chances of winning: the throwing ability of Patrick Mahomes. As already mentioned, he is dangerous on either side and is able to pull out special moments as though they are nothing with shocking regularity.
This is why Nick Bosa has been talking to his brother in order to get some tips on how to stop Patrick Mahomes. Joey Bosa has played against Mahomes three times over the last two seasons and has managed to restrict Mahomes to less than 65% passing accuracy in those games. He also managed to get five QB hits across the three games. It is safe to say that Joey Bosa knows Mahomes as well as anyone else in the league.
It is also safe to say that the 49ers seem to think that if they stop Mahomes, then they stop the Chiefs. That is something that lots of people would agree with. In just two seasons, Mahomes has made a reputation for himself as a classy QB who could go on to legendary status. What the 49ers have is a top-tier defense of which Bosa is a strong part of. If his brother can pass on some wisdom to him before the game, then he could end up ending his rookie season as a Super Bowl winner. It will be a hard feat to achieve, but if Bosa and his team mates can stop Mahomes, then they will have earned it.