Today’s episode of Bet the EDGE began with Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick each taking a team and looking at them and this game from a macro level.
The audience got a look at the Kansas City Chiefs from Dinsick (@whale_capper).
“I’m not really buying into this being some sort of revelatory growth out of the Kansas City offense. I think we know who they are. Patrick Mahomes is the greatest quarterback of this generation by margin, and he’s capable of elevating that unit to where they can make another Super Bowl…However, this is still a unit that has struggled mightily in the redzone throughout the balance of the season. It is still a unit that I think you have to have sincere questions about the ability of their pass catchers to either generate separation or catch the football. They kind of have a little bit of a problem doing both of those things and I don’t think that gets fixed on the world’s biggest stage. I am definitely starting to entrench my opinion here that the Niners are the right side and that this is going to be finally a crowning moment for Shanahan and a little bit of sweet redemption for Brock Purdy.”
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Croucher (@crocuherJD) offered an overview of the San Francisco 49ers.
“The more I think about this game, the more I focus on the fact that I think that the Niners…when you think about their defense, you still have to bake in that they were effectively the best defense in the NFL last season. I understand that now it’s the Steve Wilks show instead of the DeMeco Ryans show. The personnel is slightly different…but for the most part this is the same group of players. I think that we get so biased visually by how a defense looks when it gets carved up when they’re not getting quick pressure…I think the Niners’ defense has been a little bit exposed where if Bosa isn’t getting home if he isn’t wreaking havoc or if Chase Young or Armstead aren’t doing the same thing then these guys are getting exposed on the back end (e.g. any/all of the Baltimore, Green Bay, and Detroit games). If Bosa and co. can get to Mahomes or at least wreak havoc, the San Francisco defense will look like a strength of the team.”
Their conversation and analysis continued eventually concluding with the pair agreeing San Francisco is the right side but the result of the Super Bowl is riding on the play of San Francisco’s young signal caller.
“Ultimately what it will come down to is…if Brock Purdy plays like the guy who was a -250 MVP favorite going into Week 16, if he plays at the level that got him to that point…then the Niners are probably going to win this game because they have more talent…but there is a nonzero chance that he completely implodes like he imploded against Baltimore, like he imploded in the first half against Green Bay…(on the other hand) whatever we think is going to happen with the Chiefs, Mahomes is not going to lose his head. Mahomes is not going to be seeing ghosts. There’s a chance that Purdy will and it is difficult to handicap the young brain of Brock Purdy.”
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The sportsbooks agree with the boys’ breakdown of the game. Currently, San Francisco remains favored by 2 points with the Total holding at 47.5.
Enjoy the game and enjoy the sweat.
*Odds courtesy of DraftKings
