Super Bowl LVIII approaches; who do you like? Hear from RR ‘experts’

Sunday, Feb. 4, was a weird day: It was the first Sunday without pro football games to watch since early September, but I pressed through.

Back in early December, I was saying the Super Bowl would feature San Francisco and Baltimore, and that was before the Ravens clobbered the 49ers.

I’ve been an admirer of Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes for a long time, but the Chiefs were having problems, namely establishing a running game and receivers dropping catchable passes.

Then came the playoffs: Kansas City won its first game at Buffalo, and then went to Baltimore and beat the AFC’s No. 1 seed Ravens.

San Francisco did what it needed to as the NFC’s No. 1 seed, beat visiting Green Bay and then rally from a 17-point deficit to beat Detroit.

Now, in what will be my final annual Super Bowl poll “employing” the local “experts.”

For the record, Kansas City will win, 34-31, because of its tougher road to the Super Bowl – winning at Buffalo and then at Baltimore, plus one of the greatest big-game QBs of all-time and a future HOF tight end in Travis Kelce. Plus, the running game is going full speed with Isaiah Pacheco. MVP: Mr. Taylor Swift… er, Travis Kelce.

Now, there are the experts’ picks:

Matt Martinez, CHS athletic director: Kansas City will win because it has a better quarterback who has bene in several Super Bowls. Overall, Kansas City has a better coach who knows how to win the final game. Chiefs 28-24. MVP: Mahomes (or Taylor Swift?).

Eric Jack, RRHS assistant girls’ basketball coach; former UNM Lobo and NFL player: Kansas City, because Patrick Mahomes just shines in these moments, and that experience (that he has) plays a big part in it. Chiefs, 28-24. MVP: Mahomes.

Robert Garza, Cleveland High football coach: 49ers win, 35-21. The 49ers’ defense will make things really hard on Kansas City early on and that will give the offense a chance to get rolling. Too many weapons on that 49ers offense for Kansas City to handle. MVP: Deebo Samuel.

Nate Pino,

Rio Rancho football coach: I will take the Chiefs; the Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes pairing is special and they are playing some tough defense this year to boot. Chiefs, 31-30. MVP: Patrick Mahomes.

Todd Resch, RRPS athletic director and champion of his fantasy football league: San Francisco, 31-27, because San Francisco is loaded with offensive weapons with big play potential. At any moment, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk or George Kittle could score. Their young, but poised quarterback will get the ball to these elite playmakers. MVP: Christian McCaffrey.

Isaiah Chavez, former RRHS QB and current UNM Lobo: San Francisco will win because it has too many weapons in the offense and the offense is built to be successful; the defense will make just enough plays to pull it out. 49ers, 31-24. MVP: Christian McCaffrey.

Tre Watson, former CHS and Fresno State receiver, now Texas A&M player: Can’t bet against Mahomes! Kansas City wins, 24-21. MVP: Patrick Mahomes.

And don’t look for any Rio Rancho Observer commercials during the big game Sunday. We can’t afford $7 million for a 30-second commercial, and that’s a year’s pay for me. (LOL)

Enjoy the game!