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ESPN's Bill Barnwell concludes:
The pick
The deeper I looked into this matchup and how both two teams are playing, the more I found advantages leaning toward the Chiefs. We can't count out the 49ers given how explosive they can be on offense in a matter of seconds, but they've been inconsistent on both sides of the football since Christmas. Their defense has struggled over that stretch, and Mahomes' pocket movement and poise neutralizes their biggest strength.
Is it a vote against Purdy? I guess it has to be, right? I don't want to be the guy screaming "He can't keep getting away with this" for the next decade as he puts the ball in danger and succeeds, but this is the sort of matchup and the sort of defense built to take advantage of those moments in which he takes unnecessary risks.
The 49ers will get a late score to make it close, but having picked the Chiefs to win the title before the regular season and before the playoffs began, I'm not wavering now. Chiefs 27, 49ers 20.
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