Well, here we are. The big game, pitting the two champions of their conferences against each other for a world championship. 

Connor here, NFL Editor for PSF. I wanted to give a couple of thank yous out before we start the predictions. First, to all the writers that have taken a part of this, thanks for coming on and writing! Your work is much appreciated and is a joy to edit. Next, to the entire PSF team working in the background, I appreciate y’all letting us come onto the front page of the website for the past couple of weekends! Finally, to everyone out there who’s reading this: this series is one of the most fun ones I’ve done in my time as editor here, I hope y’all will stay with us. 

With that out of the way, let’s get into it!

Super Bowl 58: (3) Kansas City Chiefs v. (1) San Francisco 49ers, Feb. 11, 6:30 p.m. EST

Our staff got thrown for a loop on championship weekend, they predicted 9-0 in favor of the Ravens. They didn’t really expect the self-destruction that happened on the field in Baltimore, but here we are with the Chiefs back in the Super Bowl. 

5-4 in favor of the Niners is something I did not expect in the slightest. With how heavily our staff favored a Ravens/49ers Super Bowl at the beginning of the playoffs, I didn’t expect that close of a decision. The Niners still won, but our staff still comes out with a losing record on the week: 5-13. 

The Chiefs look battle-tested and hungry for another Super Bowl. They pulled out a gritty victory in the cold against the Dolphins, eked out a close one against the Bills, and capitalized on the Ravens’ mistakes. Their defense has been carrying them through this playoff run, as well as some heroics by Patrick Mahomes. 

The 49ers have gotten away with two wins that looked bad for them at times, pulling away from the Packers and putting up some last-second big plays against the Lions to get themselves here. Their offense is firing as best as it can, with San Francisco’s elite weapons – wide receiver Deebo Samuel, running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle – carrying the load. Their defense clamps down and makes big plays where they can, but they’ll need any and all help they can get to get back to a world championship. 

So, will the Chiefs win their third Super Bowl in five years and repeat as champions, or will the Niners’ super-team catapult them to glory?

Trent Finnegan: I got Chiefs by a touchdown. The big factor for me is that Kansas City has Patrick Mahomes on their side on offense, and Steve Spagnoulo on defense. In big games these two have proven that they will show up and elevate their units around them. Brock Purdy has shown that he gets flustered when pushed off his spot when pressured, and Spags will bring the pressure. I think it will be high scoring and close, similar to Super Bowl 57.

Shannen Horan: Well I predicted the 49ers would be here but the Chiefs! Lord, I was hoping not to have a Taylor Swift Super Bowl (no hate to Travis Kelce though, I am happy for him!) but here we are. Brock Purdy aka Mr. Irrelevant will be the factor that decides if the 49ers win or lose. The 49ers have a great team, but the Chiefs have an edge over them with their recent experience competing at this level and their dominant defense. I have counted out the Chiefs in every post-season game and have obviously lost those bets, so despite the awesome underdog story of the 49ers, I will be pulling for the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl.

Samir Ajy: This matchup may be the most unpopular in the eyes of NFL fans, but it is definitely the most intriguing.  Two teams with vastly different paths to the big game are squaring off in what should be an exciting matchup.  If the Chiefs want to win this game, they will get to get pressure on Purdy, just like they did with Tua, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen late in their playoff victories.  That defensive line led by Jones and Karlaftis is more than capable of doing so.  Make Purdy uncomfortable and get him to make mistakes, like the Packers and Lions did.   Furthermore, as tall of a task as it is against the Niners front seven, the Chiefs need to get Isaiah Pacheco going on the ground. Especially if the Niners are able to contain Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice.  As for the Niners, feed the playmakers.  Take the pressure off Purdy and let the playmakers on offense win the game for you.  Definitely, it is imperative that they try to maintain Kelce and limit big plays in the middle of the field, which is an essential part of the Chiefs offense.  Outside or Rice, there is no true threat on the outside for the Chiefs. I predict a low-scoring affair between two great defenses.  20-17.  Chiefs take it home.  Isaiah Pacheco scores a rushing and receiving touchdown and takes home Super Bowl MVP.  Meanwhile, Kyle Shanahan falls short once again of that elusive Super Bowl title.  

Austin Loring: While this is not the Super Bowl that America wanted, it is probably the best outcome for the most competitive Super Bowl we could have had this year. When the playoffs started, the Chiefs were not viewed as a Super Bowl caliber this year but you can never doubt Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. The biggest factor in this game is how the 49ers will play from the jump. If they come out in the same fashion they did against the Packers and Lions then this game will be decided early on for a Kansas City victory. I predict to see this game be very competitive and an overall defensive battle. I foresee a final score of 24-21 in favor of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Paul Vozzella: Seeing the Chiefs in the Super Bowl again is not what most people expected but no one should be shocked they’re back. The 49ers, on the other hand, had championship-or-bust expectations going into the season. Regardless of what you wanted as a Super Bowl matchup, there is no denying this is going to be a great game. The 49ers bring in one of the best defenses in the league with a high-powered offense loaded with weapons. The Chiefs also come in with a stellar defense and a man by the name of Patrick Mahomes. When it comes down to it, I need to go with the team that has the best player in the world. Give me the Chiefs 27-24.

Joe Grassano: Well, this is a Super Bowl matchup that no one expected. However, it should still be a fun one as it is a rematch of the Super Bowl from four years ago that saw the Chiefs make a 21-point fourth quarter comeback to defeat the 49ers. Entering this matchup, each team looks significantly different than they did four years ago, with the major difference being that the Chiefs don't have wide receiver Tyreek Hill anymore, and the 49ers have added star running back Christian McCaffrey. For the most part since adding McCaffrey, the 49ers' offense has looked quite unstoppable. On the other hand, the Chiefs' offense has had its ups and downs without Hill, with this year not being great. Yet they still made it to the Super Bowl and have a shot to win because of quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Even though Mahomes has shown, it’s a bad idea to bet against the Chiefs in the playoffs this year I still have the Niners winning this game 31-24.  

Staff Questions:

The New England Patriots promoted linebackers coach Jerod Mayo to be their next head coach. Grade the hire.

Trent Finnegan: I give this one a B+. The only thing that worries me is that he doesn’t have a ton of coaching experience compared to other candidates. Beside that, he’s an in-house guy that knows how this organization wants to operate, will run a great defense, and knows how to win.

Shannen Horan: I would give this hire an A+. As a Patriots fan, I was excited to hear that we promoted Jerod Mayo as our new head coach. Knowing owner Robert Kraft, he was going to hire someone who 1) knows the “Patriots way” and 2) he can trust. Mayo exceeds both of those criteria. Mayo not only played under Bill Belichick but also coached for four years alongside Belichick; Mayo essentially eats, sleeps and breathes Patriots football. Mayo is also bringing in some great coaches and his position on developing the younger players is a great start to this new chapter of Patriots football. 

The Las Vegas Raiders promoted interim head coach Antonio Pierce to be their next head coach. Grade the hire.

Austin Loring: This hire gets an A+ grade from me for the Raiders’ new head coach. This was the only decision that the Raiders could have made after the second half of the season, the team had after Pierce took over as interim head coach. The Raiders also learned from their past mistake of not promoting Rich Bisaccia and opting to go with Josh McDaniels who was a total flop. While the head coach hire was good, Mark Davis decided to then hire Tom Telesco as the new General Manager which is a clear F grade hire. 

The Tennessee Titans hired Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan to be their next head coach. Grade the hire.

Paul Vozzella: It took more time than it should have, but Mark Davis finally made up his mind and decided to hire Pierce permanently. Whether it was forced on him by the players or he wanted to make the move himself, it was the best move to make. As soon as Pierce took the team over, there were immediate results. This is an A+ hire for the organization

Joe Grassano: I’m unsure if this was a great move or not since head coach Zach Taylor calls most of the offensive plays in Cincinnati. So, if Tennessee is trying to build a better offense, hiring someone who didn’t have full control over an offense is a bit concerning. One positive, though is he has experience working with Joe Burrow, who is a superstar quarterback, so he might be able to aid Will Levis in his development.  

The Carolina Panthers hired Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales to be their next head coach. Grade the hire.

Joe Grassano: I like this hire for the Panthers. Canales did a great job helping Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield lead the team this season. The hope is he can do the same with Bryce Young, who had a rough rookie season. 

Paul Vozzella: Frank Reich led the Panthers to dead last in the league and didn’t show signs of much promise for the future, so it only made sense that he was let go from his position. The job position is not the most enticing with having David Tepper as your boss, but does offer a young roster with potential. Ultimately, the Panthers were able to land Canales in the hopes that he can develop Bryce Young in the same way that he got Baker Mayfield back on track as the Buccaneers’ OC this season. Canales is unproven as a head coach, but has the potential to turn the Panthers’ franchise around. I grade this hire as a B+

Austin Loring: This was a surprise hire, but after sitting on it a bit, I view this hire as a B grade. Canales helped Quarterback Baker Mayfield revitalize his career in Tampa Bay, and Bryce Young is in a similar situation as well. Both Quarterbacks came out of college being degraded in draft evaluations for their lack of size, and with the correct signings, the Panthers could take a huge step in the right direction this offseason. The real issue is owner David Tepper who gets an F- grade for his ownership ability.

The Atlanta Falcons hired Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to be their next head coach. Grade the hire. 

Shannen Horan: I would give this hire a B- – I don’t hate it but it’s not who I thought the team was going to go with. I was honestly surprised that the Falcons didn’t hire Bill Belichick after all the interest they were showing him. Nonetheless, former defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is now the head coach of the Falcons, and this isn’t his first time coaching the Falcons. Morris was Atlanta’s defensive coordinator and then interim coach in 2020 after Dan Quinn was fired mid-season. There is no doubt that Morris has a solid resume– he even cultivated a dominant Rams defense that helped them win the Super Bowl in 2021– but the Falcons have been struggling for several years, so it will be interesting to see what he is going to do and change with this team. 

The Seattle Seahawks hired Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to be their next head coach. Grade the hire. 

Shannen Horan: I would give this hire an A – I like this! Macdonald embodies many of the traits that made Pete Carroll successful, such as a well-defined system. He brings fresh ideas to the organization and will also build, not deconstruct, the culture and atmosphere that the Seahawks have. Macdonald did a great job with the Raven’s defense, but he also has an offensive mindset on his defense that will help in this new position. 

Paul Vozzella: This hire surprised me a little bit just because of the mere fact that I did not know MacDonald’s name was in any head coach candidate conversations. With that being said, he led the Ravens defense to two top-10 finishes the past two years. The Seahawks have a great young core with proven veterans on defense and now get a great hire to lead them. This one gets an A-

Trent Finnegan: I give this one an A. One of the great, young defensive minds in football, MacDonald has won and led a very successful defense everywhere he’s been. He fits the vibe the past Seattle teams have had and has some exciting weapons to work with.

The Washington Commanders hired Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to be their next head coach. Grade the hire. 

Trent Finnegan: I got a C- here. Just a very underwhelming hire in a cycle that had possible names of Bill Belichick and Ben Johnson. Quinn showed in Atlanta that he is not a great head coach without Kyle Shanahan calling the plays for him, and the end of his tenure was rough. He’s a fine coordinator, but doesn’t have what it takes to be a head coach.

Austin Loring: What an absolute flop of a hire for Commanders fans that I view as an obvious D- grade hire. The Commanders who were connected with Ben Johnson the entire time opted to pursue a proven mediocre head coach. Dan Quinn is an average to sometimes great coordinator, but there are many good coordinators who are not good head coaches, and Dan Quinn is one of them. The NFC East seems to love just recycling the same coaches and coordinators around and with the Commanders most likely taking North Carolina’s Quarterback Drake Maye with the second overall pick the decision to go for a defensive minded coach is confusing. 

Staff: What’s your way too early Super Bowl pick for next year?

Trent Finnegan: Chiefs beating the Packers for the three-peat. Gonna spew at hot take here, I’m so excited to see what Jordan Love brings to the table for Green Bay next year with more experience under his belt.

Shannen Horan: My wayyyy to early Super Bowl pick next year is the Dolphins v. Lions with the Lions winning! 

Austin Loring: My way to early Super Bowl pick for next year is a Kansas City Chiefs vs Detroit Lions with the Lions winning their first Super Bowl in franchise history.

Paul Vozzella: I’m going to have to go with the Baltimore Ravens over the Green Bay Packers. I think Lamar finally figures it out in the postseason and gets the job done. 

Thanks so much for reading! Staff Picks will be a lot less frequent after this point, but will continue throughout the summer leading into next season. Stay tuned!