Cumberland County high school football coaches reveal their Super Bowl LVIII picks

Before all the talking heads take center stage and all the world’s sports media descends on Las Vegas for next week’s Super Bowl, let’s hear the picks of Cumberland County Schools’ 10 senior high football coaches for Super Bowl LVIII. The game between San Francisco and Kansas City airs on CBS on Sunday, Feb. 11, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

 

The following answers have been edited for clarity:

 

Kansas City Chiefs. (Patrick) Mahomes is that QB. Until someone besides (Tom) Brady knocks him off I am not betting against him in big games postseason.

 

The Kansas City defense is elite as well and that makes for a tough combo in the postseason. The 49ers are talented and (Kyle) Shanahan is a great coach, but Andy Reid is a veteran who always has the game plan to win big ball games.

 

I’m picking the Chiefs. They are playing well as a team in all phases of the game. They are playing well on defense, plus they go two-deep at each position.

 

They have one of if not the best quarterbacks in the league, best tight end, good receiving corps and three good running backs. It’s going to be a great game, because the 49ers are playing good football.

 

I’m going with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Should be a very competitive game, but I’m going with experience in this one, but hey, given any Sunday, any team can win.

 

The 49ers. They have more weapons, balanced on offense and their defense should do enough to slow down the Chiefs.

 

Kansas City. Hard to go against (Andy) Reid and (Patrick) Mahomes in the big game. They’re having a special season.

 

Chiefs, 30-27. Because Andy Reid knows how to score points from field goals.

 

My pick for the Super Bowl is Kansas City. I have always had a great admiration for Andy Reid, how he develops his teams year after year is truly masterful. The Chiefs have been playing great defense as of late. With their multiple coverage packages, five and six-man pressures, and defensive line penetration, opposing quarterbacks never get a chance to get comfortable. 

 

If the 49ers are unable to restrain the Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones it is going to be an extremely tough outing for 49ers’ quarterback Brock Purdy. Sidenote, it would be awesome watching former Buccaneer Josh Williams (Chiefs defensive back) get his second ring.

 

This is a rematch from four years ago. I’m a (Baltimore) Ravens fan so I’m going to go for the Chiefs.

 

My pick for the Super Bowl is the 49ers. I just feel they have a well-balanced offense and defense. Though as I say that, the Kansas City Chiefs have a generational quarterback that finds a way to win. So it is a tough choice, but my pick goes with San Francisco.

 

This is no more an instant replay. But the shoe is on the other foot. Once upon a time four years ago, San Francisco was the team that got hot entering into the playoffs and got the win. Now is Kansas City’s time with a team that’s extremely hot at the moment. San Francisco will fight hard.

 

Now when it comes down to the game, the defense needs only to hold San Francisco and keep the game close. (Patrick) Mahomes to (Travis) Kelce will be the difference to close the game out.

 

With that being said, do not forget about the third phase of the game, which more fans overlook. Kansas City’s kicking will play clean, productive and has the ability to create explosiveness in that phase, creating opportunities with a shorter field situation for their offense.

 

I concur with the coaches who give Andy Reid a lot of credit for the way he has developed and coached this Chiefs team. And as Coach Sherman said, there’s no arguing that Patrick Mahomes is a generational talent at quarterback.

 

But I think the key is going to be the 49ers quarterback, Brock Purdy. He’s been something of a miracle all year for San Francisco, plugging a gigantic hole in the 49ers offense and taking advantage of the multi-talented skills of former Carolina Panther Christian McCaffrey who has been the real spark of the 49ers offense.

 

But Super Bowls have a history of being unkind to young, less experienced players. I think that’s going to be the case with Purdy when he steps under the blinding Las Vegas lights next weekend. He was Mr. Irrelevant in 2022, the last player taken in the NFL draft. I think he’ll return to that status next Sunday evening.